VOA标准英语 Politicians Question Police Misconduct Charges at G-

The head of Britain's Independent Police Complaints Commission was questioned Tuesday by a host of politicians in parliament regarding the much criticized security tactics employed during London's G-20 summit earlier this month.
　
British police in riot gear secure area as protesters sit on road during rally in central London's financial district, 1 Apr 2009

One man died in those protests under suspicious circumstances and dozens of complaints have been filed against the police for the alleged¹ strong-arm methods employed. Three weeks after the events, more than 50 people have come forward with assault allegations.

Those allegations are being investigated by the Independent Police Complaints Commission. Forty members of the IPCC are examining police conduct during the summit.

Commission Chairman Nick Hardwick faced questions from a parliamentary panel about his investigation² into possible criminal misconduct. "Clearly the pictures are disturbing," Hardwick said, "but what I would also say to people is that as I think members of the committee have correctly pointed³ out, pictures are a snapshot, all right, and what we will not do and what I will not do is make assumptions prior to the completion of our investigation. We will make our decisions on the basis of the total evidence we collect, not on the basis of today's headlines."
　
Protesters at G20 Summit show anger over economic situation

Hardwick said the police regularly train using a variety of so-called crowd control distraction⁴ techniques - namely hitting, striking and kicking.

"Well it seems to me if we train officers to do a particular thing and put them into situations where that training is required and then we see pictures of them doing what they have been trained to do, we cannot simply wash our hands of it at that point and say how awful it is, right?"

"We have to share some of that responsibility. So I think the police service has the responsibility to involve us in that discussion and we as the public, as parliamentarians, have a responsibility to respond intelligently to that and be realistic about the hard choices that are made," Hardwick added.

Many in Britain point to events like the policing of the G-20 as further evidence the country's police are slowly drifting away from their long-standing traditional role as servants of the public.

Although he is focusing on specific cases of possible police misconduct, Nick Hardwick said there is a great need for a much larger debate to be held in the country regarding the correct balance between security and liberty.

In particular, Hardwick said, police must get involved in that very important discussion. "We have a tradition in this country of policing by consent. I think it is one of the things that we can be proud of, but my view is that has to be informed consent and I think one of the problems with the way the police service has operated up to now is that the discussion about tactics and strategy has been an internal discussion in the profession and I think the police service needs to be better at having that discussion with the public to whom they are accountable."

Experts say accountability is key in determining the future use of certain practices such as confining thousands of protesters into small areas for hours on end and of some officers removing badge numbers from their uniforms in crowd control situations.

1 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为

2 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

3 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

4 distraction   

n.精神涣散，精神不集中，消遣，娱乐

参考例句：

• Total concentration is required with no distractions.要全神贯注，不能有丝毫分神。
• Their national distraction is going to the disco.他们的全民消遣就是去蹦迪。