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SECURIZINE ISSUE 72 28th February 2007
Force
to Hold First Misconduct Hearing in Public, Amid Concerns
Warwickshire
police is to become the first force to hold a police misconduct hearing
in public, the IPCC has revealed. Two officers face disciplinary action
following an IPCC investigation into the force's response to the fatal
stabbing of Colette Lynch, a 24 year-old mother of three young children,
in Rugby in February 2005.
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on this Story]
Husband
Arrested in Special's Murder
A fourth man has been arrested in connection with the murder of Special
Constable Nisha Patel-Nasri. The 33-year-old man, thought to be Mrs
Patel-Nasri's husband, Fadi Nasri, 33, was arrested at an address
in north London yesterday morning.
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on this Story]
New
Gun Crime Policy
Weapons legislation is to be reviewed following a Downing Street summit
to tackle gun crime. The move comes after a spate of shootings involving
teenage gangs. Gang membership will be the focus of the review, which
will also include sentencing and gun sources.
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on this Story]
Senior
Officer Dies at 42
Essex
Police has announced the death of Assistant Chief Constable, Liam
Brigginshaw. Mr Brigginshaw was diagnosed with stomach cancer towards
the end of last year but lost his fight with the illness on the morning
of Monday 19th February.
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on this Story]
Test
Purchasing goes Scotland-Wide
Fife Constabulary has underlined the importance of its pioneering
Alcohol Test Purchasing Scheme in combating anti-social behaviour
and under-age drinking across the Kingdom. And the force welcomed
the announcement that the powers are to be introduced across Scotland.
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on this Story]
Police
Gun Theft Investigation Concluded
Two
Cleveland Police officers received formal warnings following an Independent
Police Complaints Commission managed investigation into the theft
of firearms from an armed police response vehicle.
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on this Story]
Bid
to Host World Police and Fire Games 2013
Belfast
has been short listed against Innsbruck, Austria in its bid to host
the World Police and Fire Games in 2013. The final decision will be
announced before this year’s games get underway in Adelaide,
Australia on March 15th.
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on this Story]
MPA
2007 Problem Solving Award Winners Announced
The
winners of the 2007 Problem Solving Award, celebrating innovative
problem solving projects to promote safer communities across the capital,
were announced yesterday afternoon.
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on this Story]
Illegal
Dog Hand-In Results
Merseyside police received 600 calls about illegal dogs during a week
long hand-in period. Up to 132 owners have so far been reassured that
their animals did not fall under the legislation, and many owners
have taken the very difficult decision to part with their animals.
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on this Story]
Chiefs
Disagree Over Drug Trials
The
Association of Chief Police Officers has given its official backing
to giving drug addicts free heroin under the NHS, as part of a Government
trial. But the Chief Constable of Gloucestershire says it is not the
way forward.
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on this Story]
Cycling
Marshals get Police Powers
Twenty
road race marshals have been given powers to stop and redirect traffic
during a road race, as part of the Essex Police’s Community Safety
Accreditation Scheme (CSAS).
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on this Story]
Commissioner
Officially Sworn In
Mike
Bowron was officially sworn in as Commissioner for the City of London
Police at the Royal Courts of Justice on Friday 16th February.
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on this Story]
Tories
Propose Border Police
Conservative
leader, David Cameron, has unveiled plans for 10,000 border police
to prevent drug dealers, people smugglers, illegal immigrants, gun
importers and terrorists from entering and operating in the UK.
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on this Story]
Officer
Numbers Hit All Time High
The
record number of police on the streets of Cleveland represents a promise
delivered to local people according to Chief Constable Sean Price.
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on this Story]
Fife
Officer Stabbed
A Fife officer was stabbed in the stomach when he and another officer
stopped a van in Kirkcaldy. The incident happened on Sunday after
the officer and his colleague stopped a van, from which the driver
and his passenger were attempting to make their escape.
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on this Story]
SECURIZINE ISSUE 71 21st February 2007
A £3 billion budget has been set to police London in 2007/8. Len Duvall, chair of the Metropolitan Police Authority, welcomed the funding and said the rise in the council precept would help the force deliver neighbourhood policing in a budget that was 'truly people focused'.
