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Officers Trained in Taser Use
Ten
forces began piloting Taser this week. For the first time, non-firearms
officers will be taught how to use the device.
Northumbria is one of forces trialling the extended use of the Taser.
The first phase of the pilot has already been implemented - revised
criteria allowing authorised firearms officers to deploy the taser have
been in use since July.
The second phase started on September 1st, and there are now small teams
of officers in each area command trained to carry and use the Taser.
Taser
is operated primarily by law enforcement officers, but in recent years
it is augmenting other sidearms as a non lethal weapon. For military
applications of Taser is now enhanced with an X-Rail mount, which enables
integration of Taser gun with M16, M4 and MP5 assault rifles, using
the standard Picatinny Rail Interface. Using Taser guns with an M16
enables troops to selectively use the firepower, and respond to various
levels of threats with minimum risk casualties to innocent civilians.
C/Superintendent
Neil Mackay, head of the force's Operations Dept, said: ‘The aim
is to have a readily available range of options to deal more effectively
with threatening or violent situations. The Taser is one of those options,
and by increasing the number of officers able to deploy we are greatly
reducing the risks to the public and any possible suspects, as well
as enhancing the safety of our frontline officers.’
Area command officers who carry the Taser all volunteered to take part
in a forcewide training programme which got underway at the end of July.
They will continue to carry out their normal area command policing duties,
but will be available to respond to situations as and when a taser could
be needed.
C/Supt Mackay added: ‘This means area commands now have an additional
means of bringing a violent or threatening situation to a safe conclusion
for all concerned.
‘The officers were all carefully selected for training in use of
the Taser and as with the use of any legitimate force, the Taser will
only be deployed when circumstances dictate. Officer safety, and the
safety of the law-abiding public, is paramount.’
In Avon and Somerset all 30 officers have been selected from the force's
Support Groups, which already specialise in dealing with conflict situations
and violent or potentially violent offenders.
The officers have received the same training that firearms officers
received when the weapons were introduced to the force in June 2005.
Superintendent Adrian Coombs is in charge of the 12-month pilot. He
said:
‘The fact that Tasers can be used up to a distance of seven metres
away means we can now deal with these situations without having to rely
on armed officers only.
‘The officers we have selected are already trained to an advanced
level in conflict management and, as with any firearms incident, still
have to get authorisation from a senior officer to draw their Taser.’
Tasers were introduced in Avon and Somerset in June 2005. Since then,
they have been discharged eight times.
The Taser shoots two barbs which are aimed at the offender's torso.
It delivers an electrical charge of 50,000 volts in a five second burst
which overrides the central nervous system causing the person to lose
all muscular control and fall to the ground or 'freeze' on the spot.
The effects are instantaneous and last only as long as the charge is
applied. There may be two marks like bee stings from the barbs. The
Taser can also be set to stun mode where the barbs are not fired.
Man
Arrested in M5 Police Shooting Incident
Police
investigating the shooting incident that occurred at junction 12 of
the M5 during the early hours of Friday August 24th have arrested a
33 year-old man.
A police vehicle was making a routine stop check of a BMW in a lay-bye,
just off junction 12 of the M5 near Gloucester.
As police pulled up behind the vehicle it made off on to the southbound
carriageway of the motorway and two shots were fired from the BMW in
the direction of the police vehicle.
The man, who comes from Swindon, was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy
to burgle a Garden Centre close to junction 12.
He has been released on police bail pending further enquiries until
Wednesday October 10th.
A 22 year-old man from Oxfordshire was also arrested in connection with
the shooting incident. He has since been released without charge.
Prison
Dispute could Effect Policing
Senior
officers have warned that officers could be taken away from their roles,
if the prison officer dispute continues.
In a statement, Ken Jones, ACPO President said, ‘If this dispute
continues there will be consequences for the police service and the
neighbourhoods they serve; chief officers will be obliged to divert
staff away from core police work. We would ask that those involved in
leading the dispute bear such consequences in mind as they consider
their next steps.’
