So you stop a 70 year old pensioner for not wearing a seatbelt

if you pay peanuts you get monkeys !!

there are more and more videos appearing on you tube of pi** poor coppers with scant knowledge of the laws they are ment to be enforcing

but at the same time go overboard on easy targets

they fall over themselves to give a ticket to a pensioner for not wearing a seat belt !! what’s the worst that can happen ?? kill himself ?? big deal he probably only has ten years left anyway !!

yet they weren’t over keen on interveening to stop rioting

my personal feelings are sack the whole lot from the bottom to the top and have a fresh start with people that actualy wish to deal with real crime

He wasn’t stationary for 17 minutes before this and he’d driven off in the process of which he struck a police officer with his car – guess because it’s not a 18yr old chav it’s ok.

This one we’ll have to agree to disagree on…

Yup… Agreed,

Bob, the fact he was stationary, puts the amount of aggression into context.

[QUOTE=TonyT;1853155]Just read it in today’s paper, it cost the police 20k

9,500 to repair his car
Paid his legal fees ans compensated him too
Plus police legal fees it has cost them 100,000k
They refused to go to court but paid up still not admitting liability,
Two police were cleared of any wrong doing and returned to services….n o wonder no one trusts them these days.

Tony, I think them paying up was an admission of guilt alone. It just goes to prove what I stated, they are far too heavy handed these days.

I rest my case, me Lud;)

Jim.

Lincoln .7

I guess when someone uses a two ton 4×4 to ‘evade’ police (and in the process knock a police officer down) you have to expect a slightly more robust approach other than “Hello, hello, hello, what ‘ave we ‘ere then?”…

The guy was driving a Range Rover, not a mobility scooter or a Toyota Yaris (although a Yaris can run someone over as easily).

I suspect the press and public are only getting the plaintives side of the story as Gwent Police have investigated the officers actions and settled out of court damages and will probably say no more on the matter.

If the old codger had driven through a load of schoolkids as he ‘sped’ along and failed to stop, would there be as many cries of police brutality? He wouldn’t stop during 17 minutes of being followed by police vehicles with lights and sirens on, and only stopped eventually when confronted with a stinger across the road.
Did he think they were escorting him home?

Sorry, if he fails to abide by the rule of the road (give way to emergency vehicles or stop when directed) maybe he should be relegated to a mobility scooter…

Just read it in today’s paper, it cost the police 20k

9,500 to repair his car
Paid his legal fees ans compensated him too
Plus police legal fees it has cost them 100,000k
They refused to go to court but paid up still not admitting liability,
Two police were cleared of any wrong doing and returned to services….n o wonder no one trusts them these days.

Bob. I agree entirely with the outcome of the case you posted, however, there is no comparison whatsoever between the two incidends as described. Perchance we may hear of the full true facts of the elderly RR driver at some later date.

I do however have to say that the Police have certainly changed since I was in the Force, far too brutal in their methods of dealing with even seemingly minor offences.
When I joined, an old timer told me the following bit of advice, “You can always start off nice, and then get nasty, but you can never start off nasty, then get nice.”

I think all new joining Officers should be told this little gem, it certainly worked for me,;) Violence in any way shape or form is a last resort only, whatever the circumstances.
Jim.

Lincoln .7

From South Wales Argus 2004 –

Driver in assault protest is guilty

A MAN who had accused a Gwent police officer of assaulting him after a query over an expired tax disc was yesterday convicted by magistrates of four charges.

Robert Clive Whatley, 64, of Four Ash Street, Usk, was found guilty of using a motor vehicle without insurance and no MoT, using insulting words and behaviour and failing to give his name and address to a constable when asked.

Whatley had pleaded not guilty to each of the offences but after appearing in the morning, he failed to attend Abergavenny magistrates court yesterday afternoon and the case was heard in his absence.

The court heard how PC Jonathan Ellis was on foot patrol in Four Ash Street on August 15 last year when he noticed a Peugeot 106 with an expired tax disc.

Michael Hammett, prosecuting, said that when it was pointed out that the tax disc had expired the defendant said that it had been stolen and he had reported it.

When asked to produce an MoT and insurance documents, Whatley refused and when asked for personal details he also refused and he used abusive language and gestures. The prosecutor said that Whatley had accused PC Ellis of assault. Mr Hammett said: “A complaint had been received, but the complaint has now been resolved.”

Earlier in the day, Mr Hammett had told magistrates that PC Ellis had been cleared during an internal inquiry of allegations of assault. PC Ellis said: “Mr Whatley said ‘Go and do something worthwhile’.” PC Ellis said that Whatley was negative and verbally abusive and made rude gestures to him.

