You Might Be Putting Your Faith In The Wrong People...

Mr Miller wants people to report any unsavoury activity to the trust so he can build up a database of incidents and pass the information to the police.

"We may find it happens at certain times of the day," he said. "I'm hearing all these things anecdotally as I'm working but the police can't do much about it unless they catch someone in the act."

Why expect them to do anything at all? They don't seem to see it as part of their job...

What they do see as part of their job is something the public would never imagine:

At 10.30pm that night, while her boyfriend Ricky Strachan was still scouring the streets, two police officers knocked on the door.

Had they found the car? No, they had come to give her ‘words of advice’ about the way she was ‘handling things on Facebook’.

Lesley said: ‘They were all over my laptop taking screen grabs. The female officer wrote something in her notebook and made me sign it.

‘I asked them to clarify that I was still the victim here and not the criminal. She just said: “We’ve got to make sure we’ve got everything covered.”’

It's hard not to disagree that this is 'typical of the way in which the modern police ‘service’ find investigating exciting new ‘crimes’ much more to their taste than actually going out on the streets catching old- fashioned criminals', isn't it..?

Never Mind The Horses On The Pitch...

...what about the elephant in the room?

York cricketers have been left on a sticky wicket due to horses invading their pitch. Hopgrove Playing Fields, in Malton Road, are in danger of being seriously damaged by stray horses regularly getting on to the pitches, churning up the ground and leaving piles of manure, it has been claimed.

Richard Kerrison, chairman of Stockton and Hopgrove Cricket Club, said he feared the playing fields would become unusable if nothing was done to address the problem.

Now, why would 'nothing be done'?

“We have rung the council and the police and they seem to say there’s nothing we can do. It’s ruining peoples’ enjoyment.”

Gosh. It's a mystery. Who could these horses possibly belong to?

The New 'We're Just Standing Around With Our Thumbs Up Our Arses'...

Insp Brad Dickel, of Leigh police, invited the resident to call him directly with any information.

He added: “It’s something we are aware of, we’ve used a multi-agency approach and a number of enquries are ongoing.”

That's nice for you. Mind how you go, officer. Watch out for reports about lions!

No-One's Asking You To 'Speculate', Claire...

Avon and Somerset Police spokeswoman Claire Stanley said: "A thorough investigation is under way and we are exploring various lines of enquiry. However, at this stage it is too early to speculate about a possible motive for the graffiti."

Really? Even though the local 'anarchist' idiots have confessed?

In a note posted online, the anonymous group admitted targeting the front entrance, smashing windows and daubing "liberate" in graffiti on an adjacent wall.

...

The group went on to criticise the "hypocritical mind set" of zoos which "put themselves forward as champions of conservation".

*sighs*

Hey, If Even You Don't Know The Law...

A Strathclyde Police spokeswoman said: 'We have received no complaint in relation to this incident.

'We have passed on the footage and will look into the matter.

'In general terms, the police have no powers to stop the public filming or taking photographs, but this can very much depend on the circumstances.'

But they were unavailable to comment on what these circumstances may be.

It seems the police are recruiting people who are incapable of following direct orders:

In 2010 a letter was circulated by the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland (ACPOS) that confirmed the public have 'no powers' to stop the public filming them.

The letter, draughted by David McCall, assistant chief constable for British Transport Police, reads: 'I seek your support in reminding your officers and staff that they should not prevent anyone from taking photographs in public.

'There are no powers prohibiting the taking of photographs, film or digital images in public places.

'Therefore members of the public and press should not be prevented from doing so.

'Once an image has been recorded, the police have no power to delete or confiscate it.'

We constantly hear - from sites like Insp Gadget - how out of touch the top brass are, how they have no idea of life on the front line, etc. It seems some have decided to therefore pay as little attention to them as they do to the wishes of the general public.

I wonder how long I'd hold my job, should I decide that I knew better than those paying my wages?

"They can’t protect the public but don’t allow the public to protect themselves.’"

Pretty much says it all, doesn't it?

