Originally published at: http://boingboing.net/2017/01/22/bristol-cops-mistake-their-own.html
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Oh man is that next racial sensitivity workshop gonna be awkward.
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In Canada you are generally under no obligation to show the police your ID (or even provide your name and address) unless you are driving a vehicle or the police believe a crime has been committed (source: http://svan.ca/police-rights/). Is it different in the U.K.?
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Nope. He was under no legal obligation to show them anything.
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the basic “WTF could that mean?” of any excuse-culture.
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I know one easy way to improve race relations in Bristol.
Fire those two nazi numbskulls.
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The police could believe anything. There are plenty of unsolved crimes with suspects walking around. So this requirement could match anybody.
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They need to be prepared to be challenged later, if they are going to use that - ie show the time and report of the 911 call including the description of the suspect. If it’s not reasonable, they’ll be investigated, perhaps even get a black mark on their record.
Of course, they probably are less worried about someone who looks underprivileged having a lawyer who would challenge them later. 
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999 or 112 in the UK.
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The UK number changed recently. I believe it is now 0118 999 881 99 9119 725 3. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWc3WY3fuZU
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Yes, very right. I still had “Canada” in my brain from further up the thread.
Here in Japan, it’s 110.
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Reminds me of the Henry Louis Gates Jr. Episode in Cambridge MA back in 2009 except with much less violence than this Bristol incident.
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I like 112 and try to use it everywhere. It started as a GSM standard and I am glad it is catching on around the world. The only problem with 112 (but not with 110) is that it is too easy to accidentally pulse dial when joining cables, if pulse dialing is still enabled.
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“I believed a crime had been committed.”
“Did you have any basis for that belief?”
“No, but I still believed it.”
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Sure the number’s longer, but it’s so easy to remember. And those paramedics are so much more attractive!
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“I feared for my life.”
Well, buddy, you signed up for a scary job.
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i beleive that 911 also works in the UK due to the high number of US tourists
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perhaps even get a black mark on their record.
A mark on their record?! I’m sure they’re all shitting their pants, less their record gets tarnished. Perhaps they might even (maybe, in a small number of instances, in exceptional circumstances) not get promoted by their equally racist bosses?
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This is Bristol and the Avon and Somerset Police has one of the best records in the country - very few complaints and an excellent record of community policing. We have an independent (non-political) Police Commissioner. It’s an exceptional event and I doubt very much there will be no consequences.
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As an American… This is hard to conceptualize.
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