BE YOU EVER SO HIGH, THE LAW IS ALWAYS ABOVE YOU!

Thus did our lecturer present his opening of the subject "British Constitution and Public Law", a very important subject for us at that time and without which I would not have qualified eventually as a Constable. It was a long course too and in pre computer days, desks were piled high with text books and drafts and, with each lecture, much heated discussion and debate.

But that opening phrase, first spoken by Thomas Fuller the famous 17th Century churchman and historian, resonated so strongly with me, as indeed the lecturer had intended. It has formed the bedrock of my whole professional life. It is what enabled me to exercise powers of arrest when it could quite easily have been simpler to say that I was being intimidated and would thus back down. I remember one titled lady affronted by my suggestion that she had committed a serious criminal offence. "Don't you realise who I am?" "Yes, I do indeed, your Ladyship. It makes no difference."

When she was released on bail later that day she had had cause to reflect upon that statement no doubt. That is now long ago. Gosh she must be in her late 50s like me.

Earlier this week we had a public broil between the managers of Rangers and Celtic. We are used to seeing players sometimes lose their cool and lash out at each other. We do not expect to see that abusive behaviour then copied by managers. Get real! You're playing, or managing, nothing more than a game of soccer.

I love soccer, but get it in perspective. Far more important things are happening these days. Managers are also role models for young people and indeed middle and higher management too. So remember your role and perform accordingly.

It is therefore very reassuring to see the Assistant Chief Constable of Strathclyde make it clear yesterday on BBC News. It does not matter whether they are managers, whether this is just a football match, whether the incident can be seen to be therefore something that one can turn a blind eye to. He did not care what people thought, what people in high places might say. His duty was clear. He would enforce the law. And if he saw that there was prima facie evidence to lay criminal charges, he would do so.

This is precisely how it should be. It is a reminder of that wonderful maxim uttered years ago by my lecturer, Mr Edgar Jones, himself a former police officer with a distinguished service record.

Be you ever so high, the law is always above you!

It is a maxim that Colonel Gaddafi is very quickly coming to understand as the International Court of Human Rights gathers evidence of crimes against humanity by him and some members of his family and by members of his regime.

Ian Bradley Marshall
LIVERPOOL
4 March 2011