Essi Ahari, District Inspector for Colwyn Bay, and Dewi Roberts, his colleague in Ruthin, have drawn my attention to the new North Wales Police “Balance your Bobbies” website, which enables users to feed back their local policing priorities and see how well the police are doing in meeting them.
The site is easy to use, and fun, and I’d recommend you to give it a go.
Congratulations to Mark Polin on his appointment as Chief Constable of North Wales Police.
Mr Polin appears to have an excellent record and I have high hopes for a new era in policing in North Wales.
Chief Constable Richard Brunstrom, who retires today, tells the BBC website that he supports “complete self-governance for Wales”.
Well, who’d have thought?
I hope Mr Brunstrom has a long and happy retirement.
An intensely depressing story in this morning’s Mail.
Police officers in North Wales have been instructed to patrol in plain clothes, in an effort to book people for dropping litter. This is perhaps surprising, given the prevalence of more serious crimes that concern so many people.
What is worse, when they do nab a litter lout, they have to radio a community support officer to issue the fixed penalty notice, because, for some obscure reason, they don’t have the power to do so themselves.
It is hardly surprising, in the circumstances, that Richard Eccles, North Wales Police Federation general secretary, says that the reluctant undercover bobbies are made to feel like “plonkers”.
Moreover, despite the Home Office’s assurances that police targets are being reduced so as to give officers more professional discretion, this does not extend to littering. Richard Eccles explained:
“The Home Secretary was talking about removing some of the targets and performance indicators at the [Federation] conference, but as she was speaking a colleague received a BlackBerry message saying he had to make sure his team issue 200 tickets for littering by the end of 2009.”
Mr Eccles says that the police are fed up with dealing with minor crimes, which should be left to the council, leaving officers to tackle more serious offences such as burglaries, violent assault and theft.
He is, of course, entirely right. Litter is a dreadful nuisance, but it is not a problem that demands the priority attention of fully-qualified police officers, particularly when resources are already so stretched.
Last year, I questioned the Home Office Minister, Vernon Coaker, on the floor of the House about the Federation’s survey Perception is Reality, which identified a worrying incidence of low morale among North Wales officers caused, chiefly, by the target-chasing performance culture within the force.
In response, the Minister said:
The hon. Gentleman… will know of the measures that we are taking to reduce bureaucracy, not least the appointment of Jan Berry as the reducing bureaucracy champion. Furthermore, the hon. Gentleman will know of the confidence measures that we are taking to reduce the number of targets and to have a single force area target. No doubt all those measures will be welcomed in north Wales, as they have been across the rest of the country.”
That was over six months ago. Commenting on the Minister’s answer, I blogged:
If those measures do work, they will certainly be welcomed. However, if the Federation survey is anything to go by, they’re not working yet. At least, not in North Wales.
It seems that, notwithstanding Vernon Coaker’s optimism, the target culture remains in full and enthusiastic operation in North Wales.
Time, I think, for me to raise the question again.
Last Sunday evening, as the winter light was beginning to fail, I was driving along the A55 near Caerwys when, to my horror, I saw a man walking unsteadily down the centre of the slip road in the direction of the main carriageway.
Worried about what might happen to him, I called 999 on the hands-free. The response was astonishingly impressive. The call was picked up before the first ring and I was transferred with equal speed to the police operator, who took the details swiftly and assured me that a car would be sent immediately to the scene.
Yesterday afternoon, I visited the North Wales Police communications centre at St Asaph; the visit had been arranged several months ago, but, given my experience last weekend, I was interested to see how the emergency call system worked.
The communications centre is operated as a separate division within the force and is headed by Superintendent Peter Newton, assisted by my friend Chief Inspector Jane Banham, formerly district Inspector at Colwyn Bay.
The communications room is a vast area that resembles the bridge of the starship Enterprise. Banks of computer screens record incidents as they come in. I watched the progress of the investigation of a report of missing person near Mochdre; the car arrived and the officers relayed the information from the ground to the communications centre, where the Inspector in charge of the watch monitored its progress.