Mr Edwards, 21, fired his shotgun at a van driven by Taylor as the thief accelerated towards his mother, Louisa Smith, 50. Taylor was caught after a high-speed chase but it was the farmer who endured a horrendous ordeal at the hands of police who arrested him on suspicion of attempted murder.

Well, I guess he's lucky the police's 'high speed chase' didn't kill anyone, or they might have tried to stick him on for that too!

The former public schoolboy said: ‘It’s completely changed my view of the police. They treated me like a criminal. The police have acted like bullies who have turned someone who was very supportive of their work into someone who wants nothing more to do with them.’

That's OK, they don't care about the views of the general public, as Inspector Gadget's contributors take such pains to tell us. So long as you continue to fork out for them, that is...

But even now the farmer has not had his shotgun and other weapons returned to him which he uses to control pests on his land and as a hobby.

Repeat after me: 'The process is the punishment...'

Loathe Him You May, But When Littlejohn's Right, He's Very, Very Right...

I'm not going to get into the ins and outs of the Op Yewtree investigation's veracity; Anna Racoon's excellent series has already done this (and check out today's post for a delightful summation in verse!).

But as Littlejohn points out, the behaviour of the police in all this should concern us all, shouldn't it?

The heavy-handed nature of some of the arrests is also troubling. Why was it necessary to nick Davidson as he arrived at Heathrow Airport, as if he was some kind of international terrorism suspect?

What was the urgency? And if there is an overwhelming case against him, why has he been released without charge until March?

Police also raided one of Davidson’s homes in Hampshire and emerged carrying boxes of ‘evidence’. Were they seriously expecting to find evidence of a 25-year-old sexual assault tucked away in a sock drawer?

This will, no doubt, bring statements such as 'Just doin' our job!' and 'We just gather evidence, it's up to the CPS!'. They should ring hollow.

Stuart Hall, who is 82, was arrested at his Cheshire home in a full-scale dawn raid. What were they expecting him to do — leg it over the back wall or try to blast his way out with a sawn-off, screaming: ‘You’ll never take me alive, copper!’

Just before Christmas, Greater Manchester Police smashed down the front door of Fred Talbot, former weatherman on This Morning with Richard and Judy, in connection with an allegation which dates back to the early Seventies. Talbot was on holiday in the Caribbean.

Given that the police wanted to question him over a complaint about something which is alleged to have taken place when he was working as a teacher 40-odd years ago, couldn’t they just have waited until he got back and invited him in for an interview?

Littlejohn wonders if this high-profile activity (cameras often invited) is related to the US 'perp-walk' procedure. Something you might expect those who claim to be above this all to decry?

Curiously, the scale and methods of these operations seem not to concern the usual Left-wing ‘human rights activists’ who are always ready to howl about police misconduct, abuse of civil liberties and the presumption of innocence.

Quite! Though the 'Guardian' did put up a 'sympathy for the Devil' piece just yesterday, it's unlikely to start to wake up and smell the coffee until a beloved Left-wing figure is arrested by our Theatrical Squad.

The police chiefs are always banging on about the need to have the police farce properly accredited - who knew they meant by RADA?

"No one seemed to know what was going off."

Police and firefighters were called to Ribblesdale Court at around 11am on Saturday because of concerns about the behaviour and safety of a man in a second-floor flat.

So what did they do? Well, disrupted the lives of everyone else, of course!

Eight flats were evacuated in Chilwell during a seven-hour stand-off between police and a resident.

Yup. Eight families were shoved out of their homes at 11:00am while the police 'negotiated'.

And why? Did the man have a bomb? A container of deadly virus?

Matthew Owen Wilkinson, 36, of Ribblesdale Court, appeared at Nottingham Magistrates' court today in connection with the incident. He is charged with one count of criminal damage and another of making threats to commit criminal damage with intent to endanger life. He was remanded in custody and will appear at Nottingham Crown Court on January 4.

Guess not...

Collective Punishment Still All The Rage In 2013, Then...

The £18.5million Roscommon Way extension was opened in January in a bid to ease traffic and help Charfleets Industrial Estate on Canvey expand.

However, yobs have been using the road as a racetrack since September, causing misery for residents by revving their engines, honking their horns and causing damage to the road in the early hours.