New
Squad to Tackle Gun Crime
Metropolitan
Police Service Commissioner Sir Ian Blair has announced the setting
up of a new temporary taskforce to co-ordinate the Met's response
to violent youth crime in South London.
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on this Story]
Two
Wrongful Death Lawsuits Dismissed
Taser
has announced that the United States District Court for the Northern
District of Mississippi, Western Division, entered an order dismissing
with prejudice the in-custody death product liability lawsuit filed
by Michelle Kinkle.
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on this Story]
West
Mids Police Moves to‘CSI Style’ Forensic Centre
West
Midlands Police's forensic experts are moving to the force's first
purpose-built forensic site.
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on this Story]
Force
Overwhelmed by Police Interest
Places
to attend a workshop on filling out the police application form were
snapped up in just 45 minutes, say Leicestershire police.
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on this Story]
Forensic
Experts Look for Bomb Clues
Forensic
teams are searching a Cambridge address, following the arrest of man
in connection with a series of letter bombs.
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on this Story]
Officers
Injured as Bike Thieves Ram Car
Two
Dorset officers were injured and their car seriously damaged when
thieves reversed into them at speed.
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on this Story]
Council
Updates Surveillance Powers
A
revised policy that allows the Council to carry out covert surveillance
operations was agreed by Clackmannashire Council on 15th February.
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on this Story]
Doggy
Donors
Fife Police's German Shepherds 'embark' on a National campaign to
give blood. Police dogs from all Scottish forces are helping to save
the lives of their Canine friends by donating blood.
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on this Story]
Police
to Host Domestic Abuse Conference
An
acclaimed play based on a one woman's experience of domestic abuse
will be the main feature at the forthcoming Ross, Cromarty and Skye
Domestic Abuse conference.
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on this Story]
Public
Confidence Increased by Neighbourhood Policing
One
year after Leicestershire Constabulary rolled out neighbourhood policing
across the Force, latest figures released from the Home Office reveal
that confidence in policing locally is amongst the highest in the
country.
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on this Story]
Programme
Slashes Persistent Offending
A
new, more intensive way of tackling offenders has cut their offending
by almost two-thirds, a report has revealed.
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on this Story]
'Private'
Spaces to Cut Cash Point Crime
A
new scheme to create no-go areas around cash points to keep customers
safer has been announced by the Home Office.
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on this Story]
Scotland
Gets On-the-Spot Fines for ASB
Police
have been given new powers to impose fixed penalty notices (FPNs)
for antisocial behaviour wherever it occurs in Scotland, Deputy Justice
Minister Johann Lamont announced.
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on this Story]
e-Crime
in Wales on the Agenda
The
escalating threat of e-Crime facing Welsh business will be the subject
of a high-level gathering of UK security experts in Newport, South
Wales, to be staged next month.
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on this Story]
Warwickshire
Defends Reorganisation Plans
A
senior officer in Warwickshire has pledged to protect neighbourhood
policing as the force prepares to undergo restructuring.
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on this Story]
Cadet
Recruitment Campaign Launched
Grampian Police has launched a recruitment drive for its second intake
of Police Cadets. The force reintroduced its Police Cadet programme
after an absence of more than 10 years.
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on this Story]
ARA
Recovers £1 Million from Drug Smugglers
Confiscation
Orders worth £1,043,663 have been secured by financial investigators
from the Asset Recovery Agency and Lancashire police.
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on this Story]
Emergency
Workers (Obstruction) Act
Anyone
who obstructs emergency workers could face a fine of up to £5,000
under rules being introduced.
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on this Story]
SECURIZINE ISSUE 70 14th February 2007
The Federation has attacked the government for failing to take roads policing seriously. It said they have failed to listen to independent policing experts and the advice of its own Transport Select Committee about the importance of effective policing of the roads and adequate numbers of roads policing officers.
Cheshire
Reinstates Roads Team
Cheshire police has re-established its roads policing team just a
year after it was disbanded. A number of Targeted Patrol Team (TPT)
officers have undergone extensive roads policing training as part
of the new team.
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on this Story]
Sex Register Could be Widened
Home
Secretary John Reid is considering extending notification requirements
for offenders on the Sex Offenders Register to include on-line identities
in a bid to tackle internet child abuse. Offenders could be made to
hand over both email addresses and any screen names they use in internet
chat rooms.
