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Forums Life UK : new toys (and new skills) for the Old Bill

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  • For many years, party crews have had a distinct “comms advantage” over the authorities. The advent of GSM digital mobile radio telephones in the mid 1990s provided instant secure digital communications in many parts of the UK; there was also the advent of the Internet.

    Whilst all this was going on, the Police were lumbered with analogue radio systems from the distant times when the blue police telephone box once found on many a British street corner was abandoned as a comms method and handed over to Dr Who as a mode of transport 🙂

    Many cops did not even know about the Internet; and often the radio networks they used were easily overheard by anyone who popped into their local electronics shop and purchased a radio scanner. (Payback time, for the cops and random haters who scanned ravers analogue mobile phones and grassed up their party movements and substance deals!)

    This has now all changed.

    The governments finally got wise to the new technology; and with the help of private firms such as BT, NTL and MM02 have set up a system called Airwave.

    Most SE police forces (although not yet all) have been issued with some very flash new kit – robust hand-held radio terminals which serve as personal radio (walkie-talkie), mobile phone and data terminal all rolled into one. If your local bobby has recently acquired an “oversize mobile phone”; they are now on the new system.

    There are also in-car units which can be linked to computers, surveillance cameras and GPS receivers. Traffic cars can now request vehicle / person checks without the data having to be read over the air and keyed in by a manual operator then read back from control room; ANPR (automatic number plate recognition) can be done on-line; as can routine updating of units position and status.

    When this system is fully linked in to the “Command and Control” computer found in the Police Control Room they can even have on-screen maps showing exactly where each car or van is…

    This has made it a lot quicker and easier for cops to be anywhere the control room want them to be – the control room can even send “group messages” like a text message to all the cops telling them where “crime scenes” (like raves) are, complete with directions!

    Furthermore, the Old Bill are getting increasingly wise to the plethora of message boards, news groups, mailing lists bigging up free parties and their associated culture. Whilst “deep cover” undercover attempts are unlikely due to the sheer bizzareness of the undeground party scene (I suspect any cop or spy who tried to infiltrate it would risk either being sucked into the drugs culture or even mental illness!), it is certainly the case that this board and others are now increasingly being monitored by the Police – and perhaps others who do not share our love of parties, either officially or on a vigilanté basis.

    It is easy, particularly in a friendly on-line commmunity like Partyvibe, to forget that most anyone can log on here and read. Cops, anti-drug campaigners, local landowners and building owners who have been “distressed” by parties, journalists (friendly or otherwise), and random haters and whingers who spend their time looking for things to grass up to the plod.

    So mind what you post! No one wants to see debate and discussion stifled by a cloud of paranoia, but consider this to be a discussion about raves held in your city, town or village pub

    Sat in the tables behind you are Mr Moneybags the businessman (who is worried about his empty warehouses), Farmer Piles, and the pretty girls at the next table whom your mate is drooling over are actually two ambitious young female detectives. Of course you will all still have a few drinks and some banter, but careful just what you say to whom!

    As for the flashy new mobiles/radios; well this kit is here to stay and there’s nothing we can do about it – apart from smarten up our own act. Once a venue is public knowledge, a good body of people must be there; with crews already set up and ready to go. If you are not ready in time, the old bill will be.

    I think we have all experienced first hand over the last few months just how much more ‘on the ball’ the Old Bill have become.

    These new methods mean the OB have a lot of resources availiable and with the expansion of the party scene in recent years, the aim of shutting the scene down.

    However, while it may push us further underground, I think most dedicated party-goers will not want to simply give in. This is where we differ from the OB; we love what we do.

    It may seem that they have pretty scary powers, but at the end of the day, it’s just a bunch of blokes being paid to do a job. This has always been our main advantage; power in unity. We do this because we love it. We choose the right to party as we see fit. We will not be told ‘how to have fun’ by corporate clubs, with aggressive bouncers and stupid prices. Unless the government can see this, that there is simply no alternative, we will continue to act as the criminals they choose to make us.

