Police responsible for UK Security.
Sat, September 22, 2001
Source: Police Federation
Police Federation calls for ID systems in the wake of US tragedy.
The 11th September 2001 has changed the world in so
many ways. The stakes are high and the images from New York and Washington are
burned into our minds. The horror of British cities suffering the same tragedy
must not happen. We in the police service are responsible for the safety and
security of our nation. Whilst our vigilance is at its highest and we are
prepared for terrorist attacks, we are also dealing with the conflict between
communities in an atmosphere of fear, hostility and confusion.
There are
dragons in the wings of the world and the freedom of democratic countries is
under threat from those who seek to destroy our very existence. Security changes
must therefore be made to protect our country. Personal identification is now a
priority and securing our individual identity is the first matter to address.
Most of us already carry some personal ID: driving licences, medical cards,
credit cards and bus passes. Many people seek assistance through state benefits
and require identification at Post Offices and Benefit Offices. In the short
term we should issue a comprehensive, unified state identity card on a voluntary
basis and make the use of that card essential for access to any state or local
authority benefit. It would be valuable as proof of age for pubs, clubs, cinemas
and other age restricted access. The integrity and credibility of identification
cards requires careful checking to ensure accuracy. That work can be done over
the longer term to make any necessary adjustments to the system. If this works,
all well and good, if it fails we will have to go further and make it a
mandatory requirement for everyone.
The possession of identification
would deal with so many problems the police face. It would increase the security
of the nation, reduce the number of people taken to police stations just to
confirm identity and make Britain a fundamentally safer place. Whilst the guilty
and civil libertarians will scream 'Police State', the innocent, law abiding
public know this makes sense.
The world has changed and our security is
paramount.
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