"Computer Cock-up"

[poliphilo]

Joe is nocturnal. We ain't. It's not unusual for him to be out well past midnight.

Last night we got a phone call off him at one o'clockish. He'd been picked up by the police about half a mile from home in a random stop and search exercise (they probably thought young man driving beat-up car in the wee small hours = drug dealer) and they were holding him as a deserter.

It was a proper arrest. They'd had him empty his pockets, remove his belt, even take out his ear studs. It seemed like there was no way round it but they'd be holding him in a cell overnight.

Angst.

Five minutes later he rang again and it was all sorted out. The police had contacted his unit and his unit admitted that having him listed as a deserter was a "computer cock-up" or, in other words, that they hadn't bothered to update their records.

Bastards.

So the police released him and he came home.

Comments

[aellia.livejournal.com]

Poor Joe
Hope he's ok now..that's the last thing he needed.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

He took the whole thing in a cool, laid-back manner- he is, after all, a soldier- but I think it's stirred up a lot of the old rage.

He's going to see the army psychiatrist tomorrow and being in a rage at all things military may not be such a bad idea.

I feel, after this, that the army owes us one.

[shullie.livejournal.com]

glad things worked out him out....glad he is OK

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Thanks.

[jackiejj.livejournal.com]

Caught in the system. Aargh.

I'm sorry.

One would think that volunteers who offer to put their lives at risk for their country would be honored for their efforts and released with respect and congratulations when they want to leave.

How is it that the norm is the opposite--that those who offer to serve their countries are then taken into the system as if prisoners?

I am glad that Joe has his kind family who can help him in these dark days for him.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I guess society has always had this ambiguous- not to say schizophrenic- attitude towards soldiers. On the one hand they're our gallant boys (and girls) in uniform whom it's a crime not to support and on the other they're treated like the lowest of the low.

[dadi.livejournal.com]

My oh my. Why do institutions always tend to make life more DIFFICULT for citizens, instead of HELPING them, like they are supposed to (and financed for, by those same citizens???)

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I guess it's because the institutions actually serve the boss class.

[karenkay.livejournal.com]

I would think that a drug dealer would be driving a better car...

Glad things worked out for Joe.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I'm told drug dealers drive beat-up cars to avert suspicion- only the police have got wise to it...

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

No, I'm afraid our society is pretty twisted too.

[seaslug-of-doom.livejournal.com]

Frankly, I find the efficiency of the linkage between the military and police databases frightening. I don't think police here would have necessarily discovered such a thing with such expediency.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

If the police hadn't checked with his unit, the military police would have turned up the following morning and carted him off. Yes it is a little scary- and another tiny sign of our slippage- under Blair- in the direction of military dictatorship.