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Showing results for tags 'west midlands police'.
Found 17 results
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Public panels to adopt 'close oversight' in police use of Tasers
Fedster posted a topic in Police Oracle Features
Frontline capacity triples for West Midlands force. Taser use: 998 officers to be trained up in the West Midlands Date - 7th December 2018 By - Nick Hudson - Police Oracle 2 Comments England’s second biggest force is facing ‘Big Brother’ data oversight when Taser capacity triples for frontline officers. Public scrutiny panels will pore over a welter of information as a shade under 1,000 West Midlands officers are trained up to use the devices. The additional arming of response units, operations and neighbourhood teams means 1,441 officers will be equipped to tackle a rising tide of violent attacks on a daily basis in the region. The West Midlands’ murder rate reached a 10-year hiatus in the summer and with three weeks to the end of 2018, the homicide total stands at 47 as officers are now confronted by knives and machetes as a commonplace occurrence. Three officers were attacked by members of the public in separate incidents within the space of 24 hours. One attack involved a drunk woman who lashed out after falling asleep in a taxi in Halesowen. Another involved an officer being punched in the face in Brierley Hill and the third, when a detainee spat in custody sergeant’s face in Coventry. West Midlands Police Federation chairman Richard Cooke has already called for all 3,500 frontline officers in the force to have access to Tasers as a matter of routine, claiming their usage brings violent suspects under control in four out of five cases – just by merely being drawn and pointed, without the need to fire. His comments came as assistant chief constable Chris Johnson confirmed an additional 998 officers are to be equipped with Taser; with training already underway. West Midlands PCC David Jamieson said the move to train more officers to carry Taser is both “sensible and proportionate”. He added: “This increase in the number of officers carrying Taser will help them carry out their duty in often dangerous environments, while not undermining the long-standing British tradition of unarmed policing.” The Labour PCC argued that scrutiny of Taser usage is “vital” and promised to ensure that footage recorded by body-worn video cameras during such incidents is monitored closely by special panels made up of members of the public. “We will maintain close oversight of Taser usage ensuring it is used proportionately and fairly,” added Mr Jamieson. Force protocol for Taser usage will in future include every officer that carries the device automatically wearing body worn cameras. In addition, the Taser scrutiny panels will analyse how officers are using them. A PCC spokesman told Police Oracle: “Every time a Taser is drawn it digitally logs all actions – whether the device is arched, red dotted or fired. “It means the data for scrutiny purposes is strong. “And whenever a Taser is fired it spits out chads [pieces of paper] which record which Taser is used and therefore which officer pulled the trigger. “Any officer handed a Taser by the force must undergo a thorough training regime with officers being tested before accredited to use it in the line of duty.” View On Police Oracle -
Vigilantes promise 'listening alternative' for neighbourhoods living in fear of crime
Fedster posted a topic in Police Oracle Features
Hundreds turn to new group after losing faith in service. Rising tide of violence: A traffic warden gets a kicking in the West Midlands Date - 16th November 2018 By - Nick Hudson - Police Oracle 6 Comments A vigilant group has moved on to the streets of Britain’s second city to “fill the gaps” exposed by an under-resourced police service crying out for adequate funding from the government. Facebook has assisted in spawning the 550-strong community watchdog group ‘We Stand Determined’ – just weeks after an unsuccessful petition to get more officer numbers in Birmingham. Left “doing the best they can” in a “catch 22” situation, West Midlands Police now has an alternative force encouraging its social media members and the wider community to report any dangers and threats, day or night amid fears crime is spiralling out of control. We Stand Determined – set up three weeks ago – runs twice-weekly patrols across the city but insists the group is non-violent and seeks to work in partnership with the force, not against it, as a new line of defence for residents. Three organisers, only known as Wayne, Tracy and Michael, said they launched the group after discovering a friend had been attacked in his home by thieves armed with hammers. Solihull-based college lecturer Wayne, 47, said the group represents a “friendly approach” while the police can be “standoffish to people in communities”. He admitted the group’s “biggest achievement to date is how quickly it has taken off and we have got the trust of the residents”. He added: “The way our group started, and the reaction we’ve had, has showed us how much local communities need groups like us to fill in the gaps the authorities simply don’t have the funding for. “There has been a recent spate of crime in Birmingham recently and Solihull in particular has fallen victim to an increase of just under 1,500 more cases so far this year. “People needed