UK Policing News

Police have apologised to a woman for not sending an officer to her Kent home after her garage was burgled. Irene Smith had called police after items stored for the local fete were taken from her garage in Langton Green. The thieves then returned, taking a garden mower from her neighbour's shed. A police community officer was sent to take details four days later. Kent Police has since told the BBC its policy of not turning out to shed and some garage thefts was being reviewed. "We got it wrong," said Assistant Chief Constable Gary Beautridge. "We do take burglary offences very, very seriously... somebody should have turned out and visited Mrs Smith, and for that I'm s…

Police custody receives all clear http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/south_...and/7501690.stm Page last updated at 11:07 GMT, Friday, 11 July 2008 12:07 UK A scheme set up to monitor prisoners' well-being in police custody has had no complaints of ill treatment in six years of operation. The figures were revealed in an annual report for the project, which operates in Dumfries and Galloway. The scheme made a total of 147 visits during the past year most of them at Dumfries and Stranraer. Administrators said that all areas of concern had been dealt with swiftly and efficiently. The scheme currently has 16 custody visitors who visit 10 police stations throughout …

Weakest Link presenter Anne Robinson has been banned from driving for six months after admitting her fourth speeding offence.The 63-year-old was convicted at Portsmouth Magistrates Court after she admitted by post that she drove at 43mph in a 30mph zone in Anglesey Road, Portsmouth, Hants, on August 8 last year. Seems she had 9 points from previous convictions, and was done under the totting up procedure... from BBC.co.uk news site..

Source. The "postcode lottery" experienced by rape victims has been depicted in a new map based by campaigners on official figures. (Advertisement) Women's equality group the Fawcett Society, which compiled the map, claimed it "reveals huge deficiencies in police responses to rape" in many parts of the UK. In some areas, women who report they have been raped are almost five times less likely to see their attacker convicted than in others, the group said. The charity added that the conviction rate had got worse in 18 out of 43 police areas since it last looked at the figures in detail in 2004. For example, in Bedfordshire the conviction rate four years ago was 8.3% bu…

Apology on the cards as police pup picture sparks warning over offence to Muslims Published Date: 02 July 2008 By MARTYN McLAUGHLIN SCOTSMAN A POLICE force has apologised over concerns that an advertisement featuring a German shepherd pup could be offensive to the Islamic community. As part of a campaign to publicise its new non-emergency telephone number, Tayside Police used a picture of a black puppy, Rebel, on postcards to be distributed throughout the east coast region. However, following the intervention of Mohammed Asif, a Dundee councillor who warned police the image would "not be welcomed" by some communities, the force described the publicity drive as an …

Gwent Police are embarking on a second day of stops and searches to tackle the growing problem of metal theft. The force is one of 38 across the UK targeting an illegal industry said to be worth £360m per year, with offences rising some 150% in two years. Officers have visited nine sites across the force area and made five arrests, with more expected later. The stolen metal includes statues, drain hole covers, metal from church roofs and signalling cable. Only this week, thieves looking for platinum stole an exhaust and catalytic converter from a minibus used by disabled children at a Monmouthshire school. One location targeted by Operation Steel was Polo Grounds Ind…

University chiefs pay for 'private' police force during Fringe Published Date: 10 July 2008 By Brian Ferguson and Michael Howie Scotsman A UNIVERSITY is to pay thousands of pounds for extra policing during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Lothian and Borders Police have agreed to provide a round-the-clock presence at major venues owned by Edinburgh University, after officials agreed to help foot the bill. Four officers will be on duty around George Square and the Meadows under the arrangement, believed to be a first for the Fringe. Both areas have been dogged by problems with violence, under-age drinking and antisocial behaviour. The police have also revealed that th…

The picture is an affront to all victims of terrorism and their families. Abu Qatada, Al Qaeda's ambassador in Europe, strolls along a busy London street fondling his prayer beads. This is the first photograph of the greying 47-year-old - said to be one of the world's most dangerous terrorist suspects - since he was released on bail from a high-security prison after the courts ordered that he could not be sent home to Jordan because his human rights would have been breached. Out on bail: Prayer beads in hand, Al Qaeda's ambassador in Europe takes a stroll to the shops near his home It was taken on July 7, hours after the families and friends of the 52 innocent peop…

Link I love this story. Although Im not sure where the mail got the "six months in prison" part. Are there any offences?

Half of UK forces "ready to quit" I wonder what the results of a similar survey with the Police Forces would be?

Clicky I don't want the people who did this to go to prison Death penalty anyone? Reason I don't want them in prison 1. They get free food 2. Free TV 3. Free Gym 4. Free games 5. EVERYTHING FREE!!!!

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Fife cops block psychic request Jul 10 2008 Daily record http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish...86908-20637808/ POLICE have used secrecy laws to hide their use of psychics. Bosses at Fife Constabulary initially refused to respond to a request under the Freedom of Information Act, claiming it would "impact on any ongoing and future investigations". All other forces across Scotland responded by claiming they do not use psychics. But Detective Chief Inspector Dougie Milton later said they would look again at their response. And he added: "We can state, however, that we are unaware of the use of clairvoyants, mediums or psychics in any of Fife Constabulary's inv…

BRITAIN’S soft justice system hit a new low yesterday with plans to scrap prison sentences for burglars. Hundreds of thousands of crooks could escape jail every year under the proposals by advisers to the Lord Chief Justice. Those sentenced to short, sharp shock jail terms of less than 12 months for “less serious offences†– including burglary – should be handed community penalties instead, they said. Even those who are likely to reoffend could walk free from court if it is believed they will go on to commit “non-serious offencesâ€. And in a further blow, while courts must not be swayed by victims demanding harsher punishments for offenders, the advisers…

Scots crime rate falls 6 per cent Published Date: 07 July 2008 By MICHAEL HOWIE Scotsman THE number of murders, rapes, housebreakings, vandal attacks and drug offences has fallen dramatically across Scotland, with 60,000 fewer crimes reported in the past 12 months. The Scotsman can reveal that recorded crime has fallen consistently across the country, with a year-on-year reduction of more than 6 per cent. Total crime is now at its lowest level since 2000. Nearly 878,000 crimes were recorded by seven of the eight forces able to provide statistics for 2007-8 – 6.6 per cent lower than the previous year's total of 940,000 for the same seven forces. Victim support ca…