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London to require GPS trackers for certain residents convicted of "knife possession." The latest in London Mayor Sadiq Khan's war on knife ownership. reason.com/blog/2019/02/1…
In an attempt to combine his hatred for knife ownership with a disregard for privacy, London @MayorofLondon Sadiq Khan announced today some knife offenders will be fitted with GPS trackers upon their release from prison.
It's all part of an "innovative pilot scheme" meant "to reduce reoffending," according to a press release from Khan's office.
But there are some troubling aspects of the program, which will affect "up to 100 offenders" in four London boroughs that have been "most affected by knife crime."
For one thing, Khan's office notes that the program's subjects will include not only people who committed serious crimes like robbery or grievous bodily harm, but also those convicted of "knife possession."
"Carry[ing] a knife in public without good reason, unless it has a folding blade with a cutting edge 3 inches long or less," is forbidden by the British government. The same goes for simply owning one of the many knives the U.K. has banned, including switch blades.
Violators can face up to four years behind bars, as well as "an unlimited fine."
"Under the scheme, offenders who are deemed more likely to reoffend will have their movements automatically checked against the location of reported crimes, with significant matches shared with local police," the press release reads.
Khan's office did not explain how officials will determine who is likely to be a repeat offender.
There's no guarantee that the British Government, much like America's, won't wildly overreach in the name of "safety." In the U.K., it's clear which concept police value more.
Look no further than a cringeworthy commercial encouraging people to report their fellow citizens for supposedly suspicious behavior, like buying a hammer.
