reply to post by Vixion
I've no doubt that there are bad apples in our armed forces/police/other public services. But the fact is that we are legally allowed to know about
these people and they face trial for breaking the law. Secret police-style organisations work in secret by definition... they aren't transparent or
accountable.
As for a comparison, I think you're thinking of MI5 rather than MI6 (MI6 gathers intelligence in foreign countries, MI5 operates as a domestic
counter-intelligence/security agency).
There are some notable differences between MI5 and a secret police force, though, not least the fact that they are accountable to Parliament (through
the Home Secretary, Prime Minister and Parliamentary Select Committees) and therefore the people over their actions. Many of their actions supposedly
require authorisation from elected government ministers (in MI5's case, Home Office ministers).
MI5 also has no power to arrest/detail people - to do this they must work in cooperation with the police.