UK Policing News

Can't argue with him on that

A prolific thief preying on drinkers in the West End got a shock when he tried to snatch the bag of a top policeman, a court heard yesterday. Andrew Jones, 49, targeted Sir Hugh Orde, former Chief Constable of Northern Ireland, and found himself being chased around Soho by ‘a posse of some of the most well-known and distinguished police officers’, Southwark Crown Court was told. Sir Hugh, 55, now president of the Association of Chief Police Officers, was having after-work Christmas drinks in a bar last month with other senior officers and officials when he spotted the crook tampering with his bag. The officer immediately introduced himself before arresting Jones, who h…

A barman tried to put Tony Blair under a citizen's arrest while the former Prime Minister was out having dinner. Blair was eating at Tramshed in east London when Twiggy Garcia approached him. The part-time producer said he put his hand on his shoulder and said 'Mr Blair, this is a citizen's arrest for a crime against peace, namely your decision to launch an unprovoked war against Iraq.' Mr Garcia told Vice magazine how Blair then attempted to engage in a debate before one of his sons went to get security. The worker then left the restaurant to avoid any trouble. Mr Blair's office said today there 'was nothing to report' about the incident. Mr Garcia was inspired to a…

http://t.cars.uk.msn.com/news/police-authorities-turning-a-blind-eye-to-lane-hoggers

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-25714393 Hundreds of children are still being held in police cells overnight because of "chronic breaches" of the law, a leading police officer has said. Manchester Assistant Chief Constable Dawn Copley told a group of MPs that police and councils needed to be reminded of their statutory duties. She said the lack of suitable accommodation was a "growing concern" because of "shrinking resources". The Home Office said under-18s should not be held in cells overnight. Last October the Howard League for Penal Reform, a charity that has campaigned against the practice, revealed that more than 40,000 children had been detained in custody …

Police Federation needs to change, review to say in wake of Plebgate | UK news | The Guardian Urgent changes to the structure and finances of the Police Federation will be demanded in the wake of the plebgate affair on Monday in a report by an independent panel which has signalled that the public and its own members are losing confidence in the organisation. The panel warned the federation against seeming to take "partisan and political" positions and campaigning against individuals, in an interim report in October, pointing to its damaging behaviour at past annual conferences, which has included barracking of Theresa May, the home secretary, and its treatment of former…

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-25804728 Far-reaching changes should be made to the operation, governance and funding of the Police Federation of England and Wales, an independent review has found. Federation leaders commissioned the review after criticism in the wake of "plebgate", which saw minister Andrew Mitchell resign over a row with police. The report - to be published later - follows an interim one which said the federation had "turned in on itself" and risked becoming an "irrelevance". The group represents 127,000 officers. The review has examined whether the federation still acts as a credible voice for officers, genuinely serves the public good and functions …

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-25817014

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/police-cuts-sir-peter-fahy-6525269 1 Chief, 1 Deputy and 6 Assistants. Now he has more assistant Chief Constable’s than Chief Superintendents. Two of the busiest divisions Salford, and Trafford will have one Chief Superintendent, stupid. The redundant ones (all male)are farmed out to non jobs, so no savings until they have retired, and no promotions either. There is a bigger argument for cutting the number of Assistant's, unless that would deminish the morning conference.

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/jan/19/woman-killed-prostitute-police-blame?CMP=fb_gu Mariana Popa was fatally stabbed on her beat. Fellow sex workers say a Met police campaign to drive them off the streets had forced her to work on her own, leading to her murder Diane Taylor and Mark Townsend The Observer, Sunday 19 January 2014 Mariana Popa, a Romanian, had been in England only three weeks when she was killed in Redbridge, east London. Campaigners say police patrols forced women to work on their own, endangering their safety. Photograph: Mark St George/REX Shortly after midnight Mariana Popa staggered into Chicken & Pizza 4U and collapsed. Mome…

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2535945/Thames-Valley-PCSO-pulled-driver-arrested-High-Wycombe.htmlWow.

http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/crime/iplod-tech-investment-as-budgets-slashed-1-6381921#comments-area Police chiefs are to spend £2.1 million installing iPads in vehicles – in a bid to keep South Yorkshire bobbies on the beat for longer. The aim is to keep frontline officers in communities rather than back at police stations, with the tablets offering them instant access to force databases. They will be used to photograph crime scenes, while officers will be able to input witness statements as they are being taken - rather than writing them in longhand and typing them up back at base. South Yorkshire Police has invested £900,000 in the scheme, with £1 million from the …

A police officer suffered a broken leg when he was attacked while responding to a call in Norwich's nightlife area. The officer was knocked unconscious on Prince of Wales Road, sustaining a broken shinbone and back injuries in the early hours of Sunday. He was taken to the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital where he is receiving treatment. A police sergeant was treated by paramedics for slight head injuries but she remained on duty. The attack took place shortly after 01:00 GMT when police were called following reports that a number of women had been assaulted inside Mojo's nightclub. Officers were dealing with a suspect, who had moved to an area outside Ossi's …

Radio 5 Live audio available too via the link - http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01pvlpx £1800.00 per badger! Edit: Update taking into account Somerset too; http://www.westernmorningnews.co.uk/Badger-cull-policing-cost-2-4-million/story-20440374-detail/story.html

Paperboy runs into house to save 87-year-old pensioner from fire in Eltham Heroics: police cadet Joshua Robertson, 15, of Greenwich, has received a commendation for saving a life on his paper round A hero paperboy was commended today for rescuing a pensioner from her burning home. Joshua Robertson, 15, saved the 87-year-old womans life after seeing smoke billowing from her house in Eltham while on his Sunday round. Flames had engulfed the ground-floor kitchen. Joshua, who is a volunteer at Greenwich police cadets, dragged the pensioner to safety after covering his face and entering the house. He said: I realised when I was approaching there was thick black s…