Would Police Officers in Taiwan

Taiwan Living in Taiwan
1

Would Police Officers in Taiwan actually love this? Just wondering. Not going on calls AND getting something with Hello Kitty on it sounds like the ideal mix of police tactics and 7-11 marketing.

BANGKOK, Thailand - Thai police officers who break rules will be forced to wear hot pink armbands featuring “Hello Kitty,” the Japanese icon of cute, as a mark of shame, a senior officer said Monday.

Police officers caught littering, parking in a prohibited area, or arriving late — among other misdemeanors — will be forced to stay in the division office and wear the armband all day, said Police Col. Pongpat Chayaphan. The officers won’t wear the armband in public.

The striking armband features Hello Kitty sitting atop two hearts.

“Simple warnings no longer work. This new twist is expected to make them feel guilt and shame and prevent them from repeating the offense, no matter how minor,” said Pongpat, acting chief of the Crime Suppression Division in Bangkok.

“(Hello) Kitty is a cute icon for young girls. It’s not something macho police officers want covering their biceps,” Pongpat said.

He said police caught breaking the law will be subject the same fines and penalties as any other members of the public.

“We want to make sure that we do not condone small offenses,” Pongpat said, adding that the CSD believed that getting tough on petty misdemeanors would lead to fewer cases of more serious offenses including abuse of power and mistreatment of the public by police officers.

Hello Kitty, invented by Sanrio Co. in 1974, has been popular for years with children and young women. The celebrity cat adorns everything from diamond-studded jewelry, Fender guitars and digital cameras to lunch boxes, T-shirts and stationery.

2

I suspect it could be used as an incentive here, indicative of recent promotion or other sorts of recognition. It would also bring in female police officers by the droves. Efficiency levels would increase, as would department morale.

Snoopy would do even better, I suspect.

Deterrent? Maybe they should paint the three “lines of shame” on their face. Really, though, is demeaning the offenders really going to achieve anything? Will it make them work harder or wish to do a better job? Nah. Hit them where they feel it (in the wallet), and positively. Perhaps an annual bonus if you haven’t committed any misdemeanours or something of that ilk. Did I just misspell misdemeanour? It doesn’t look right and I’m too lazy to check.

Good night.

3

Don’t think it’ll help either. But it’s 11:30 at night and I haven’t had dinner yet. So I’m going to go get some friend rice. Ok…I typed that wrong and it looks better that way. I’m going to get some FRIED rice.

And Chicken.
And Beer.

In case anyone wanted to know.
Matt

4

I don’t think Hello Kitty would make the Taiwan police any different. I have seen countless police cars with the old white doily seat covers adorning their “macho” rides and even the odd one or two with doily tissue box covers. Somehow I think Taiwan police don’t have a problem with their feminine or gay sides.

5

I’m sure they would wear silly armbands just as efficiently as they do their jobs.

6

Work, here? No way, they would love to wear it.

7

I think it’s a given based on the glaringly obvious evidence of what an utter farce the Taiwan “Police Force” is, that they feel no shame…

8

I’m quite sure the Taiwanese cops would wear them with pride. In fact, if you could find a photo of a Thai cop wearing one, post it on a few forums, next thing you know they’d have copied them and all have one.

9

Now, now, be fair, they really haven’t had much heart for the job since martial law ended. They were pretty good before then.

HG

10

From martial law to no law in, what, a decade? :s

11

[quote=“Huang Guang Chen”]Now, now, be fair, they really haven’t had much heart for the job since martial law ended. They were pretty good before then.[/quote]Er, as I remember it the MPs handled all the actual law enforcement in those days. All the cops had to do was hang out at temples, ride around on motorcycles collecting hongbaos and sit in the station watching TV.

Maybe someone forgot to tell the police force that the MPs were gone?