ACPO said it was disappointed there was no advance warning of the one-day
strike that took place last week.
Exhibition
Chronicles 80 year-old Police Murder
A
new exhibition at the Essex Police Museum commemorating the 80th anniversary
of the murder of Essex officer, Pc George Gutteridge, has opened.
The display looks at what happened on the night of Gutteridge's murder;
how the police tracked down the killers and how new technology enabled
Robert Churchill, a gun expert, to prove them guilty.
PC
Gutteridge (on left) and PC Taylor (on right)
It
features a unique death mask of murderer Frederick Browne who was executed
for the crime, and the actual bullets which killed Pc Gutteridge, as
well as many original photographs, and documents from the murder case.
Museum curator, Becky Latchford said: ‘This crime is famously known
as one of those first solved using ballistic evidence and the museum
is very fortunate to have such unique objects within its collection.’
Pc Gutteridge was well known in his village of Stapleford Abbotts, and
a memorial stone, on the renamed Gutteridge Lane, remembers this tragic
incident.
Museum History Notebook number 50, features this story and is available
free from the museum, from September onwards.
A special memorial service will be held at St Mary's Church, Stapleford
Abbotts on September 27th at 2pm.
A film and exhibition will be shown shortly afterwards at Stapleford
Abbotts Village Hall.
Thames
Valley Chief Supt Shaun Morley, has spoken out in support of PCSOs following
a report in the local press that PCSOs have not solved any crimes in
Oxfordshire.
Ch Supt Morley said: ‘The article which reports that PCSOs do not
solve crimes, is misleading and is based on a misunderstanding of the
role and the work that PCSOs do.
‘Many people play a part in solving crime. Only the named police
officer, who is the investigator, is formally credited with detecting
that crime. It is like accusing forensic officers of not solving a crime,
when in fact they play a vital part in the process.
‘PCSOs contribute significantly to crime detection through their
community work. Only last week, a PCSO stopped a man for cycling on
the footpath. Inquiries revealed the bicycle was stolen and that the
man was already wanted for a recall to prison. The PCSO called in a
police officer and the man was arrested. PCSOs do not have the power
of arrest, so it follows that arrests they have instigated are attributed
to the arresting officer.
‘I am extremely proud of the work that my PCSOs have done across
Oxfordshire. Their community work is invaluable and cannot be quantified
in crime detection figures.’
Kate Griffin, editor of a local newspaper said: ‘PCSOs are useful
because we have this problem that the fear of crime is greater than
actual levels of crime. There has, for a while, been an attitude not
to speak up about anti-social behaviour, and public places were not
being enjoyed and used as much as they should have been.
‘The PCSOs have provided a great presence, made local people feel
safer and helped us reclaim our public spaces. They are doing a huge
amount in helping dispel that fear of crime.’
John Stratford, an 82-year-old victim of assault, from Oxford, said:
‘After I was assaulted, the local PCSOs checked up on me on a number
of occasions to follow up the police's investigation of the case. They
continued to monitor the situation and their care for me was much appreciated.
‘PCSOs are not PCs and should not be compared to them. Their purpose
is to support police officers and they do a very good job of providing
that service.’
Ch Supt Morley continued: ‘As with all things in policing, change
is frequently looked upon with scepticism. PCSOs play an important role
in policing and their full potential has not been realised as yet. I
am certain that their value will be recognised as time goes on.’
The
number of people killed in road collisions in Cambridgeshire this year
is almost 50% up on last year.
Now the force is urging people to review their driving standards as
it works to reduce the number of people seriously injured and killed
in collisions.
Since the start of the year 51 people have been killed in collisions,
compared to 35 people for the same period in 2006.
PC Tony Barrios, Casualty Reduction Officer, said: ‘This huge increase
in fatalities is extremely alarming and I am urging drivers to take
care when using the roads.
‘Obviously the number of road users increases each year so there
is bound to be a slight increase in serious and fatal collisions but
an increase of almost 50% is very concerning.