All traffic offences. So, catch them, prosecute them, impose ASBOs.

No? What, too much like hard work, Essex Police?

An Essex Police spokesperson said: “Our policing operations to combat anti-social bikers on Roscommon Way appear to have only fixed the problem short term. We are looking into a more robust way of combating the problem in the long term.

“We are continuing to liaise with the highways authority in a bid to alter the road layout to prevent such dangerous riding.”

The plans could include introducing traffic calming measures such as speed humps or chicanes to force motorists to slow down.

Hang on, 'motorists'? I thought we were talking about 'rogue bikers'?

You'll Pardon Me If I Treat That With Scepticism?

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said Magag does not represent a ‘direct threat’ to the public.

Eh..? Then why's he under a Terrorism Order?

Magag travelled to Britain as a refugee aged 12.

His wife continues to live in a London council flat.

High Court documents detail how Magag, a married former train conductor and father of five, is closely linked to the Al-Shabaab group. He was arrested in 2007 after returning from an Al-Shabaab terrorist training camp he attended with Bilal Berjawi, a close friend. Magag was detained in Nairobi and found to be carrying three new mobile phones and over £3,000 cash.

While being held he tried to destroy phone numbers by eating a piece of paper. The following year, police in London stopped Magag and found he was carrying £1,000 in cash. Detectives believe the money was for terrorist associates.

He was also accused of sending associates to Somalia to join terrorist fighters by providing money, false passports and other documents.

You're having a laugh!

David Anderson, the independent reviewer of terror legislation, said no security measure is ‘foolproof’.

He said experts believe there may be 50 British fighters in Somalia, adding: ‘Worst case, there could now be one more – an influential one.’

Speaking about T-Pims, he said: ‘The only sure way to prevent absconding is to lock people in a high-security prison.’

Or perhaps we could deport them back to Somalia?

"I felt a great disturbance in the (Police) Force, as if millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced."

"I fear something terrible has happened."

A constable is now known to have falsely claimed he witnessed Andrew Mitchell’s encounter with two other officers in Downing Street when he is alleged to have called them ‘f***ing plebs’.

And CCTV footage screened by Channel 4 News last night cast doubt on the widely-publicised police version of the incident on the evening of September 19.

Ooops! Cue frantic spinning from those who pinned their hopes of unseating the government on this.

But on the bright side, suddenly there's a new found respect for what the public thinks, at least!

*settles down with huge box of popcorn*

Maybe It's Time It Cost The Police Money Instead..?

The incident ended shortly before midday when the pair gave themselves up.

However, by that point, it had cost businesses in the town thousands of pounds in lost trade.

Mr Scott said: “Grantham town centre had to be shut. A lot of businesses lost revenue.

Thirty businesses in total were closed, with a loss of sales of between £25,000 and £30,000.”

And why did it 'have to be shut'?

Well...

Mr Scott said “Hanes and Neve refused to come down. The stand-off between these two and the police lasted about six hours.

“The police were forced to close down the centre of Grantham because missiles were being thrown off the roof.

“Neve was almost entirely passive throughout the stand-off. He was not seen to throw anything.

“Hanes was argumentative and aggressive shouting threats to the police. At one point he threw coins at the police and he was also throwing roof tiles at parked cars.

“In some sort of defiant gesture he pulled a number of bank notes from his pocket and tossed them in the air.”

All because, when these 'sieges' develop, the police immediately go into 'hands off', containment mode and wait for the situation to play itself out without injury to the poor little criminal darlings.

And why not? They know they aren't liable for the losses, so why should they care?

But maybe if they were to be made accountable, these sieges would be resolved a lot quicker. And that, surely  is good for everybody?

Compare And Contrast, Part 237

Dangerous dog attack 1:

The PCSO from the Cray Valley West Safer Neighbourhood Team was on patrol in Rookery Gardens, St Mary Cray, at 12.15pm on December 5 when two terrier type animals ran out from an alleyway beside a house and began to attack her.

They bit her several times on her arms and legs, causing her to fall to the floor and continued even after she was on the ground.

The dogs were seized by officers and are now in a specialist animal unit.

