FIXATED THREAT ASSESSMENT CENTREIs a shadowy organisation formed in 2006 whose purpose is to identify, assess and possibly incarcerate obsessive mentally ill people who pose a threat to our Royal family and UK's VIP dignitaries.
The agency are a mix of Metropolitan Police and Psychiatrists (nurses and doctors)
FTAC is staffed by ten police officers from the Metropolitan Police Service, three full-time senior forensic nurses, a full-time senior social worker and a number of senior forensic psychiatrists and psychologists from the Barnet Enfield and Haringey NHS Trust and the Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust. FTAC receives around 1,000 referrals a year of people who have engaged in threatening or harassing communications towards politicians or the Royal Family.[8] Around half are assessed as being of low risk after initial enquiries. The remainder are investigated by FTAC staff. They may then be referred to local health services for further assessment and potential involuntary commitment. In some cases, they may be detained by police under the section 136 powers of the Mental Health Act 1983 prior to referral.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fixated_Threat_Assessment_CentreWhen I first read the above, my initial reaction was to moan about the cost. Is it a bit OTT?
After a little more thought, I realised how dangerous a combination of Met. Police and Psychiatrists could be WORKING TOGETHER! We all know, it is only really a psychiatrist who has the ability to incarcerate someone, with no trial, indefinitely- based on their own opinion.
I have since stumbled upon several stories (unsubstantiated and therefore i won't quote them) which seem to indicate that writing a simple letter to your local paper with an opposing view of the government could reward you with 'feeling the long arm of the law'
One man wrote about the Home Secretary, Theresa May, and that he thought she was a communist and creating a police state. A week later he was summoned to make an urgent appointment with his GP. His GP then informed him that he had been asked by the FTAC to assess his mental health.
Was this an attempt to threaten him? If you dare to criticize the government or the Royal family steps will be taken to label you as mentally ill?
Scary stuff. Big brother getting bigger.