‘Sadly the vast majority of collisions are caused by driver error
so if we are going to reduce casualties on the roads motorists must
stick to road safety rules.
‘There are still some motorists driving in a dangerous manner through
inappropriate use of speed, using mobile phones and not wearing seatbelts.
These drivers are risking their own lives and the lives of others.
‘Too many people are being killed on the county's roads by mistakes
that could have been avoided and we cannot ignore this.
‘Concentration and anticipation are the qualities of good driving.’
Of those killed in collisions this year 10 have been motorcyclists,
accounting for over 20% of the fatalities.
PC Barrios added: ‘Motorcyclists are more vulnerable than other
motorists which is why it is so important they stay alert and aware
at all times.
‘This is not about questioning the skills of motorcyclists because
the majority of riders are riding safely, however, one small mistake
could prove fatal.
‘It's vital that other motorists remain focused and aware of motorcyclists,
through using their mirrors regularly and ensuring they do not make
any sudden movements when driving along a road.’
101
is 1 year old in the East Midlands
101,
the number to call for advice and action on anti-social behaviour, celebrates
its first anniversary in the East Midlands. In the past year, more than
60,000 calls have been made to the number from people in Leicester city,
Rutland, Melton and Harborough.
The 101 service, run by Leicestershire Police, Leicester City Council
and other local authorities, enables people to call the number at any
time of the day or night and speak to a specialist adviser. Help is
available on matters including noise nuisance, graffiti, fly tipping
and vandalism. The majority of calls relate to problems of drunken behaviour
and noise disturbance.
Through publicity and the support of organisations such as the Neighbourhood
Watch Association and tenants associations, awareness of 101 is high;
a recent MORI survey showed that 59% of people in Leicester and Rutland
had heard of 101. More than 90% of callers are happy with the service.
Councillor Barrie Roper of Rutland County Council said: 'The 101 service
has exceeded our expectations in terms of the amount of calls we receive
and how it has helped the police and council to deliver services in
a more joined up way.
'Rutland has relatively low levels of anti-social behaviour but 101
has shown that there is a need for the service in the towns and in the
rural areas alike.
'Many of the callers say that they feel reassured that they can ring
someone at any time, day or night. This is part of the reason why the
service is so important.'
Information generated by calls to 101 is analysed so that the police
and council can identify and work on problem hotspots. Work over the
past year has included reducing rowdy behaviour in Whissendine, dealing
with recurring criminal damage in Greetham and tackling motorbike misuse
in Oakham.
The 101 service is funded by the Home Office and is being piloted in
five areas in the country. It is currently being evaluated by the Home
Office and a decision on its future funding is due this autumn.
Mike Goodwin, Assistant Chief Constable of Leicestershire Constabulary,
said: 'When we launched 101, we knew the service was a great idea but
it has far exceeded our expectations. The service has transformed the
way the police works with councils to tackle anti-social behaviour and
this is reflected in the very high percentage of callers who are happy
with 101.
'101 provides police and local authorities with in-depth intelligence
on where and when anti-social behaviour is happening so we can take
measures to prevent it recurring. This is proving highly effective in
resolving problems for the benefit of local people.'
'The past year has proved 101 is a valuable local service and we sincerely
hope that the Home Office will continue to fund it. This will help us
to ensure that 101 is extended across the whole of Leicestershire and
more people and communities will be able to benefit from the service.'
Calls to 101 cost 10p from landlines and mobiles. Phone lines are open
24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Visit http://www.101.gov.uk
or contact Rutland County Council for more information.
Essex Police Enhances Driving Skills with Ford
Driving
skills throughout Essex Police have been enhanced this year through
a unique partnership between the force and Ford's Dunton Technical Centre
near Basildon.
Quick reactions and precise movements are essential for any police officer
on the road. Providing a foundation of vital knowledge and practical
skills, driver training ensures that the public and police officers
alike remain protected and safe during rapid response calls.