someone to turn to, someone who will listen and visit them in their home if a constituent is fearful for their own safety. “We’re vigilantes, but we’re vigilantes with a twist, working within the law and not against it. “Our group is a central place for the local community to come together to log crimes, comment and help stop crime in the area.” The group wants to generate a new level of support with buddy systems for the elderly and defence classes for anyone who feels unable to protect themselves. The advent of the vigilantes comes in the wake of an apparent “loss of trust” in policing from the public and embattled service chiefs admitting austerity – with the government overseeing a reduction in police numbers by 20,000 officers since 2010 – has impacted by cutting funding by a fifth in the same period. Senior officers have spoken out at the “crippling” impact Treasury demands to increase pension contributions will impose on a service now facing further swingeing cuts to officer numbers. Technical change to pension calculation – costing an extra £417 million and a potential 10,000 positions – means a return to numerical totals in policing last seen nearly half a century ago. For England’s second biggest force – West Midlands – Chief Constable Dave Thompson has called for an emergency budget to address finding £22.6 million by 2021, accusing ministers of “getting their maths wrong”. Those pension changes alone equate to a potential shedding of 500 officers for the West Midlands force; the lowest officer level in Greater Manchester’s 44-year history with the first cuts in numbers for eight years; and a £24 million shortfall in West Yorkshire’s finances. For Merseyside, Chief Constable Andy Cooke paints the grimmest of pictures – warning that the latest blow to policing’s coffers has turned his much-vaunted force from “proactive” to “reactive” – and left officers “struggling to provide a service” and fighting to preserve their “mental and physical wellbeing”. Earlier this week West Mercia chief constable Anthony Bangham admitted there was just “not enough” officers to respond to every crime in his region. A crime survey of 10,000 respondents earlier this summer across the West Midlands region revealed half did not feel safe with two thirds never seeing officers on patrol in their area, 87 per cent thought the police were not doing a good job, 94 per cent had lost faith in the criminal justice system, and 97 per cent reckoned the government was not acting tough enough on crime The West Midlands force would not be drawn on the new vigilantes, with a spokeswoman saying it “intended to reply” but had “no comment” at this stage. View On Police Oracle -
West Midlands Police officers 'kicked out of Sikh temple as they try to recruit worshippers'
Fedster posted a topic in UK Policing News
This is the moment Sikh activists demanded police officers leave their temple as they tried to recruit worshippers. https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/watch-west-midlands-police-officers-15416251 -
West Midlands Police accused of 'discriminating against white male officers's
Remmy posted a topic in UK Policing News
White male officers were blocked from promotion by West Midlands Police in order to give women and ethnic minority candidates a better chance. https://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/coventry-news/west-midlands-police-discriminating-against-15418097 Do you think they have gone too far or is it a good policy? -
Hi this is just a query that I would like to put towards your members. I’m currently a response officer in MET Police and will be transferring to similar position with West Midlands police in January and wondered if anyone had any opinions on posting preferences. My commute will be from Droitwich so Birmingham Central would be one of my three choices...? Much obliged and thanks
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Terror cop who lost Top Secret papers allowed to retire by West Midlands Police
Fedster posted a topic in UK Policing News
A top anti-terror cop facing the sack after a thief stole confidential documents is being allowed to retire by West Midlands Police - potentially protecting a threatened pension windfall. Full Story - Birmingham Mail -
Gross misconduct charges proven against ACC who left files in car
Fedster posted a topic in Police Oracle Features
His lawyer asked the panel to consider the fact the ACC Marcus Beale works in 'punishingly difficult circumstances'. ACC Marcus Beale- PA A senior counter-terrorism officer who lost top secret documents which were stolen from his car could be dismissed after a disciplinary panel's finding. A special case panel found the case for gross misconduct against Assistant Chief Constable Marcus Beale, of West Midlands Police, proven at a hearing at force headquarters on Tuesday. Mr Beale, 54, left the documents in a briefcase in his car boot for five days, in which time he went to the pub, went for a weekend away with his wife - leaving the car parked at a train station - and went supermarket shopping. He only discovered the case was missing when he stopped at Warwick Services on May 15, 2017 while on the way to Oxford. The briefcase, containing four documents, included minutes from a high-level counter-terror meeting, counter-terrorism local profiles, details of regular organised crime and highly sensitive information about a high-profile investigation. Fiona