The 32-year-old female owner of the dogs has been questioned by police for having dogs dangerously out of control in a public place and the animals will now be destroyed.

Dangerous dog attack 2:

Dean told the court Mrs Sage may not be certain whether it was his dog or his daughter’s who had bitten her.

He accepted that the dog he had taken from Mrs Sage after the incident was his, but he said the incident had happened some distance from where he retrieved his dog.

"I didn't see how it started,” he said.

"I think Mrs Sage was in complete chaos and pandemonium and was confused,” he said. He said he accepted he had let the dogs out of their kennel but said the only time they would be loose was when he cleaned the kennels twice a day.

"It was very unfortunate timing,” he said.

"I am not blaming Mrs Sage for their predicament. However, there were riderless horses running loose on my property. Some people were also shouting and waving sticks.

"I am not saying they deserved this. But they were responsible for letting the horses loose.”

Hmmm. What a difference, eh? I can't wait to see if there's any discernible difference between the woman's claims vs the police dog trainer's.

I guess he learned a few things while he sat in court listening to all the usual excuses...

Well, Perhaps If You Did More About It, Rather Than Taking The Easy Way Out?

A surge in the popularity of so-called status pets has left Sussex facing its toughest fight against dangerous dogs. Sussex Police’s dog unit has already seized 48 potentially deadly animals in 2012 – up from 16 in 2011 and 29 in 2010.

The rise is largely being put down a rise in the popularity of status dogs such as pit bulls and Staffordshire bull terriers.

Cue police spokesmen bemoaning this state of affairs to local newshound:

Police dog handler PC Will Durant said: “It’s the worst it has ever been – the last year or so has been terrible.

“People having these status dogs appears to be the main problem but there is also a great deal of ignorance on behalf of many owners.”

Gosh, we need someone to do something about it, clearly.

Some sort of…uniformed force…who could deal with dangerous situations? Hmmm. Where are we going to find such people?

Inspector Diane Lewis, the force’s senior dog officer, said: “Some of the dogs we get called to deal with are crazed.

“People need to think about the type of dog they are getting and be sure that the breed is suitable.

“We would encourage people to go to puppy training and socialise their dog as much as possible. ”

These people don’t ‘socialise’ their children! What on earth makes you think they will do a better job with their pets?

Meanwhile, the attacks continue, and so long as they are on other animals, the police shrug and say ‘Nuffin’ to do wiv us, innit?’

Shaken dog owner says it was "like a scene from a horror film" after her cocker spaniel was pounced on and mauled by two Staffordshire Terriers. Valerie Gambier, of Claremont Gardens, has sent out a warning to other dog walkers after the attack on Remembrance Sunday in Gossmore Park.

She’s had to ‘send out a warning’ because…well, you can guess why, can’t you?

Thames Valley Police have issued the owner of the offending animals with an adult restorative disposal - a form of caution or reprimand for low level crime. However, due to the fact no people were involved and it was a dog on dog attack it is not considered a case of an animal dangerously out of control, police said.

…

Police said disposals such as that issued to the Staffordshire Terriers' owner were introduced to deal with offenders without bringing them into the Criminal Justice system and allow the victim to say what they would like to happen - often just acceptance of wrongdoing and an apology.

Well, I rather doubt it in this case, because the lady’s out of pocket:

Mrs Gambier had paid £75 for vets bills by Wednesday but was expecting to pay more.

And no doubt the police will whine that she should pursue a civil case for reimbursement. And will continue to wonder why the public doesn't support them any more.

I Guess Wales Are Behind The Times..?

In Gloucester, praise for a man defending his home:

Heroic father Amgad Ahmed has spoken of the moment he tackled a burglar to the ground and sat on him while his family slept upstairs.

He has been praised by a judge and given a cash reward for his bravery in "frightening circumstances" after he overpowered intruder Brian Wing when he crept into his Overbury Road home through an unlocked patio door.

In Wales, arrest for a man defending his mum’s home:

Vaughan Jones, 39, from Bargoed, in Gwent, South Wales jumped into action when his widowed mother heard a thief burgling her family home.