Ford Dunton is the UK's largest automotive research centre. Its test
track facilities, which include a high speed circuit, are used to develop
new Ford vehicles. By granting Essex Police access to these facilities
Ford has given police officers the opportunity to practice newly acquired
skills before taking them onto the public road.
Police driving instructor, Sgt Paul Hooks, with 16 years policing experience
in Essex commented: ‘Working together with Ford, Essex Police can
utilise some of the best facilities in the county and save money that
would otherwise be spent on alternative training sites. Pooled together,
the knowledge and expertise in road and vehicle safety from both Ford
and Essex Police will ensure that our driver training courses are one
of the most highly regarded across the UK.’
Graham Hoare, executive director powertrain and head of Ford Dunton,
said: ‘Safety is a priority for us at Ford Dunton and by working
with Essex Police our facilities can be used to the benefit of the community
as a whole.’
Research
Project Aims to Banish Homophobia
Victims
of homophobia are being urged to participate in a special project which
will research homophobic incidents in West Sussex.
The
project is being spearheaded by West Sussex County Council's Community
Safety Unit, in partnership with West Sussex Primary Care Trust, Sussex
Police and the district and borough councils.
A questionnaire has been drawn up, which anyone who has witnessed an
incident or who feels they've been a victim is invited to complete.
Anyone taking part in the survey has been assured anonymity.
Steve Waight, the County Council Cabinet Member with responsibility
for equalities issues, said:
‘We know that gay people sometimes experience prejudice, even including
violence, simply because they are gay. This is wrong and we need to
do something about it. However, we need to find the facts and compile
the data first.
‘Everyone who takes part can be assured that the survey is completely
anonymous. The information will enable us to map the nature of homophobia
within West Sussex. It will help us to review and develop policies to
deal with incidents and reduce their number.’
In order to map the problem according to geographical areas, people
completing the survey are being asked to supply their postcodes. However,
Mr Waight stressed these will be used only to paint a general picture
by district or borough, and not by street.
He said: ‘The survey asks people to describe all of the incidents
experienced. However, we would like participants to concentrate on the
most recent event.’
Force
'Wages War' on Guns after Shooting
Merseyside
Police is waging Total War on gun and gang related crime, with over
200 officers dedicated to getting guns off the streets of Merseyside.
The force said it had already made significant inroads to the war on
gun crime as part of the force's Total Policing approach, which has
seen overall crime in Merseyside fall by 11% in April 2007 compared
to April 2006, a fall of nearly 20,000 victims of crime.
Last month, 11 year old Rhys Jones was shot dead on his way home from
football practice in the Croxteth area of Liverpool.
With
the Matrix team, Merseyside Police is the only police force outside
of the Metropolitan Police to have a specialist team to deal specifically
with gun and gang related crime. Formed in January 2005, Matrix brings
together the resources and intelligence of several specialist departments,
linking together the investigation of those people who both supply and
utilise guns and drugs.
Detectives in the team actively target gun criminals, while uniform
officers work to disrupt criminal activity.
Matrix has already made over 5,500 arrests and seized nearly £1.5m
of criminal cash. On average, the Matrix team executes a firearms warrant
every two days and have seized 50 firearms in the last 12 months.
Merseyside Police has also been making use of innovative new technologies
in its fight against crime, and is the first police force to use a flying
CCTV drone to tackle anti-social behaviour and assist in gathering intelligence.
The drone has been deployed operationally since the murder of Rhys Jones
in Croxteth.
Earlier this year, Chief Constable Bernard Hogan-Howe (pictured) made
a call to tighten legislation on guns, identifying three priorities
to help turn the tide against teenage gun crime: ‘Tightening the
criminal justice system to compel witnesses and victims to give evidence,
excluding those involved in gun crime from their communities and gripping
the importation and supply of weapons.
‘What remains clear is that while Merseyside Police is dedicated
to tackling gun and gang related crime, the public's help is essential.
Only through the police and the public working together will we be able
to eradicate the menace of gun crime from the streets of Merseyside.’