The computerised system is capable of pinpointing the position of every officer deployed in the force area with high accuracy. Copy documents and photographs can be sent to the officer’s BlackBerry. The whole operation is seamlessly integrated and is among the most advanced in the country, rivalled only by Cheshire.
I told Peter Newton about my experience on the A55; what, I wondered, had happened to the man I saw wandering towards the carriageway? Quickly, he called the incident up on the screen. Another motorist had also rung in, expressing concern. A car had been despatched and discovered that the individual was a Pole, trying to hitch his way to Chester. The police had picked him up and dropped him off safely further down the road.
It was, in every sense, a happy ending to the visit.
“Although not a NWP issue but a Home Office issue, the increased removal of discretion and the performance culture imposed upon us is providing a disgraceful service to the public. Often we are not able to provide them with the service that they deserve as our hands are forced to ‘GET DETECTIONS’. This ultimately can push the public away from reporting in the future.”
“There is far too much emphasis on number crunching – the points system is having a negative impact on neighbourhood policing and the development of community contact. We are so thin on the ground, we cannot afford to alienate the public. There will come a time when we will shout for their help on the street. From what I see too often, the likelihood is that people will walk on by. We must retain the ability to use discretion and common sense.”
“As a Custody Sgt of five years experience I have seen the quality of investigations fall miserably. There is simply no incentive to spend time on a quality investigation when all they are judged on is points for arrests.”
“I’m sick and tired of the performance culture and having to justify to law abiding members of the public as to why they are getting a ticket. They are easy targets to achieve when what we should be doing is targeting the real criminals who are getting fat on the proceeds of crime and drugs. Doing that takes time and when you don’t have enough points from your tickets at the end of the month because you’ve been keeping surveillance on a real criminal, you are taken to task by your Sergeant and Inspector.”
“Targets and bureaucracy have added tremendous pressure. Rather than being allowed to be Police Officers that provide the visible, and reassuring presence that the public want, we are busy chasing detections that quite simply are not there in the pursuit of targets. This in turn leads to a poor quality of service for genuine victims of crime, or crime that is detectable.”
This level of despondency should worry all of us. Police officers, in my experience, are notable for the high level of enthusiasm they have for their work. They are clearly now becoming increasing embittered at not being allowed to get on with their work.In response to my question, Vernon Coaker said:
“The hon. Gentleman will know that police officer numbers are at historically high levels. He will also know of the measures that we are taking to reduce bureaucracy, not least the appointment of Jan Berry as the reducing bureaucracy champion. Furthermore, the hon. Gentleman will know of the confidence measures that we are taking to reduce the number of targets and to have a single force area target. No doubt all those measures will be welcomed in north Wales, as they have been across the rest of the country.”
If those measures do work, they will certainly be welcomed. However, if the Federation survey is anything to go by, they’re not working yet. At least, not in North Wales.
Posted in North Wales Police
Mr Dafydd Iwan, who is president of Plaid Cymru, takes a sideswipe at me over the “Police / Heddlu” issue in a letter published in today’s Western Mail.
He also quotes data produced by Mr Richard Brunstrom, which apparently indicates that:
while the number of police officers having no knowledge of Welsh at all had decreased over the past five years, the percentage of fluent Welsh speakers in the force had not increased, and was well below the percentage in the population at large.
On the basis of that information, Mr Iwan makes the astonishing assertion that “many well-qualified Welsh-speakers are still being refused entry into the police.”
If that were indeed the case, then it would amount to the most appalling and alarming example of linguistic discrimination in modern times. If Mr Iwan would care to provide me with chapter and verse showing that well-qualified Welsh speakers are being discriminated against by North Wales Police in the arbitrary manner alleged, I will happily take the issue up with the chairman of the Police Authority and the Home Secretary as a matter of urgency.
On the other hand, he may be jumping to unwarranted conclusions and making wholly unjustified allegations against North Wales Police and its recruitment procedures, in which case he will presumably write to the editor of the Western Mail apologising for his calumny.