He called police before dashing around to help his mother Eleanor, 65, and confronted the burglar in a hand-to-hand struggle.

But the dad-of-three was left shocked when officers arrived and arrested him for allegedly assaulting the thief.

So…what’s the difference? Well, it seems the Welsh CPS at least have got the memo, if not the Heddlu:

And he was only released when the Crown Prosecution Service advised police not to press charges.

They needed such advice?

A spokesman said: 'When officers attend a live, ongoing situation they often have to take quick and decisive action based on what they are faced with to defuse the situation, ensure the safety of all involved and to maximise opportunities to gather evidence.

'Further enquiries follow, enabling officers to establish a fuller picture of what has taken place.'

Translation: ‘Look, we’re just simple souls, we are barely capable of nicking everyone in sight until someone brighter than us turns up and tells us who is the guilty party.’

Really, Welsh cops? Is that how you want to be seen by the public?

Well, Of Course Not. Who Expected Any Different?

Two bungling police officers who failed to find Tia Sharp's body while they searched her grandmother's New Addington home will not face the sack, a Met source has revealed.

The constable and "supervising" sergeant – part of a team of officers who scoured the loft because sniffer dogs were not trained to – have escaped with a "minor" telling off, despite the blunders making it harder for experts to establish the 12-year-old's cause of death.

Splendid! No doubt Inspector Gadget will find time to crow about this, as he watches the reputation of the police sink even lower in the eyes of the public…

A police source told the Advertiser: "It is the most minor form of discipline. This is at the bottom of the scale.

"It's like when you go to court, you can get life imprisonment or you can get an absolute discharge. It is a telling off but it's a minor one. Nobody's job is at threat."

The source added: "It strikes me as odd, that when a policeman makes a mistake people want to sack him, but when a news reader gets their lines wrong nobody complains."

Yes, well, when Kay Burley or the like makes some huge error it’s amusing or infuriating, but hardly ever does it result in a failure to find a dead body or have the potential to jeopardise a trial!

Despite widespread public anger over the bungles, New Addington councillor Tony Pearson said tougher disciplinary action against the officers is not necessary.

He said: "It will never change the investigation. It was difficult for everyone concerned and the key for the family is to make sure there is justice for Tia, not to have a witch hunt on individuals."

It’s not a ‘witch hunt’ – it’s ensuring that those who fail to do the job for which our taxes are taken from us are properly dealt with.

But changes have since been made to the force's official search guidelines since her body was found in The Lindens roof space, wrapped in a sheet and plastic bag, on August 10.

A great big 42-point font warning saying:

HAVE YOU CHECKED THE LOFT??? 

I assume.

This Is What Happens When The Police Are No Longer Trusted…

Vigilante gangs are starting to emerge on Canvey following a string of violent robberies. Residents are threatening to take matters into their hands - after three robberies were committed in the space of 48 hours.

 What else are they expected to do? Just pay their council tax for a non-service?

One man, who would not be named, said people had enough and had been talking about taking the law into their own hands.

He said: “There has been a spate of muggings, burglaries and robberies on Canvey and now a vigilante group are out after blood. People have been out there in cars trying to search for the robbers, and taking baseball bats trying to hunt them down.

“They are trying to take matters into their own hands because there doesn't seem to have been any response from the police.”

Who can blame them, when even their pets are at risk, not just their possessions? So, are the police cognisant of this danger to their future, and determined to do all they can to put this breach of trust right?

Supt Andy Prophet said: “We’ve heard reports that some people in Canvey have said they will carry out patrols but we can’t condone such activities.

“If people want to help us we would prefer that they dial 999 if they witness a crime in progress or call 101 if the information is less urgent.

“Residents can also help by setting up Neighbourhood Watch groups or by joining the Special Constabulary. ”

That'll be 'no' then. And if you can't see the writing on the wall, Andy, you're no Prophet...

A Fine Send Off, To Be Sure!

The 31-year-old from Oxford was injured at about 11.20am yesterday during a funeral service being held at the Greyfriars Church in Iffley Road.

The service was for 76-year-old Winnie Joyce, a mother of 13 children, grandmother to 64 and great grandmother to 45.