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on this Story]
Authority
Tackles Minister on Funding
Police
funding will again be high on the agenda when Northants Police Authority
chair Dr Marie Dickie meets Policing Minister Tony McNulty on Thursday.
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on this Story]
Met
Responds to IPCC Report on Forest Gate Arrests
The
Independent Police Complaints Commission yesterday published its findings
on an investigation into complaints made by the residents of 46 and
48 Lansdown Road following a counter terrorism operation conducted
in Forest Gate in June last year.
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on this Story]
Security
Officers Given Police Powers
Nine
members of the University of Surrey in Guildford's security team have
been given additional powers to combat crime and disorder in the first
scheme of its kind between a police force and a university.
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on this Story]
New
Asylum Decision Centre Opens
A new Home Office facility designed to speed up asylum decisions opened
this week near Heathrow Airport. Amadeus House - a new purpose-built
asylum centre for West London and the southeast - was officially opened
by Immigration Minister Liam Byrne
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on this Story]
More
Senior Female Ethnic Officers Needed
In
a keynote speech to the National Black Police Association (NBPA) Women's
Conference, Minister for Policing Tony McNulty says women are held
back in policing because they believe they have be 'one of the boys'
in order to succeed.
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on this Story]
Bomber
Targets Forensic Companies
Three companies that supply forensic services to the police have been
targeted by the letter bomber, it has been revealed. Orchid Cellmark,
the Forensic Science Service's headquarters in Birmingham and a third
unnamed company in Thames Valley were all targeted by the bomber.
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on this Story]
Interview
Suite gets £35,000 Facelift
From
Monday 12th February Cleveland Police is offering both witnesses and
victims of serious crime a new ‘state of the art’ suite
where they can be interviewed away from the more officious police
buildings. The facility was a former operational support unit, but
it has now undergone a £35,000 facelift.
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on this Story]
Drug
Users Tracked by Device
A
drug detection machine is continuing to help combat the supply and
use of class A drugs in Berkshire East. A total of 226 pub-goers agreed
to be tested on the GE Ion Track drug itemising device recently before
they entered the Hobgoblin and Chicago Rock Cafe in Maidenhead.
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on this Story]
Force
Offers Motorbike Training to Cut Deaths
North
Yorkshire Police are to offer more motorcycle skills courses as part
of the force's continuing drive to cut road casualties. The Bike Safe
skills workshop, aimed squarely at giving riders better skills for
safer, more enjoyable riding costs £50.
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on this Story]
Disability
Awareness Day
Police in Cambridgeshire are joining staff from other agencies and
holding a disability awareness day on Monday, February 19th. The event
follows the publication of the Constabulary's disability equality
scheme.
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on this Story]
'Clunk
Click' goes Europe-Wide
Forces through Europe are set to support TISPOL's seatbelt enforcement
campaign this month. The campaign was due to run between 19th and
25th February and is co-ordinated to include police forces throughout
Europe.
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on this Story]
Messaging
System First for Kent
Kent
Police has launched a new messaging system to keep all communities
across the county informed about local crime and encourage them to
tell the force about suspicious activity in their area.
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on this Story]
Force
Given Green Light to Use Accredited Status
Lothian
and Borders Police has been given the green light to continue as an
accredited Investors In People employer following a successful review.
In 2005 the force was placed in ‘retaining recognition’
which meant the force had to demonstrate to IiP Scotland that it merited
its continued IiP status.
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on this Story]
Fixed
Penalty System Misused, say Retailers
Fixed penalty notices, introduced for shoplifting offences less than
three years ago, are being routinely abused, according to retailers.
Plans to extend the existing system of on the spot fines for first
offences to include repeat offenders, with an 'on the street apology'
for the first criminal act have caused concern among the retail community.
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on this Story]
Bike
Tagging to Stop Theft
Electronic
tagging devices are to be fitted to bicycles across Guildford in a
bid to halt the growing increase in the number of thefts in the borough.
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on this Story]
Fines
Overturned in Summons Mix-Up
Motorists
who were summoned to court with the wrong form are to have their speeding
fines overturned, Devon and Cornwall police have announced.
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on this Story]
SECURIZINE ISSUE 69 7th February 2007
UK
Tops Most Burgled List
The
UK is officially the most burgled country in the EU, according to
the latest European Survey of Crime and Safety (EU ICS) 2005. It
found that although the UK is one of the most protected countries
in Europe, 'common' crime such as pick pocketing and personal theft
was way about EU average.
