Cops Who Misbehave Will Be Forced To Wear “Hello Kitty” Armbands

Officers caught littering, parking in a prohibited area, or arriving late will have to don the striking armband featuring the “Kitty” character sitting on top of two hearts, said Police Colonel Pongpat Chayaphan.

“Simple warnings no longer work. This new twist is expected to make them feel guilt and shame and prevent them from repeating the offense, no matter how minor,” said Col Pongpat, acting chief of the Bangkok crime suppression division.

“Hello Kitty is a cute icon for young girls. It’s not something macho police officers want covering their biceps,” he said.

Officers caught breaking the law would be subject to the same fines and penalties as any other members of the public, he added.

“We want to make sure that we do not condone small offenses,” Col Pongpat said.

His department believed getting tough on petty infringements would lead to fewer cases of more serious offences including abuse of power and mistreatment of the public.

Hello Kitty, which was introduced by Sanrio in 1974, has been popular for years with children and young women.

The cat adorns everything from diamond-studded jewelery, Fender guitars and digital cameras to lunch boxes, T-shirts and stationery.

JOKESTARTERS:

• Not to be outdone, police in Manila are forcing officers who misbehave to wear armbands made of envelopes suitable for holding large letters.
• In a related development, male figure skaters who misbehave will be required to get skull tattoos on their genitals.

SOURCE:

• Scotsman.com