Barton QC, representing the force, said: "The impact could have been catastrophic. "It is a matter of luck the documents do not appear to have seen the light of day." Delivering the panel's verdict, chairman Corinna Ferguson said: "We have carefully considered the submissions and we have concluded this was an incident of gross misconduct." Mr Beale, who headed the West Midlands Counter Terrorism Unit, was prosecuted last year, and admitted a breach of the Official Secret Acts at Westminster Magistrates' Court in December, for which he was fined £3,500. At his disciplinary hearing, his QC John Beggs had urged the panel to recognise the "exceptional circumstances" of Mr Beale's case and his past pedigree as an officer of nearly 30 years. The three-member panel has already been told Mr Beale would be retiring in April, come what may. Mr Beggs said: "It is not in dispute that there was misconduct. "It is not in dispute it is conduct likely to bring discredit on the police service. "My task is to seek to persuade you that in the exceptional circumstances of this case; of this officer's career history and his contribution to policing, most particularly to counter-terrorism policing; and the prevention from death and serious injury and the impact on the community. "This panel can - and we suggest should - find it is not gross misconduct." He added: "The purpose of these proceedings is not to punish the officer a second time for the same offence." Mr Beggs, sitting next to Mr Beale, said: "Save for this blemish on his career, ACC Beale has at all times in virtually 30 years upheld the highest standards of policing. "Nobody is going to suggest he needs to be deterred from a repetition of his misconduct nor do I anticipate that it applies nobody is going to suggest he himself is a danger to the public." Mr Beggs said: "The question in your mind may be, how can an officer of such an outstanding calibre have made such a mistake? "Anything I say is speculative; is it because he is doing exceptionally long hours, five days a week, in punishingly difficult circumstances - he does not know. "It may be nothing more complex than that even the finest human beings and professionals make mistakes." Plaudits from serving and former chief officers, community leaders, trade union Unite, and the military were read, paying tribute to Mr Beale's "competence and professionalism" as "one of the police's finest leaders". He said Mr Beale's error was "wholly and extremely out of character". However, Ms Barton QC said: "The documents should never have been in a locked briefcase and in an unattended car certainly not for a few minutes, let alone days." The panel will deliver its recommended sanction later. But the final decision on Mr Beale's future with the force then rests with Chief Constable David Thompson. View On Police Oracle -
I intend to apply for West Midlands Police Force for the Regs, could anyone tell me when the second intake is coming round... I thought it was around about now but i've had no email :/
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School's police firing range trip 'eased pupil terror fears'
The Undertaker posted a topic in UK Policing News
Source - BBC So the parents had nothing but praise for the initiative, but it drew criticism on social media. people were apparently "horrified" another critic said "I'm not comfortable with this at all. Primary school kids? Parents don't like buying toy guns let alone showing them real ones. Not sure about this at all." What world do these critics live in? These critics must be the same people who contact the local rags, when they spot armed police at their local Tesco. Pathetic. -
Undercover bike cops launch 'best ever' cycle safety scheme in Birmingham
Remmy posted a topic in UK Policing News
When Mark Hodson gets on his bike in the morning, like many cyclists in the UK, he has come to expect a few close calls. Perhaps drivers will whizz past him too close, or someone will even try a ‘punishment pass’. Luckily, Hodson is a West Midlands Police traffic officer, albeit in plain clothes, and just yards up the road a colleague in a police car is waiting to pull over drivers that give him less than 1.5m space when overtaking (a distance that increases for faster speeds and larger vehicles). Undercover bike cops launch 'best ever' cycle safety scheme in Birmingham | Environment | The Guardian https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/environment/bike-blog/2016/sep/16/undercover-bike-cops-launch-best-ever-cycle-safety-scheme-in-birmingham?client=ms-android-orange-gb -
From the album: West Midlands Police
Taken at a training exercise in 2015 that I attend.© FutureCop999
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I thought I'd start this thread due to the lack of WMP forum activity. I had my final interview two weeks ago and I am currently waiting to hear back. I was told there were a number of intakes from November 2015 all the way though to early 2017 depending on how well candidates performed throughout the recruitment process - higher scorers starting first. Is anyone else in a similar position? It seems to me that they're leaving it very late to inform people of success with a potential November intake considering most employers will require a months notice and candidates will need to find living arrangements pretty soon! Anyone currently training with WMP may be able to shed some light on this?