He said that he did not feel he could have arrested Whatley, so on advice he reported him for the offences.

PC Ellis, who has been in the job for more than nine years, said: “I left the area and went back to Usk police station and the inspector informed me that a complaint had been made.”

PC Ellis told the court he did not in any way assault Whatley. Patricia Morgan, an emergency medical technician with the Welsh Ambulance Service, was called to the house after receiving a 999 call.

She said that Whatley told her he had not called for an ambulance and she said he refused any treatment in the ambulance or to accompany them to Abergavenny’s Nevill Hall Hospital, Abergavenny Janet McAllister, chairwoman of the magistrates, said that Whatley had been warned that if he failed to return the trial may be heard in his absence.

She said that they found him guilty of all offences. Sentence was adjourned.

Bob.

I have just realised it’s a WELSH recruiting advert, for their Force.

(Sorry, but I can’t bring myself to put any emoticon on this.!!)

Jim.

Lincoln .7

Actually this episode seems to ring a bell – I think it was on one of the copumentaries that seem to populate most TV channels.

IF it is the one I am thinking of (how many elderly men driving Range Rovers get stopped?) they tried to speak to the driver after initally stopping him regarding his failure to wear a seat belt, at some traffic lights as the driver had to stop due to traffic. One officer got out and went to either speak to the driver or remove the ignition keys. The driver resisted the officers attempts to immobilise the RR and he drove off as the lights changed to green, almost dragging one of the traffic cops between the vehicle and some central reservation railings. That probably amounted to assaulting a police officer and ramped up the police response and the pursuit that followed ended in the action that the press have lept on, as some sweet old OAP getting a hard time from the pigs!….

With regard to the officer who jumps on the bonnet. What I want to know is……

Where are his hi vis vest, safety boots, safety helmet and his harness to comply with the working at height regulations.

H+S would have a field day……………

Another thought where are his safety gloves in case of flying glass…

:diablo:

[QUOTE=BSG-75;1853076]Exactly! The bonnet jump may look excessive but the guy seemed to flout the law or at least be “unware” of it.

So what justification whatsoever is there for jumping up and down on the bonnet, it serves no purpose whatsoever exept making the person doing it look a disgrace to his Force.
Jim.
Lincoln .7

Moggy. Where do you get the 17 mls driving wrong way from?. I could see that prat of a so called Police Officer jumping up and down on the bonnet, through the so called illegal tinted windscreens, and the trees beyond.
Any car that has been stopped by the Police that is being filmed always has the number plate fazed out, common practice.
This was completely O.T.T. by the Welsh Police towards a 70 yrs old man, who possibly being confused and alarmed at being stopped, then drove away beliieving he had been dealt with, and was free to go.
I hope those idiots are suspended and a full investigation takes place.
At the very least the Ticket should be squashed.
Having served 30 yrs myself, I would be discusted if I had to work with men like these so called Police Officers.A verbal warning would have been all I would have given.If ALL the offence was just failing to wear a seat belt, for Christ sakes, he is 70 yrs of age, one day, the 3 Coppers may if they are lucky, reach that age.It would be nice to know what their mental state will be like then.Why the need to smash windows also?.
Jim.
Lincoln .7

Hmmmmmm

All very sensational type stuff, be interesting to know how the first “stop” went & what was said (by both sides) to provoke the fuzz going nuclear.

I guess if you drive a car with illegally tinted windows, an illegal number plate, neglect to wear a seatbelt and then drive for seventeen miles oblivious of the police cars behind you with blues and twos on who are flashing you to pull over you might expect a little more than a friendly

“Good evening sir. Is this your car?”

Moggy

Exactly! The bonnet jump may look excessive but the guy seemed to flout the law or at least be “unware” of it.

Whip out your own Emergency Glass Break Hammer And Seat Belt Cutter and the ‘job’ is yours!…

Ironic to see this the day before I go for my special constables assessment.

I would imagine there maybe more to this story, but who knows.

Does seem a lot of effort when all patrol cars carry the combi seatbelt cutter/window punch tool or fitting batons with the Window Punch End Caps – maybe smacking the crap out of the side glass makes for better ‘telly’?

The hoccifer who jumped on the bonnet tried to break the windscreen – or maybe he’s hoping to take part in the 100m hurdles, next copshop sports day?…

You would think the Police could be supplied with a better tool for smashing the side window with. Spring loaded centre punch does the job nicely.

As for jumping on the bonnet, not sure what that would acheive except a dented bonnet?

As Moggy said, more to this than just not wearing a seatbelt…..