Posted in North Wales Police, Plaid Cymru
Yesterday, Mr Richard Brunstrom, chief constable of North Wales Police, made a speech at a “Cymodi – Reconciliation” conference at Bangor University, organised to mark UNESCO’s international year of languages. In it, he made the assertion that in the past the police in North Wales were regarded by many Welsh speakers as “an English-speaking army of occupation”.
This is not the first time that Mr Brunstrom has made such a statement. It is, by any standards, a foolish and inflammatory one. It is also incorrect.
For many years in the 1970s and 1980s, I practised criminal law in the Bangor area. The police officers I encountered during that time were overwhelmingly Welsh-speaking. They discharged their duties, for the most part, with utter professionalism, impartiality and dedication to duty. I can only imagine how deeply offensive those officers must find the chief constable’s remarks.
Mr Brunstrom also said that he wants the word “Police” to be removed from his force’s patrol cars, and for only the Welsh word “Heddlu” to be used. In virtually the same breath, he blamed “xenophobia and the fear of the unknown” for being at the root of many crimes in North Wales.
North Wales is a bilingual area. Many people speak both languages with equal ease and quite unselfconsciously. They are entirely happy to do so. But how xenophobic would the English-speaking people of North Wales find it if their own language were to lose all recognition on the police vehicles patrolling their area? Would they start complaining about a “Welsh-speaking army of occupation”? What would that do for community relations? Has Mr Brunstrom even thought of that?
Both English and Welsh speakers should be accorded equal respect by the law and by those whose duty it is to maintain and uphold the law. Indeed, their right to equality of treatment is enshrined in the Welsh Language Act. It is therefore deeply disturbing that Mr Brunstrom should apparently seek to eliminate all traces of English from his force’s vehicles; implicit in such an action would be the suggestion that the English language is of lower status than Welsh.
Mr Brunstrom is, of course, an Englishman who has, to his credit, learned to speak Welsh. It may be, therefore, that he is simply displaying the zeal of the convert when he makes these pronouncements. He is, however, a man whose every statement is minutely examined by the press. He should be aware, therefore, of the controversy that statements such as these will stir up.
It may also be, of course, that he actually relishes the publicity, not to say notoriety, that he gains by causing controversy. Perhaps he does.
For my own part, all that I can say is that it will be a huge relief when my local police force is eventually led by an individual who is content to get on quietly with his job. I’m pretty sure many others feel exactly the same way.
Posted in North Wales Police, Richard Brunstrom
Was called this afternoon by a journalist looking for a comment. Devon and Cornwall Police have decided to buy bicycles for its officers, to cut down on the cost of fuelling its fleet of cars. The journo had approached the Welsh police forces to see if they intended to follow suit, but had been told that the “hilly topography” of the principality made the idea impracticable. What, he wanted to know, did I think?Well, I told him, I thought it was an excellent idea. Not only were bikes economical, they were good for the planet and good for the officers’ waistlines. Moreover, in urban areas, they could often prove a quicker means of transport than cars.
But there’s nothing new under the sun. When I was a boy, policemen often used to patrol on bikes, and I lived in a particularly hilly area of North Wales.
Even today, bikes are still routinely used by many other forces in the country. The City of London Police, for instance, has its own dedicated cycle squad, based at Bishopsgate police station. The team of cyclists is used for “high visibility patrol and to provide a fast response to calls”.
So if bikes work in London, there’s no reason why they shouldn’t work in Colwyn Bay. Goodness knows, we need high visibility policing, too.
And what’s more, bikes are much cheaper than horses.
PS Since posting the above, a friend has drawn my attention to this post in Clive Wolfendale’s blog. Well done, North Wales Police!
The officer went on to say:
“I am aware that there are sensitivities involved but some of these drivers should not be on the road.
“Families and friends should consider having a word with ‘Great Aunt Nellie’ and telling her that perhaps it is time to hand in her licence.”
Age Concern rightly point out that for an organisation that prides itself on its respect for diversity, North Wales Police’s attitude to older drivers is just a tad un-PC.
