[attrition] Munge is moving to Thailand to pursue a career in crime.

[security curmudgeon]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/thailandpolicecartoonoffbeat

BANGKOK (AFP) - Thai police said Monday they have recruited Hello Kitty, 
the moon-faced global icon of cuteness, as a new disciplinary tool for 
officers found engaging in "inappropriate" behaviour.

Officers who speak too aggressively to civilians, who fail to turn off 
their engines when they park their cars, or commit other minor violations 
of proper conduct will be forced to wear bright pink Hello Kitty armbands 
as punishment, police Colonel Pongpat Chayaphan told AFP.

Previously such offences were punished by a written reprimand, but Pongpat 
said that seemed to do little to deter future breaches of conduct.

He said he hoped the Hello Kitty armbands would shame officers into 
shaping up.

"I chose this symbol because it is pink and easy to see," he said.

In addition to wearing the cartoon cat on their sleeves for one day, the 
officers will also have to be accompanied by whoever is the deputy chief 
on duty for the day, Pongpat added.

"This is intended to engender their feelings of guilt," Pongpat added.

Second offences will be dealt with by a disciplinary panel that could 
decide to detain the misbehaving officers, he said.