    As long as we keep the parties safe and peacefull, as far away as possible from civiliasation, it will give them less excuses to shut us down.

    As GL says, we need to smarten up. Cops get wise? We get wiser. Boards are being monitered? Stop talking so openly. (try telling that to some of the pricks on SJ!) Word of mouth will hinder the OB more than any new technology we can use.

    It seems that the OB are using a lot of time, money and resources, to stop what is essentially their friends and relatives, sons and daughters, having a good time. If we make the parties as unintrusive upon society as possible, then people may start to wonder why so much is being spent, while other areas are not so well policed.

    Wise words General Lightning, as always.

    Power in numbers and unity.

    PLUR.

    just a quick word to the wise…

    last night we had a party, and i posted the infoline here.

    The OB in Devon are pretty relaxed with parties that are well organised and not disturbing anybody, but, and this, i suppose, shouldn’t come as any great surprise, but, although OB turned up, had a word, and were actually pretty cool, I was specifically admonished for posting the infoline on a website.

    The rationale i didn’t really question at the time, but that’s a bit of news for you

    peace

    Originally posted by globalloon
    just a quick word to the wise…

    The OB in Devon are pretty relaxed with parties that are well organised and not disturbing anybody, but, and this, i suppose, shouldn’t come as any great surprise, but, although OB turned up, had a word, and were actually pretty cool, I was specifically admonished for posting the infoline on a website.

    The rationale i didn’t really question at the time, but that’s a bit of news for you
    peace

    Interesting – its usually people from the scene who warn crews off posting numbers too near the time so the OB don’t get advance intelligence handed to them on a plate!

    That said I think the cops in your area may think the internet is a “magic wand” that means thousands more people get to hear about the party from way outside the area.

    know what you’re saying, GL, but the infoline was posted on the day and the line was active after 11pm, (by which time we had made sure there were enough people to justify our remaining on the site).

    In fact my entire discussion with OB (when they finally popped up) was based around them finding justification to let us carry on!!

    It was just odd that after a friendly conversation they pulled me aside and told me that a party which had all the attendees invited was fine, but to promote via a website was not acceptable.

    Heads had travelled from all over (some close friends and some new friends). I’ll use this site as a discussion forum in future, and leave out details. This is a bit of a shame as at least 3 car loads of happy people came via here.

    all is well in la la land

    dosnt this really go against wat this websites about, isnt it for educating people about da party scene and letting peeps know when and where we can find out bout them. jus askin, will there be alot more pm’s and email to let us know then? of course you would like to know who you are telling, but isnt it jus gunna take a rather long time to get to know all these newbies (like me) and disinguish between the meat head ob and genuine party goers?

    well i hope me summer was as good as lasts, and hasnt been prohibited by the ob.

    chars

    I think even if crews stopped giving out partylines it wouldn’t be that much of a problem; when I first started attending raves it was 1991/2 and there was very little use of the internet to exchange party info (although it was even then used to discuss the effects of drugs). It was only by 1995/6 that personal computers became commonplace amongst party people and even today many of my friends do not own one or have a safe internet connection (work connections are increasingly monitored) so they got their info from other friends on the scene.

    That way there is also an automatic “security vetting by peers” – someone who behaves like an idiot at parties is simply dropped out of the loop, and in 14 years I am not aware of an undercover cop actually managing to infiltrate any crew of party people.

    If the CID do turn up at a party its usually them being sent there because a traffic cop or bobby has seen something earlier around the venue, or in the city its obvious when there are crowds around a disused warehouse something might be happening!

    At the same time most towns, cities and villages have places where party people tend to mingle before an event and details of parties can be exchanged. There are record shops, infoshops, “hippies” cafés and the like in most places….

    Most of the time the cops only find out about parties because locals have grassed them up, or they have noticed “odd traffic movements” late at night.

    It is though a lot easier to get info on parties due to internet – I can see why the OB are getting concerned as this unlicensed scene is growing rather than shrinking, and in some areas its grown way beyond what the rest of the local population is prepared to stand.

