I’ve heard from the police’s head of marketing and media

Posted on November 29th, 2006 by Jackie Danicki

…but still have not heard from an actual police officer. And the email I got was in response to one I sent, asking for help in progressing the case. Just FYI, as I know many people are checking back for updates. Thank you all.

Filed under: Life, Survival

« Mark Kurlansky’s dangerous idea Cuteness makes everything better »

17 Responses to “I’ve heard from the police’s head of marketing and media”

  1. james higham, on November 29th, 2006 at 7:48 pm Said:

    Wht do they mean ‘progressing the case’? They’ve got the photo, haven’t they?

  2. Jackie Danicki, on November 29th, 2006 at 7:54 pm Said:

    No, they do not. The police have not yet been in touch to get the photo from me - hence my worry and dismay.

  3. Tatyana, on November 29th, 2006 at 9:14 pm Said:

    Then what “progressing the case” implies?

    Does it mean they - theoretically - sift through their database of criminals known to assault women on subway? Or they interiew witnesses? Send out description to patroling officers?

    Yeah, dream on…

  4. Gillian, on November 29th, 2006 at 9:17 pm Said:

    Do they atleast have the CCTV footage of these thugs attacking you?

  5. Jackie Danicki, on November 29th, 2006 at 9:22 pm Said:

    There DEFINITELY was CCTV footage - you can even see the screens at the end of the platform (where my assault took place) - at Bakerloo. My scariest worry is that the footage will have been erased, because I’m told they wipe the tapes every 24 hours if no crimes have been relayed to station security by the police. If the police are being this slow in getting to me, I shudder to think with what speed they got to the CCTV.

  6. Mustafa ibn Abu, on November 30th, 2006 at 1:30 pm Said:

    Just tell the police that you are a muslim, and that your attackers were molesting you because they hate muslims. You have to learn to work the system, girl!

  7. Jon D, on November 30th, 2006 at 5:12 pm Said:

    When I’ve seen CCTV monitors on the platform end they’ve been for showing the driver when everyones finished getting on and he can punch the button to shut the doors.

    Afraid in the unlikely event they do catch him he’s got his mate who’ll doubtless back up whatever story he comes out with… you started it or whatever. Your word against theirs unless you’ve got witnesses who’ll come forward. probably your assailants will deny everything and not even get a police caution.

    As to the commentator who said he’s innocent - well in the pedantic sense of being innocent until legally PROVED guilty he is I suppose, though I believe you, and sticking his face all over the internet could be argued to be prejudicing a court against him IMHO - If it seemed likely that this would eventually end up in court it might be advisable not to blog the photo of the assailant.

  8. Jackie Danicki, on November 30th, 2006 at 5:18 pm Said:

    There is no way on earth, with the CCTV, that they can claim I “started it” - I was standing, facing the tracks, listening to my headphones and staring into space when I was hit from behind.

    Honestly, if all it takes to get away with this kind of thing is to have a mate with you who will say the victim “started it,” then I really do despair for this country.

  9. Squander Two, on November 30th, 2006 at 6:46 pm Said:

    > sticking his face all over the internet could be argued to be prejudicing a court against him IMHO

    Nonsense. The police routinely stick the faces of wanted suspects all over national television.

  10. billy, on November 30th, 2006 at 6:49 pm Said:

    What happened to you is disgusting but don’t make out it is a country wide phenomena. No need to despair for this country ou can always safely fuck off back to the States. Many have to cope with living here and have no other choices, and it just ain’t that bad. How many shots did the NY police put into those unarmed black guys recently?

  11. Jackie Danicki, on November 30th, 2006 at 6:53 pm Said:

    “Love it or leave it”…hmm, I know I’ve heard that somewhere before…

  12. Jon d, on November 30th, 2006 at 8:17 pm Said:

    Ah headphones… It’s understandable why people want to cut themselves off a bit on public transport but I always felt more physically vulnerable doing it myself, like going round in an imaginary bubble or having my eyes shut.

  13. Gillian, on November 30th, 2006 at 9:04 pm Said:

    Hi, Ms. Danicki: So this started on the platform with them physically striking you and then progressed to yelling verbal insults on the train itself? Amazing. I wonder what these thugs do for fun when they’re not riding the subway.

    Does the U.K. have something like the USA’s Freedom of Information Act that would let you request a copy of the CCTV footage directly from the London Underground’s security forces? That way even if the police don’t get to it, you could post it to increase the likelihood of someone in London recognizing them. Plus maybe you could offer it to the police if they get back to you too late to request it themselves.

    Regrettably, it sounds like the police will not be helpful. The more I read in the British media, the greater my sense that the police have abandoned attempts to prosecute for offenses that don’t result in serious physical injuries. Your experiences make me worry about my British cousin who lives & works in London.

    Please take care.

  14. kishke, on November 30th, 2006 at 10:53 pm Said:

    The “unarmed black guys” were actually trying to run an officer over with their car. Additionally, acc. to the reports I’ve read, the police thought they had guns and were about to start shooting.

  15. Squander Two, on December 1st, 2006 at 11:25 am Said:

    Something Candice deLong always tells women in her self-defense classes: if you have a car, you are not unarmed.

    > don’t make out it is a country wide phenomena.

    It’s not Jackie’s report that makes it out to be a nationwide phenomenon; it’s the fact that hers is just one of thousands of such reports, and that they are increasing.

    > Many have to cope with living here and have no other choices

    Apart from a few severely disabled people, no, people have choices. If the poorest of the world’s poor can migrate halfway round the world from Bangladesh, rural China, Somalia, etc, then there is no-one in the UK so poor that they can’t afford to emmigrate.

    > No need to despair for this country ou can always safely fuck off back to the States.

    The thing is, lots of people are doing just that: it’s not just Americans leaving the UK; it’s the British, too. One day, the only people left in the country will be the violent thugs and the people who insist that there isn’t really a violent thuggery problem and that all these assaults are just a normal part of everyday life and no worse now than in the 1950s. So many of the people who’d actually want the problem solved will be gone that the few left won’t be able to achieve anything.

  16. star, on December 6th, 2006 at 3:23 pm Said:

    Perhaps you should give them a chance? Nothing is that instant.

  17. Jackie Danicki, on December 6th, 2006 at 3:31 pm Said:

    Who said anything about “instant”? I waited six days to hear anything from the police, despite being told that they’d want my picture ASAP. In that time, someone else was assaulted by these thugs. I mean, if you want to talk about “giving them a chance,” these scumbags were given a chance to hurt someone else while I waited for the police to get the picture from me.

    Basically, get real.

Leave a Reply