Gloucestershire Police

Gloucestershire Police are in the news again today.

Blunkett's Bobby refuses to walk the streets over health and safety, is an article in today's Daily Mail.

According to the above report, CSO Lesley Pooley has complained to senior officers about the health and safety aspect of walking her beat, due to the lack of public footpaths in the villages she patrols.

Senior officers have caved in and allowed her to patrol her beat in a vehicle.

The decision has been branded "crazy" by incredulous villagers in the communities of South Cerney and Cerney Wick, near Cirencester, Gloucestershire.

Parish council clerk Maurice McKee said: "Do criminals need footpaths to carry out crimes? And if they don't, why do police need a footpath to patrol?"

Pub landlord Martin Smith, who runs the Royal Oak in South Cerney, said: "It's crazy. We're all up in arms about it. She should still be walking the streets. Why not - they have fluorescent jackets dont they?"

Mrs Pooley became the new PCSO - or "Blunkett's bobby" - for the villages three months ago and has yet to visit some of the lanes on her beat because of the ruling by bosses.

Police Officers Wanted Not CSOs!
Are PCSOs Worth It?
PCSO Recruitment Drive
How To Become A PCSO

Gloucestershire Police

Give EU More Power

Just visited Wonko's World who's commented on today's Daily Telegraph article titled Britain 'must give EU more power in war on terror'.

In his article I refuse to accept EU justice, Wonko closes with the Oath of Supremacy 1559.

And I do declare, That no foreign prince, person, prelate, state, or potentate hath, or ought to have any jurisdiction, power, superiority, pre-eminence, or authority ecclesiastical or spiritual, within this realm.

For further details see.
Campaign for an English Parliament

Force Admits Rejecting White Men

Just read Force Admits Rejecting White Men and Force 'Faces Flood Of Pay Outs' on the police news site.

Gloucestershire Police have admitted illegally rejecting 108 potential recruits because they were white men. In an attempt to boost its number of ethnic and women recruits, Gloucestershire Police "randomly deselected" the 108 white men, a tribunal have heard.

But one of the rejected men, Matt Powell, 30, from Gloucester, took action against the force, taking it to the tribunal on the grounds he had been discriminated against.

Mr Powell said: "I firmly believe a wrong has been done here. I was, I still am, desperate to be a police officer and they have unfairly discriminated against me."

Congratulations to you Mr Powell for having the courage to stand up and be counted. I wish you all the best for the future.

Police Positive Action
Police Recruitment - "Positive Action"
More 'Black' Police Officers Needed
Police Positive Discrimination
Diversity Targets 'Unrealistic' Say Police Chiefs

Police Pay Dispute

Police Pay Dispute

Police pay has been in the news several times whilst I've been away.

The Times ran an interesting article titled police threat of mutiny if pay deal is abandoned, a paragraph of which I've copied below :

Vital police work such as firearms duties and undercover operations are voluntary, and a decision by police officers to withdraw goodwill would have a serious impact on counterterrorist and gang-busting investigations. Officers could also refuse to use equipment that does not meet rigid health and safety requirements, thereby curtailing operations.

The Police Federation have issued a press release asking police officers to write to their local MP in protest. They've also asked that as many police officers as possible, serving and retired, visit their site and fill out the protest poll which can be found by clicking Police Pay Protest.

For a police pay recap please check out.
Police Pay Crisis End In Sight
3%? We'll be lucky.....
Public Sector Pay
Police Wages
Police Pay
Police Pay Conciliation
Police Can't Afford Mortgages

Police Pay Dispute

Stop Search Racism Claim

Chief Superintendent Ali Dizaei is once again in the news, this time commenting on the recent report Drugs Arrest Study Sparks Racism Claim on the behalf of the NBPA.

To read Ali Dizaei's comment click NBPA Stop Search Comment.

Chief Superintendent Ali Dizaei has generated a rather heated reply from one of the 'analysts' responsible for compiling the stop search report in question. The final paragraph of which reads:

Battling drugs and racism is good; recruiting ignorance, myth and its inevitable spawn of grievance and ill-will, is not.

To read this reply in full click Interpretation Of Drugs Figures Challenged.

There's also an interesting discussion on the police forum on the same subject.

This follows Ali Dizaei's comment regarding anti-terrorism powers creating an offence of travelling whilst Asian which was as equally 'well received' at grass roots policing level!

For further on this check Genetic Profiling.

TV Company Needs Ex Police

Retired from the police? Fancy working for a TV company?

Just been sent the below via a police newsletter.

Two media companies are looking for retired officers to advise on and act in TV programmes portraying rape investigations.

They each require one SOIT officer, as well as two detectives to play the parts of a DC and a DS and also a DS and a DI.

Mock Trial - Ex-Detectives Required
Ex-Detectives - Media Opportunity

There's loads of other interesting jobs listed on the ex police job site this week.

Back From Holiday

Hi All,

Just got back from two glorious weeks in the South Hams area of Devon.

Stayed pretty close to 'Bow Bridge' and 'Bow Creek' - Fortunately both are a little more quiet and picturesque than the Bow 'Flyover' Bridge area of East London that I remember from early on in my police career. Not a 'hoodie' in sight..... Bliss!

Will update the blog shortly with some current news.