Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
police harassment !
My neighbour across the street on Umfreville Road had his door kicked in by the police last night, who had decided on no evdence that it was a crack-cocaine house. He is a geography teacher, who grew up in that house and lives there with two colleagues, also male. They also all happen to be black.
The police accidentally left documents behind detailing how they obtained the warrant - they said that they could not find out who lived in the house (although he is on the electoral register) and that the occupants were likely to be dangerous, and causing anti-social behaviour in the community.
In fact he has always been a calm and reassuring presence, looking out for my house when I'm away and a truly good neighbour - any observation of the house, or local enquiries would have made this clear. Or perhaps they could have knocked instead of kicking the door down?
No apology was made - he was told he was unlikely to get compensation and has taken the day off work today to fix the door.
I'm completely outraged by all this, and it's hard to imagine that it wasn't to some degree affected by racist assumptions - he vertainly feels that.
Far from making me feel safer, it increases my feeling that anything could happen around here, and there might be a policeman behind it.
Does anyone know where to start with making a complaint about this, or has there been any similar incident you know of?
Maddy
The police accidentally left documents behind detailing how they obtained the warrant - they said that they could not find out who lived in the house (although he is on the electoral register) and that the occupants were likely to be dangerous, and causing anti-social behaviour in the community.
In fact he has always been a calm and reassuring presence, looking out for my house when I'm away and a truly good neighbour - any observation of the house, or local enquiries would have made this clear. Or perhaps they could have knocked instead of kicking the door down?
No apology was made - he was told he was unlikely to get compensation and has taken the day off work today to fix the door.
I'm completely outraged by all this, and it's hard to imagine that it wasn't to some degree affected by racist assumptions - he vertainly feels that.
Far from making me feel safer, it increases my feeling that anything could happen around here, and there might be a policeman behind it.
Does anyone know where to start with making a complaint about this, or has there been any similar incident you know of?
Maddy
Tags for Forum Posts: crime, police
Replies are closed for this discussion.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Margaret Fowler on
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I don't actually think we should get involved in this. It only affects the neighbourhood if there is antisocial behaviour which is affecting neighbours and the daily activities on Green Lanes. If the occupant of the house needs support they will probably contact a friendly neighbour or sort the situation in their own way and let people know what happened if they want to. It's not our business to snoop on neighbours, just offer support if we are asked or actually know the person well enough to offer it as a friend.
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Permalink Reply by matt on
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It's actually a 'friendly' neighbour who chose to put this thread up on this site. A councillor has now offered advice and I think this thread should now close.
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Permalink Reply by Anette on
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Agreed Matt. This thread could very much go the wrong way, and I think the views here have been diverse enough to cover all angles.
The person who's door got kicked in should ask for an explanation, and if that's not satisfactory then it will possibly become a community issue. Until then I think we should leave it. -
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Permalink Reply by DavidJ on
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To be fair Margaret that does seem to be what has happened here. A friendly neighbour has talked to the occupier, she has been upset by it what happened and and has raised the issue here - asking for advice.
I personally think the police should be talking and explaining what happened. I think this would emphasise how much things have changed from those much bleaker days a couple of decades ago when there were truly explosive relationships between police and community. -
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I certainly wouldn't want my business put around on a blog to be read by people I don't know and this thread should never have been opened in the first place without the occupant's consent.
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Permalink Reply by Maddy on
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I've been away all week, which is why I haven't yet replied to any of this. I agree that the title of my post was a bit inflammatory - I was really shocked and upset as I had just been talking to my neighbour about what had happened. I was in fact, as several of you pointed out, trying to find out information for him as to how he should make a complaint. I don't see this as interfering or betraying a confidence. Thank you to those who have given constructive advice, which I will pass on.
It's very disturbing (if true) that if a warrant was legally issued there is no redress, since in my opinion the warrant was issued on totally wrong information : I really can't think on what basis anyone would suspect this property of sheltering anti-social activities.
I probably shouldn't have mentioned the "R" word, but was responding to his own comments on the subject, as no reasons were given for the police's suspicion of him.
I found (and still find) the whole incident quite upsetting and disturbing; my neighbour has said he's afraid it might happen again, and frankly it does not make the neighbourhood feel safer to me. I'm not at all anti-police but I think there has to be some accountability: if mistakes are made that cause distress, then there should be apologies and reparation. I hope he will pursue this fully through the channels suggested.
I'm also quite angry at some of the attacks on me for posting on this subject. Isn't this supposed to be a neighbourhood "forum" - i.e. place for discussing our concerns about the area? If it's always like this I don't think I'll bother again.
Maddy -
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Permalink Reply by Hugh on
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Thanks for coming back on this Maddy.
Sorry if you feel you've been unfairly treated. I thought that by and large the comments were sympathetic to you. There were some robust comments in disagreement with you, but I hadn't judged any of them to be attacks.
One thing I've learned on this forum is the need for us all to take great care with the way we express things and what we read into the comments others write. The very great majority of people on the site do not seem to be prone to attacking others. Robust views are expressed, but as long as they're not expressing unacceptable views or attacking others, in most cases I believe they should be regarded as pat of the process of healthy debate.
It's a pity that, due to the situation, we can't bottom this one out. Do come back and let us know if you learn any more. But, in the meantime, now that you've had a chance to respond, I'm going to close off this discussion. -
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