(image source: Arden Forester)
BY ERIK SHUTE
ANCHOR ANTHONY MARTINEZ
UK Prime Minister David Cameron is looking to clean up London’s streets after four nights of rioting -- and he’s calling in a specialist -- former U.S. Police Commissioner William Bratton. Here’s MSNBC’s early morning jubilation.
MIKA: “Cameron is reportedly appointing American Bill Bratton to be his top adviser on gang warfare.”
(CHEERS)
MIKA: “He's so nice. He came to one of our events.”
JOE: “He's nice unless you're trying to burn down a city. Then you don't want to see that guy and his cops coming your way.”
On Fox, former FBI executive Bill Gavin boasts about Bratton’s career. He says the former commissioner to Boston and New York, and police chief of Los Angeles has the track record to save Scotland Yard.
“So you think Bill Bratton might go over there and take some sort of leadership position?”
“I wouldn't be surprised. I think if he were asked, I think he would graciously do it. Bill's a true professional, and while the culture needs to remain British culture, there are things that Bill can add to that would absolutely be of a great.”
The Daily Mail reports pushing an American through Parliament could be tricky. It asks -- can Bratton really make a difference when he’s bogged down with bureaucracy?
“...as a US citizen Mr Bratton may be blocked by the police and social responsibility bill currently going through parliament. It states that the Met commissioner must hold the office of 'constable', which Mr Bratton, who has never served in the British police, does not.”
But Cameron might not have an option other than to hire an American. According to the Guardian, the recent back and forth over the tactics used during the riot has made things tense between British police and the conservatives.
“The unprecedented private and public row, plus the loss of two Met commissioners in two and a half years, is said by police chiefs to be deterring British-born senior officers from applying for the job.”
On MSNBC, British Native John Capehart can’t help but look at the bigger picture -- Scotland Yard isn’t what it used to be.
“I think many Americans, when they think of Scotland Yard, they think of the best in policing. Scotland yard has taken a tremendous battering incompetence.... anything that could come down the pike.”