Yes. You guessed it:

Her family lives at the Redbridge Hollow travellers’ site, near Kennington, which she helped set up with husband Christopher Joyce.

Emergency services and the police helicopter were called in yesterday to deal with the incident, after crowds of people poured out on to Iffley Road.

Lovely!

Police declined to confirm how many officers were sent to deal with the incident.

Because the answer is ‘an embarrassing amount, given we made no arrests’…

H/T: John Gibson via email

Another One On The DNA Register!

Mr Holloway, 46, of Malvern Close, Eastbourne, was well known in the area for sitting on benches outside public toilets by the Hampden Park station level crossing.

At about 7.30pm on Saturday, September 29, police were called to the spot and found him on the ground. Mr Holloway was conscious at the time and was taken to Eastbourne District General Hospital with what were thought to be only minor injuries.

But his condition worsened and he died at Hurstwood Park Neurosciences Centre in Haywards Heath at 6.15pm on Sunday.

Quick! Arrest the usual suspects! Literally...

Sussex Police arrested a 48-year-old Polish cleaning contractor on suspicion of murder and released him on bail.

They carried out house-to-house inquiries at dozens of homes.

Ah. But wait. Maybe there was no crime at all?

But detectives now believe that Mr Holloway had become abusive when the toilet attendant arrived to close the toilets for the night.

As the attendant drove off, Mr Holloway is believed to have hurled himself at the side of his van, bounced off and banged his head on the pavement.

The man has been told that no further action will be taken.

/facepalm

Now, I've no doubt the police commenters will be here soon to argue their corner but…is this really what we expect from the police ‘service’?

That they start arresting people before they even know if a crime has been committed? And if it turns out none has been, then it’s just ‘Off you go, sonny!’ with no apology..?

Meanwhile, over in Kingston, if they get real cases that aren't immediately solvable they just … close them.

Yes. Really!

Police came to the house after the incident and took fingerprints. But they closed the case after Mrs John was unable to identify the trespassers from photographs of known criminals.

She said: “The police just closed the case. What if they are new people who have not been in trouble with the police before? They would never catch them, would they?”

Well, indeed! But don't worry, when they have everyone on their database, things'll work just fine, I'm sure...

Fool Me Once, Shame On You. Fool Me Twice, Shame On Me. Fool Me Three Times…

…I guess I must be a police officer?

Derbyshire police has called the incident "regrettable" but said it was acting on information that the property may have been used for drugs purposes.

Information they’ve been given before – twice – according to the homeowner. With the same empty-handed result, though on those two occasions, at least they managed to avoid maiming anyone:

Mr Dharam, 42, said he was upstairs when he heard his partner screaming. He said: "I wanted to make sure Shanie and our daughter Shania, who is only 11 months old, were okay.

"This is the third time in the past two or three years the police have raided the house for drugs and they have never found anything. I just don't know why our house is being picked on."

Because, as we've seen before, ‘intelligence’ (as in a tipoff from a concerned citizen or a deliberate troublemaker) is enough to have the police breaking down your door and being pretty insouciant about their right to do so too…

I mean…this was drugs. Not terrorism, or serial killing.

Is it really worth the potential risk of blinding someone? Or killing Ms Dharam’s 11 month old baby, if she’d happened to have her in her arms when they burst in the door?

Superintendent Gary Parkin, who is head of operational policing in Derby, said:… “This information was put before a magistrate who granted the warrant under the Misuse of Drugs Act. It was carried out by specially trained officers.

"When executing warrants it is important to enter the property quickly and without warning to the occupants to ensure no potential evidence is lost. It is regrettable that the occupant appears to have been behind the door as our officers tried to gain entry.

"Our investigations into the incident are ongoing."

Yes, yes, I'm sure you’ll be quite happy so long as you've dotted the I’s and crossed the T‘s and you’ll claim you bear no responsibility for having acted on false information (even though the last couple of times were false too, but who’s counting?) and you’ll probably pay them some money to shut up and go away, but… …how do you think this incident looks to ordinary people?

That could be MY door. Or my elderly neighbour’s and he has a heart condition.

Talk about winning hearts and minds.