OK, so if I did that to a police officer (Put my hand over his camcorder), are you saying I wouldn't get arrested for assault or something similar?
You'd more likely get done for obstructing a police officer. The copper should face disciplinary action, but a charge of assault is over the top. The whole incident is ridiculous (why did the French man insist on filming the copper/why was the copper even bothered that he was being filmed) and neither party are blameless.
Why the comparison?:roll: Well, Russian police are known for the fact that they break the rules all the time. Same in this case. Except we are supposed to live in a more democratic and 'free' society.
Sorry, let me get this straight, you honestly think that the British Police are comparable to the Russian Police? Comparable to a country where a male journalist can be raped with a broom stick and beaten to death while just sobering-up in a Police cell and only one Police officer be arrested for the crime.
Yeah, that's the daily routine for your average British bobby, along with taking bribes, raping prostitutes, destroying the homes of political activists, getting blind drunk on duty and beating up homosexuals. :roll:
PCSOs are pointless, the only reason they exist is that they are cheaper than a normal plod.
That is widely disputed, many people say that PCSO's cost nearly as much as real police officers...
Isn't it true that they don't have the powers of arrest (apart from Citizens' Arrest), but have to wait for an actual PC to come along?
I don't think they do. Some though, like the BTP and (IIRC) North Wales Police, have the power to detain suspects. This is why the BTP PCSO's carry handcuffs.
Yes that is correct. So kinda hated by Police Officers too, because they just bother them all the time when they are trying to do thier own job too.
I think that's unfair, most police officers are against the concept of PCSO's, but few have a problem with the actual people who do the job. All of the BTP officers that I've had anything to do with and have spoken to about PCSO's have only had positive things to say about them.
Of all the forces in the UK, I get the feeling that the Met might be the main force with the problems you describe between PC and PCSO's, probably because they've got a large number of PCSO's, of which a relatively high percentage seem to be at least a little bit incompetent.
Why not hire civilian admin staff to do the paperwork and only have "real" police patrolling the streets?
Good question.