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[ITV] Serving police officer arrested after false terror tip off
MindTheGap posted a topic in UK Policing News
http://www.itv.com/news/central/2015-09-08/police-officer-arrested-over-false-terror-tip-off/ -
The number of police officers being assaulted has more than trebled in a year in the West Midlands, new figures reveal Sergeant Jon King was shot twice in the face There were 419 reports of police being attacked in 2013/14, but this rocketed to 1,406 the following year.The force had the biggest rise in Britain, and second highest number of assaults of the 35 that responded, after the Police Service of Northern Ireland with 2,866 A total of 13,984 officers were assaulted across the country – an average of 38 a day. West Midlands bosses say the job ‘carries risks’ but they accept there have been too many attacks. There have been a number of high profile attacks on police officers in recent months, with Superintendent Keith Fraser being pushed over and pinned to the ground by a mother-of-three when he intervened while off-duty as she struck a teenage woman. Denise Dickens was given a 12-month community order and told to pay a total of £100 compensation to her victims. And Sergeant Jon King was shot twice in the face at close range after he and his colleagues were called to help paramedics at a house in Rugeley. Concerns have also been raised that the actual numbers could be even higher amid claims that assaults are not being recorded properly. John Apter, chairman of the Hampshire Police Federation, has been a vocal critic of the current system for years. He said: “The data we have now is only half the picture. We don’t look after our officers, we don’t record assaults on them in the right way, we don’t investigate assaults on officers properly and we don’t treat them as proper victims.” Steve White, chairman of the Police Federation of England and Wales, said he had raised the issue with Home Secretary Theresa May. He added: “The federation and the Home Office are now working together to ensure we have a more robust process of collecting information from forces around the number of assaults on police officers.” West Midlands force spokesman Gina Lycett said: “Whilst one assault on an officer is one too many, the nature of policing carries some risk. However, in the West Midlands our officers are trained in personal safety techniques. “They are also suitably equipped to ensure that they are able to discharge their duties as safely as possible in protecting our communities. “We work closely with the Crown Prosecution Service to ensure that those who commit assaults on members of West Midlands Police staff are brought to justice.” A Home Office spokesman said talks were ongoing with the Police Federation to improve the process of collecting data. http://www.expressandstar.com/news/2015/06/28/assaults-on-west-midlands-police-treble-in-one-year/
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Violent Ladywood thug who battered girlfriend and then attacked police officer loses appeal
Fedster posted a topic in UK Policing News
Orville Darren Lee A violent thug who battered his girlfriend unconscious and then attacked a police officer trying to arrest him has had an appeal against his conviction thrown out by Appeal Court judges. Orville Darren Lee, of Wiggin Street, Birmingham, who had a long criminal record, attacked his then partner, Sharon Nolan, in December 2013 while in a drunken rage. The 40-year-old was jailed for three years and nine months at York Crown Court in September last year, after being found guilty of assault causing actual bodily harm and battery. At the time he was already serving a 20-month sentence for offences of affray and carrying an offensive weapon and his total sentence was five years and five months. He challenged his conviction for the assaults at London’s Criminal Appeal Court, with his lawyers arguing the trial judge misdirected the jury But his complaints were thrown out by three of the country’s top judges, who said his trial was fair and the convictions ‘safe’. The court also rejected an appeal against his jail term, saying it was ‘justified’ in light of his refusal to admit his crimes. Police were called to the victim’s home and found she had suffered significant injuries when they arrived. As an officer tried to arrest Lee on suspicion of assaulting Miss Nolan, he too was attacked. Lee denied the offences, claiming Miss Nolan must have fallen and injured herself, but he was found guilty of both attacking her and assaulting the police officer. Miss Nolan was left with a degree of memory loss following the attack and suffered psychological damage. The judge who sentenced Lee said the victim was ‘petrified’ of him and handed him a restraining order preventing him from contacting her. The court heard Lee had a number of previous convictions – including nine for assaulting police officers. There were others for violence, public disorder and drink driving, and he was on bail for the affray and possession of an offensive weapon at the time of the attacks. His lawyers argued his conviction was ‘unsafe’ because the judge misdirected the jury about the fact he made no comment when originally interviewed by police. But, dismissing his appeal, Lady Justice Sharp said: “In all the circumstances, we are not persuaded that there was any material misdirection made by the judge. “ We are satisfied that his conviction is safe and his appeal is dismissed.” http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/violent-ladywood-thug-who-battered-8641155 9 previous convictions for assaulting Police officers!! Yet he only gets 3 years and a bit for another assault on police and attacking his partner. Disgrace. -
Express & Star - Off-duty policeman has nose broken in Wolverhampton street attack
Burnie posted a topic in UK Policing News
http://www.expressandstar.com/news/local-news/2015/01/01/off-duty-policeman-has-nose-broken-in-wolverhampton-street-attack/ Shame that this isn't headline news across the country - another off-duty officer beaten to a bloody pulp but apparently it's more important that we know that somebody got married to somebody else. The internal police contact who put me onto this one reports that he understands the off-duty officer was specifically targeted. Beaten with knuckle dusters and got very lucky that on-duty backup arrived just in time before the Samurai sword could be used.
