UK Policing News

An off-duty policeman died when his bike struck the central reservation of a motorway in north London. The southbound carriageway of the M1 between junctions two and one near Staples Corner was closed for several hours following the crash. The 43-year-old Metropolitan Police officer, who has not been formally identified, suffered multiple injuries and died at the scene. A police spokesperson said no other vehicles were involved in the incident. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7236450.stm Our thoughts are with his family and friends.

A passenger was killed and four other people injured when a car crashed into a brick wall after a police pursuit. The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) has begun an investigation into the crash in Brighton's Bevendean area on Saturday. IPCC commissioner Tom Davies said officers in a patrol car saw a Mazda with five young people in it, allegedly being driven erratically. The driver was arrested by police after the crash in the early hours, he said. He said the officers in the patrol car signalled to the Mazda for it to stop. 'Thrown from vehicle' But the driver allegedly did not respond and, after a pursuit, the vehicle crashed into a wall, killin…

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7232340.stm

POLICE ARMOUR FAILS SAFETY TEST BY CIARAN FAGAN SOCIAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT 10:30 - 29 January 2008 The body armour vests worn by police officers are set to be replaced after tests showed they can be pierced by knives. Forces across the country have now been advised to replace the equipment. The vests, which are worn by officers on routine patrols as well as in potentially hazardous situations, failed a test because in some cases the garments were punctured by a knife. Leicestershire Police Authority will be asked on Thursday to agree to spend £232,000 to replace 950 vests. A report to the authority notes: "The Home Office Scientific Development Board stated t…

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2008/feb...rss&feed=11 Nice

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7231907.stm

Hello forumites... I've been looking over the payscales in the wake of THAT decison from the Home Secretary, and it seems that I (and several colleagues) are currently on the wrong rung of the pay ladder, according to our service. I have consulted payroll, who obviously looked slightly baffled before saying "Oh, we're sure its right" and giving me some convoluted explanation that made no sense. What I need is somewhere that details the police payscales (for constables) since 1998, showing how they increased each year with the annual payrise. I know that the old 14-point payscale was reduced to a 10-point scale around 2003, and I think it was also at an 11-point scale …

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/arti...in_page_id=1770

http://www.thecnj.com/camden/2008/013108/news013108_09.html

http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/busi...ll&offset=0 Quite long, but I found it interesting.

An extra 1,000 police will be recruited to police London next year, the London Mayor Ken Livingstone has said. In a budget speech, the mayor said this was in addition to the 10,000 officers and police community support officers recruited since he was elected in 2000. He said there were now 35,000 police officers in London. But the London Assembly Conservatives said the Mayor's budget was "miserable and old-fashioned" and proposed 500 more police for London in its budget. Mr Livingstone said: "I am able to confirm that with this budget London will gain an extra 1,000 uniformed police, a major contribution to making our city safer and more secure. "The results of …