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on this Story]
Federation
'Clarifies' Restrictive Duties
The Federation has defended officers working as little as an hour
a week while on full pay. The organisation that represents 140,000
rank and file officers was speaking in response to a Daily Mail
article.
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on this Story]
Police Reach Out to Polish Community
Members of the Polish community were given the low down on the UK's
drink drive laws as part of Gloucestershire Constabulary's first
Polish forum. Officers from the Road Policing Unit at Bamfurlong
were on hand to talk about issues such as the British drink-drive
laws, in a bid to reach out to the growing East European Community.
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on this Story]
Licence
to Seize
Motorists
caught on the roads of Strathclyde without a driving licence or
insurance face having their vehicles seized under new powers now
in force across the region.
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on this Story]
New
Police Station Due to Open Autumn 2007
Work is now well under way at the site of the new Leominster police
station, which is due to open in September. The new purpose built
station will provide more space for the increased number of staff
and officers at Leominster.
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on this Story]
Force
'Very Disappointed' by Conduct of Jailed Officer
A 29-year-old Leicestershire police officer has been convicted at
Leicester Crown Court of perverting the course of justice. PC Simon
James Grosvenor was sentenced to eight months imprisonment. The
officer was charged with the offence after talking to two members
of a jury during a sexual assault trial.
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on this Story]
Hants
will Find 'Missing' Sex Offenders
Hampshire Constabulary said it would make every effort to find 11
registered sex offenders who were listed as missing. In a statement,
the force defended the system of managing sex offenders through
registration as 'an extremely effective method of monitoring offenders
in the community'.
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on this Story]
More
Offenders 'Going to Jail'
New
sentencing figures show a sharp rise in the number of offenders
sent to prison and an increase in the average length of sentences.
Courts are sentencing more offenders to prison than ever before,
as use of imprisonment as punishment has increased by more than
25% over the last 10 years, according to Sentencing Statistics 2005.
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on this Story]
No
Escape for Fife's Most Wanted
Thirty-eight
of Fife's most wanted have been tracked down as part of a month-long
force focus on outstanding warrants. Warrants are issued by the
court to those who have failed to appear at court or who are suspects
in a crime. The police are then responsible for tracking these individuals
down.
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on this Story]
Similarities
between Internet Child Sex Offenders and Contact Offenders
People
who download child pornography from the internet share many of the
same psychological characteristics as paedophiles who commit contact
offences against children, a new study has found.
[More
on this Story]
Three
Month Detention Should Not be Ruled out, Says ACPO
Chief Officers have said the length of time police have to detain
terrorist suspects must 'continue to be reviewed'. In a statement,
Ken Jones ACPO President said: 'ACPO made the judgement in 2005
that the police should have the power to detain suspects without
charge for up to three months.'
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on this Story]
Traffic
Officer in 'Baby' Drama
A
bouncing baby boy was born last Wednesday in the comfort of the
Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital in Exeter, thanks to the actions
of a quick-thinking police officer.
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on this Story]
Groundbreaking
Scheme gives Swansea Citizens of Pride
The
Safer Swansea Partnership is recruiting thousands of 'Citizens of
Pride' to help in the fight against crime. In a UK-first residents
of Swansea are signing up to make their city a safer and more pleasant
place for their family, friends and neighbours.
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on this Story]
Law
Advice Line Receives Thousands of Calls
Centrex's
NCPE Operations Centre 'Opsline' service has handled over 11,000
enquiries just one year after its launch. Opsline exists to offer
a single point of contact for all law enforcement enquiries relating
to NCPE's portfolio of products and services.
[More
on this Story]
Respect
Campaign Launched in Sussex
The
Prime Minister has launched the Government's new 'Respect' campaign
in Sussex. Brighton & Hove is one of 40 Respect areas chosen
by the Home Office to lead the way on tackling anti-social behaviour.
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on this Story]
Independent
Police Complaints Commission - The Facts
The
Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) is responsible for
overseeing the system for complaints against police officers and
staff in England and Wales. In April 2004 the IPCC replaced the
Police Complaints Authority (PCA), which had much-more limited powers.
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on this Story]