Mistakes

Mistakes are actions taken when reflecting back you realise that perhaps wasn’t the best action to take. It pains me that the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police absolutely refuses to resign over the handling of the mistaken killing of Jean Charles de Menezes. The reason being, for the time being that there were no ‘systematic’ failures (mistakes) made by the Met following the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) findings. I’m not going to criticise The Met too much. Its employee’s put their lives at risk daily. It’s hard now to imagine how London and England was feeling when the July 7th bombings went off in the capital. There was no question we were all anxious and vulnerable as it had been many years since a bomb went off in the country. For some police officers (probably Special Forces, as well) it was the first time they found themselves hunting terrorists so they probably were feeling the same too. However, I can still point out some failings in the fateful operation that killed Mr Charles de Menezes.

Failure 1
Why was there only one person watching the block of flats that the suspected terrorists were occupying. It turns out that while agent X was relieving himself in the bathroom, Mr Charles de Menezes left his flat to go to work so identification could not have been made by agent X which would have ruled him out as a terrorist.

Failure 2
While police were pursuing Mr Charles de Menezes they followed him around town and saw him get on a bus. I may be a simpleton but shouldn’t suicide bombers be prevented from entering crowded enclosed areas, such as a Double-Decker bus? If they had stopped him then in the streets, his death perhaps could have been avoided?

Failure 3
The police should not have let Mr Charles de Menezes enter the tube station if they considered him a danger for the same reasons as Failure 2. But also because by doing so they had to enter and cut themselves off from HQ communication as their radios didn’t work underground. Allegedly, the operations leader realised that they were about to apprehend an innocent man but was unable to notify her team or Special Forces until they were back outside. And as you know by then he had already been killed.

There are probably more failures that could be highlighted but these three failures are to me an example of systematic failings and therefore by your own admission as to why you are not resigning, you should step down Ian. You’ve got crap PR and everyone is very cagey about The Met which is not what they need when they are trying to catch real terrorists.

Be gone.


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“How are you Peter?”

“I am quite fine Charles, and yourself?”

“As well as can be expected.”

“Excellent, well would you be ever so kind and stop shaking my hand I believe it’s going to fall off if you carry on like that.”

Charles let him go and tried to snarl at him but instead found himself smiling almost chuckling at him. He turned to Semmi who was gazing straight back at him.

“Hi Semmi, how are you doing these days?”

“Yes, yes, I’m fine Charles.” She turned her head ending the conversation and started to talk to Marla. Now that the pleasantries were executed the sisters would be nattering for a long time leaving the two males to converse.

Charles seats himself and realises that in front of him is a couple of hours of verbal jousting with the delightful Peter who has the tendency to keep flicking his brown greasy hair back and straight afterwards push his glasses back up to the bridge of his nose even if they haven’t sloped down towards the tip.

“Now Charles, what have you been up to the last few months?” says Peter pushing his glasses up again.

“Nothing much really just been working hard to make sure Marla and I are able to live a good life.”

“You two do live quite a good life. Not a rich lifestyle by any means but one that is considered affluent in this type of neighbourhood. The insurance business must be doing very well is it not Charles?”


“Yes the insurance business is doing just fine Peter. Just fine.”

“You know, I’ve got some property that needs insuring and wanted to come to your branch but realised that I didn’t know where you work or for what branch you are based.”

“Good evening ladies and gentleman, are you ready to order? Can I get you some drinks?” Said the waiter who was standing just behind Marla and Charles. His beaming smile was well appreciated by Charles who thought he was about to find himself in a sticky situation with the inquisitive Peter.

“Can I have the Goan vegetable curry please.” Said Semmi who neatly closed the menu and passed it back to the waiter.

“I’ll have that too.” Replied Peter who hadn’t even bothered to open up his menu and had his eyes firmly fixed on Charles.

“Can I have the Korma.” Said Marla placing the menu on the waiter’s hand. The waiter’s eyes quickly illuminated at noticing the beauty of her.

Charles knew he was going to ask for the Jalfrezi it was what he always had when he had an Indian meal but he needed to use the time given to him by the waiter to think of a good response to Peter’s questions. He realised that answering his questions directly would only formulate more from the hole of the pompous prick. All peter said was full of alternative meanings, undertones of disbelief in what Charles was telling him. Charles knew that Peter was setting a trap and that he wasn’t clever enough to wriggle out of it head on. He considered getting Peter to the toilets and smacking him about a bit, perhaps even flushing that greasy mane in the toilet for a clean. But he couldn’t do that, no matter what explanation he gave to Marla she would just blame him and accuse him of ruining her night. Semmi would just look at him in disgust while comforting the beloved Peter. Where the fuck did Peter come from any way. He was a ghost who just appeared.