    5 years ago a party would have 3-4 rigs and last for one night and a bit of the morning. Now outdoor parties can have 4-8 rigs and last well into Sunday or even Monday – which are work days in the rural areas of Britain (unlike computers, crops and livestock can’t be left alone because its the weekend!).

    Also when you get Sunday afternoon drivers mixing with sleep-deprived munters heading home (or to the next party) I can see why traffic cops get worried…. these afternoon drivers also tend to just call 999 to complain about obstruction…

    Its sadly not surprising the conflict is getting worse and perhaps it may well be a case of “less is more” – of course not stop doing parties, but perhaps go back to smaller ones which finish around Sunday afternoon for a bit? (note: crews who still think this is not enough can always regroup elsewhere later on in the day if they’re still up for it!)

    Originally posted by General Lighting

    5 years ago a party would have 3-4 rigs and last for one night and a bit of the morning. Now outdoor parties can have 4-8 rigs and last well into Sunday or even Monday – which are
    work days in the rural areas of Britain (unlike computers, crops and livestock can’t be left alone because its the weekend!).

    Its sadly not surprising the conflict is getting worse and perhaps it may well be a case of “less is more” – of course not stop doing parties, but perhaps go back to smaller ones for a bit?

    Very true. Round this way there used to be a party every other week during the summer and they were few and far between during the winter. Everyone from the loop (as you put it) used to be there. There was a few rigs and they used to finish lunchtime the next day. Everyone would go home and have their own chill out party.

    To be honest I prefered it that way. Parties never used to get that much hassle. Now it seems there are more rigs than ever, with a new one coming along almost every month. Loads are out every weekend, a lot of the time splitting up the crowds. People don’t bother to go to all of them so you get smaller crowds. Its also shoved in the publics faces a bit more and seems as if they are getting more and more pissed off. Which is putting pressure on the OB to deal with it.

    Maybe in a few years the boom will die down and things will go back to how they were.

    There is one easy way to stop the OB getting info from sites such as this. When you register to get a login, put in a carefully worded agreement that the person registering in not and will not pass information onto the police regarding parties. This kind of terms and conditions agreement is perfectly legal the last time I checked.
    Also I think me need to move back towards the days when you would get directions to a lay-by or car park somewhere when you would take a map up to a guy in a van and he’d give you the final directions once he had established you weren’t OB or passing info onto them. This way you get the numbers up before they find-out. Worth a try?

    Originally posted by chargedrat
    There is one easy way to stop the OB getting info from sites such as this. When you register to get a login, put in a carefully worded agreement that the person registering in not and will not pass information onto the police regarding parties. This kind of terms and conditions agreement is perfectly legal the last time I checked.

    this may be the case, and I’ve seen this sort of stuff before on drug info sites and other controversial sites but no one has to register here (or on many other sites) to glean information!

    In British law it is also OK to commit a lesser crime to stop a greater crime being committed. This defence has even succesfully been used by peace campaigners who damaged a military aircraft to prevent it being sold to an Asian nation which had committed war crimes.

    A Police Service who ignored such an agreement could just say (if challenged in the courts) that “it was done in order to prevent events where class A drugs were openly consumed and sold, criminal damage and in some cases acts of violence occured”. Bearing in midn the fact that a party crew has already broken the law by holding unlicensed events, who do you think would have the “moral high ground” in normal conservative society? 🙁

    The simplest way to prevent sensitive information on parties or anything else in a “legal grey area” being used to our detriment by the Police is not to let it get onto open computer networks in the first place.

