What's the point of barriers without security

[70014IronDuke]

That said, the latter does necessarily require the former. Cf. states such as the German Democratic Republic where something like 2.5% of the working-age population were either formal members of the security service or unpaid informants. In the UK that would amount to something like 1.5 million people, as opposed to the c. 180,000 people employed by the Home Office Police, BTP, MI5 and MI6.

If one was intent on turning the UK into a police state you would need likely need something like a ten-fold increase in the size of the security services.

Agreed generally; police states do need a lot of folks to do the dirty work - though I can't verify or criticise your particular examples.

My point was, however, that just because you increase a security presence at a station (or eg just street patrols), that in itself does not mean you are creating what most would deem to be a 'police state'.

 

[najaB]

My point was, however, that just because you increase a security presence at a station (or eg just street patrols), that in itself does not mean you are creating what most would deem to be a 'police state'.

I'm actually in agreement. I was pointing out that we have nowhere near the number of security service personnel as you'd expect in a police state. Even if we were to double or even triple the number of officers, we'd be nowhere near oppression levels.

 

[70014IronDuke]

I'm actually in agreement. I was pointing out that we have nowhere near the number of security service personnel as you'd expect in a police state. Even if we were to double or even triple the number of officers, we'd be nowhere near oppression levels.

Rightee ho!

Let's hope we never get there!

 

[najaB]

Rightee ho!

Let's hope we never get there!

Reading from my copy of Establishing a Totalitarian State for Dummies, it goes:

• Step 1: Invent an external enemy of the state, which can only be countered by a massive increase in the security services;
• Step 2: Claim that the enemy has infiltrated society and the security services have to root them out;
• Step 3: ???
• Step 4: Profit!

 

[Trainguy34]

Reading from my copy of Establishing a Totalitarian State for Dummies, it goes:

• Step 1: Invent an external enemy of the state, which can only be countered by a massive increase in the security services;
• Step 2: Claim that the enemy has infiltrated society and the security services have to root them out;
• Step 3: ???
• Step 4: Profit!

Ooh, might try that on Tuesday, will reply if it goes well...

 

[sheff1]

At Manchester Oxford Rd on Saturday someone got down on the floor and started to crawl under the wide gate. As he began to emerge one staff member blocked him and then with the help of another staff member physically forced him back under the barrier. One then began interrogating him - he claimed to have of no money and no ID and was evasive about where he had travelled from. As I left he was seemingly being written up for further action.

 

[RunRepeat]

Depends how motivated they are, back when I worked on Gateline we had some really beefy security at Clapham Jnc and a few times I managed to get them to kick out people who pushed through the gates, found them on the platform and marched them out the station, but a lot of these "STM" or other agency security are as useful as a chocolate teapot!

I'm not sure I'd put myself in front of a possible blade for £11/hr to be honest.

 

[greyman42]

I'm not sure I'd put myself in front of a possible blade for £11/hr to be honest.

So what would you do for £11 per hour?