Editorial: Policing by proxy not popular

The vacant Clive Community Police Station

Argus Panoptes had 100 eyes.

The mythical Greek monster made for a formidable watchman, as while some eyes slept, there were always eyes awake.

Named after said giant, an all-seeing "panopticon" prison system was mooted by English philosopher and social theorist Jeremy Bentham in the late 18th century. The design involved a circular structure with a tower at its centre, where guards are able to view every cell around the perimeter.

Consequently inmates are unable to tell when, or whether, they are being observed. Architecture alone could control their behaviour. As Bentham stated, his prison system would create "a consciousness of permanent visibility as a form of power, where no bars, chains or heavy locks are necessary for domination". Or, more boastfully, "a mill for grinding rogues honest".

Hence, the ideal outcome for Bentham, and his prospective clients wanting to save money, was that the subsequent modified behaviour would ultimately end the need for the tower to be manned.

Entertain for a minute the idea of the bereft of personnel Clive Community Police Station as a Panopticon. Police need not have told anyone it was now unmanned. Just leave the lights on and mow the lawns on Saturdays. Thus, according to Bentham, Clive residents would sleep soundly and nefarious characters would behave - both in the erroneous belief they were being watched.

Police brass have stated there's yet to be a firm decision made on the station's future. Thing is, despite his impassioned pitch for unmanned prisons, no one ever took the philosopher up on his cost-saving concept. To date, no true panopticon institutions to his designs have been built.

His audience, like many Clive residents today, obviously believed a presence was the only desired strategy.