News Ticker

Legalise Shoplifting? Officers Should Use ‘Discretion’ with Stealing Suspects, Argues Police Watchdog

PHOTO: Oliver Darcy/Business Insider

By Kurt Zindulka | 20 May 2022

BREITBART — Police officers should use “discretion” when deciding to prosecute people for shoplifting in Britain due to the cost of living crisis, the recently installed head of a police watchdog has argued.

Andy Cooke, who was installed by the Conservative government last month as Her Majesty’s chief inspector, has warned that there will be an increase in crime due to rampant inflation and other economic woes in Britain.

In response to the likely uptick in poverty and therefore criminality, the police watchdog told the left-wing Guardian newspaper that police officers should be lenient on those stealing from shops.

“There’s always individual cases where you can use your discretion that doesn’t necessarily result in a prosecution but is dealt with in the best way possible. And the shoplifting one’s a good example, isn’t it?” Cooke suggested.

“What they’ve got to bear in mind is what is the best thing for the community, and that individual, in the way they deal with those issues. And I certainly fully support police officers using their discretion – and they need to use discretion more often.” […]

Be the first to comment

Post a Comment

Winter Watch

Discover more from Winter Watch

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading