UK Policing News

Met to cut jobs and shut stations Jobs could be cut and police stations closed as the Metropolitan Police tries to save £48m from next year's budget, Deputy Commissioner Tim Godwin said. Officers manning custody suites will be replaced with "not fully trained and warranted" detention officers. Mr Godwin said the force was facing "considerable pressure" which could see "unfit" police stations and custody suites replaced with front counters. The budget for 2011/12 could be "more difficult", the London Assembly heard. Answering questions raised by the London Assembly's Budget and Performance Committee Mr Godwin said the force was trying to lessen the impact on fro…

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/notting...ire/8312918.stm Further arrests have been made on the second day of demonstrations at a coal-fired power station in Nottinghamshire. "The group added its aim was "to confront the causes of climate change, not get into conflict with the police"." Yeah right, i believe you, most thou wouldn`t. The great unwashed are there for a rumble, and hope to catch a Officer on film then headed towards Youtube.

The BBC has reported that most forces are to be issue smartphones by 2010. Link to BBC News report Is this just another headline grab by a quango? Or is this something which may actually happen? (Woo hoo, I get there before Kenworthy! I wonder if he's on the M5? )

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/8304088.stm A Sikh boy has been withdrawn from a north London school after he said he wanted to wear his traditional dagger. The farther seems surprised by this ruling, i am amazed the farther even brought up the subject. Best bet mate, take it to Europe, they will not mind everyone having a dagger/knife in school. My religion, is less well known. It is thou my belief kids under the age of 16 are to walk around with AK47`s under their coat. I will find it intolerable if my son will not be allowed this minor piece of metal in school, or indeed anywhere. Is there somewhere in the Sikh religion that states, thou mustth walkth wit…

A judge stunned a courtroom when he told an ASBO thug he 'deserved a good kicking' for punching a woman police officer's private car. Speaking off-the-cuff, Judge Anthony Scott-Gall told binge-drinking Dexter Vidal he was 'not surprised' the WPC's two grown-up sons had confronted him in the street after he attacked their family car. Judge Scott-Gall told the court: 'I'm not surprised he was given a good kicking, it's what he deserved. If someone punched my car then I would make sure, if I had two sons, that he was given more of a good kicking.'But the judge added: 'Possibly not having regard to the job one holds down.' After dealing with the case a sentencing hearing …

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/berkshire/8310721.stm Why would the police not be getting involved? Surely a serious sexual assault warrants the attentions of the Police and not just the college who have a vested interest in possibly taking a less appropriate approach?

Pretty shocking stuff... the involvement of females, their apparent ages and the time of day.. there should have be no shortage of witnesses! Man dies after homophobic attack Ian Baynham, 62, was punched and kicked to the ground on 25 September. He suffered head injuries and died in hospital on Tuesday. A 30-year-old man who was with him suffered minor injuries. Police have started a murder inquiry and have appealed for information about CCTV images of two women who were in the area at the time. Officers said Mr Bayman and his friend were initially verbally abused by a woman as they got off a bus near Duncannon Street. 'Vicious attack' He went to remonstrate wit…

A man has admitted using gay chatlines to find men to rob. Adil Zahid, 27, from Walthamstow, pleaded guilty to four counts of robbery, one of false imprisonment and one theft of a motor vehicle. He appeared at Wood Green crown court on Thursday. The offences took place between June and August in Woodford Green and Tottenham. At the time, police urged gay men to take care when using chatlines, saying that people should only meet in busy public spaces. Zahid is to be sentenced on November 5th. Click

A woman whose mother did not believe her when she became pregnant after being raped by members of her family says she tried to commit suicide. Her mother beat her when it was discovered she was seven months pregnant, Cardiff Crown Court heard. Her step-uncle, stepfather and brother-in-law were given long jail terms after the judge said they treated her like an "unpaid and unwilling prostitute." The woman said the truth may not have emerged without her partner's support. None of the convicted men can be publicly named to protect the victim's identity. The step-uncle, 55, was convicted of seven counts of rape, three of indecen…

The eldest daughter of Bob Geldof has been warned by police for possession of cannabis. Fifi Trixibelle Geldof, 26, was being driven by a male friend when officers noticed he was smoking a cannabis joint. They were pulled over and Miss Geldof was also found to have a rolled joint on her. Police let the pair off with a verbal warning because of the small amount of the drug found. The maximum penalty for possession of the Class B drug is five years' imprisonment. However, police can issue spot fines of £80, give formal cautions, or simply warn first-time offenders. The incident comes just 18 months after her younger sister Peaches was questioned by police …

A police officer's girlfriend has been injured after a bomb exploded under her car in east Belfast. The 38-year-old was reversing the vehicle out of the driveway of his house in Kingsdale Park at about 0730 BST on Friday when the device exploded. She was taken to hospital suffering from a minor arm injury and ringing in her ears in the attack, but has since been discharged. The police are expected to comment at about midday. UUP leader Sir Reg Empey said the attack was a "very serious development". "Obviously there's a lot of speculation that this is another dissident attack, similar to the one in Londonderry a couple of months ago." Belfast Lord Mayor Naomi Lo…