    Don’t see the problem with bigger longer partys meself! When I started doin em you were hard pressed to get a system out (had to provide moody reciepts from legit shops WITH a guarantee to replace/repair equipment personally just to get a rig out!) fair fuckin play I reckon! one complaint though (and this has been ongoing for longer than I can remember!!!)SHIT SHOVELS AND BINBAGS!!! if one thing has fucked up the free party/festival scene it’s the lazy fuckin saturday ravers who don’t bury their shit and take their crap home with them. The OB know the score and the vast fuckin majority of the time they’ll let a party happen cuz they know they ain’t gonna be called out to a nightmare situation cuz the nightmare situation is in every town centre in the country. They know and we know that we can police ourselves so free partys as such aren’t a problem BUT stinking shit, white bog roll and piles of bin bags (wake up call – it ain’t enough to bag it you gotta bin it!) are a fuckin eye sore and a health hazard – nevermind a fuckin embarassment to the authorities who can ignore a few noise/access/disturbance complaints but not the aftermath of a party, we’re only there for a few days, our rubbish stays until the LOCALS remove it. it’s simple ; Do unto others……….

    Originally posted by menace
    Don’t see the problem with bigger longer partys meself!

    it depends a lot where and when you do them, and as you mentioned (with regard to cleaning up aftewards etc) the impact on locals – somewhere like trefil/ystrad (wales) is fairly OK because its an old stone quarry anyway and was described by one local as “the ashtray of gwent!” – apparently the place is left cleaner after raves as the party crews clean up after themselves!

    but in smaller places like the Thames Valley its easy to end up with a situation where approach roads are blocked or access restricted by the amount of extra motor cars and vans that have descended on the area. This is sometimes because of Police roadblocks but often is just as much people parking badly.

    I think people sometimes forget that others work during weekends and need access to both rural and urban areas for business purposes – to someone not used to our scene a bunch of party people can also seem quite intimidating!

    Another issue (which few people mention) is that employers are now getting wise to the amount of odd “sick days” that people call in after partying hard at a weekend or the errors made by workers who are completely fucked on Mondays – I would not be surprised if bosses and HR depts now monitor boards like this (and the clubbing boards) (after finding them through monitoring software) to see if this is happening!

    agree, smaller parties can have a wikkid vibe and if the sounds go off by 11am then theres often little problem even with people who live near by and are a bit pissed of f (ie farmers)

    we did this last weekend and even intentionally took a small rig as to not annoy the residents, i think stuff like this is good, but then there is allways room for big phattys too that go on i suppose

    I adverstised our system for the first time last week on the party calender. We got busted about an hour and a half after we had set up. The helicopter came out first and it was quite a big operation just to shut us down. They only needed to ask nicely and we would have gone. What a complete waist of tax payers money!! We have been partying the same place for while and have not even had a sniff of the old bill or any hassle from land owners etc. We always clear our shit up and the nearest house is around 3 miles away. I can only presume that the OB got our number from this site….so be carefull!!
    It makes me quite sick to see the extent that they will go to just to stop people having fun. My little brother was mugged last year and the pigs didn’t even come to visit him. He gave details and a description but they just weren’t intersted, perhaps because they wouldn’t get an article in the local rag praising them for that. God only knows how much money the operation cost on Saturday to close us down !!

    TBH you were lucky to get away with so many bites of the cherry – the OB were probably monitoring the site and your movements; as were local yokels – countryside folk are often naturally suspicious of strangers often notice any vehicle that is not normally there.

    Sadly, what we see as Police resources misused is seen by Middle England as money well spent to combat “rural crime”. Party organisers are seen as no better than hard drug dealers, pimps or those who illegally organise cruel sports such as badger baiting!

    As for the calendar, you certainly need to exercise care when putting any info on the net. We cannot stop the OB or anyone else (such as an angry landowner) reading this site if they want to – and they do.

    That said I don’t think they really make as much use of partylines as they could (and there should really be a fair number of people on site before the partyline opens) – from experience it is far more likely that someone (not necessarily the landowner) did notice odd movements of vehicles and tipped off the Police.

    From then on, Traffic Division and the Air Support Units (helicopter) can easily find out where they party is – unlike other forms of clandestine activity, parties generate a large amount of vehicle and foot traffic which you cannot exactly hide!

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Forums Life UK : new toys (and new skills) for the Old Bill