They are, of course, quite right. The simple fact is that ALL drivers who are a menace to others should be advised not to get behind the wheel. In fact, they shouldn’t be allowed to do so.
But to equate age with unfitness to drive is just plain wrong. Older drivers are likely to be more considerate and less likely to take stupid risks than young ones. Certainly, they may have health problems that interfere with their ability to drive, but so may younger people, and they are obliged to undergo periodic medical check-ups to prove their fitness.
Ageism appears to be the only form of discrimination that is tolerated these days. It just won’t do. Age Concern are entirely right to be upset and North Wales Police should, in all decency, say sorry to Great Aunt Nellie.
Posted in Age Concern, North Wales Police
I was delighted to welcome a delegation of North Wales Police Federation members to Parliament this afternoon. Five coachloads of police officers had travelled from North Wales to lobby parliamentarians over the government’s betrayal on police pay.
Over 22,000 serving officers marched past the House – a most impressive sight that will have dismayed Jacqui Smith. At last, Labour seem to have kept their promise to put more police on the streets.
Posted in Jacqui Smith, North Wales Police
I am very concerned indeed by this report on the BBC website that chief constable Richard Brunstrom tested the security of his own headquarters building, which is presently undergoing refurbishment, by scaling scaffolding and climbing in through a window.
According to the BBC:
“It is not known whether Mr Brunstrom was wearing any safety equipment as he climbed the scaffolding.
“It also remains unclear how many of the building’s four storeys he scaled.”
It seems to me, at first sight, that there may well have been a serious breach of health and safety legislation on the chief’s part. No doubt he will ensure that the appropriate enquiries are made.
He is entirely right. Over the last few days, I have received dozens of letters and e-mails from serving officers outraged by the decision not to backdate the recently-awarded 2.5 per cent pay increase. This will have the effect of keeping the settlement within the Treasury-imposed limit of 2 per cent for public sector pay reviews. It is a cynical, devious manoeuvre.
The police are now to be balloted by their Federation on whether they want the right to strike. This is an appalling state of affairs, at which we should never have arrived. It is wholly attributable to Jacqui Smith’s bungling incompetence, so amply demonstrated in so many other respects over the last few weeks.
I doubt she will remain in office much longer.
I am, frankly, surprised that the press continue to be surprised by Mr Brunstrom’s repeated calls for drugs to be legalised, given that they come round as regularly as Pancake Tuesday. However, come round they do, and one has to respond, especially since his proposals are so obviously wrong and manifestly unacceptable.
The big disappointment on this occasion, however, is the stance of the police authority, who not only agreed to put Mr Brunstrom’s report forward to the Home Office, but are also, bizarrely, considering affiliating to the pro-legalisation lobby group, Transform.
The authority quite clearly cannot stand up to their Chief Constable, who is apparently able to run rings around them. Their performance on this occasion is an excellent argument in favour of elected police commissioners, answerable to the public and able to set the policing agenda – and to be removed if they don’t deliver. This is a major plank of Conservative policy and it can’t be implemented a moment too soon.
To give the Home Office credit, Mr Brunstrom’s report is clearly destined for the shredder as soon as it is delivered, if this response by drugs minister Vernon Coaker is anything to go by.
Posted in North Wales Police, Richard Brunstrom
Whilst not agreeing wholly with the article’s analysis, I have to say that most of it is bang on; the armed forces have indeed been starved of resources in comparison to the police.
Particularly telling is Porter’s comment on the now notorious video of Chief Constable Brunstrom’s voluntary tasering (categorised unfathomably as “comedy” on YouTube). Porter writes:
“But it was the police uniforms that caught my eye. Under his supervision, the blue uniforms and white shirts of the past have been replaced by black, open-neck shirts in what he calls ‘hi-tech’ fibre, then surmounted with body armour, enormous belts carrying every possible gadget and silly looking baseball hats. His officers resemble Uruguayan riot police.”
Have to say I agree. Police uniform should assist the officer in commanding respect. The current “Village People” gear is faintly risible and does little to bolster the officer’s authority.
