Police detain phone smuggling cat

A criminal cat has been detained by police after it was caught attempting to smuggle mobile phones and chargers into a Russian prison.

With a cat’s natural athleticism and the agility needed to scale prison walls, picking an easily tuned feline seemed like an inspired choice to carry out the illegal operation.

The plot was foiled however, when prison officials spotted the items taped onto the black and white cat’s belly as it sat perched on top of a fence.

The prison service said the animal was detained on Friday at the prison near the city of Syktyvkar in the Komi province, around 600 miles north-east of Moscow.

‘They have foiled various attempts to smuggle banned objects into Prison Colony Number One before,’ said a spokesman for the regional prison service.

‘But in the case of the cat, the prison colony is at a loss: nothing like this has happened in the prison’s history.’

Despite being caught in the act, it’s likely this particular feline will avoid a lengthy spell behind bars!

Online Comments so far:-

I have heard of cat burglargies, but of cat's smugglings that a new one on me. I wonder who trained the cat to carry out this chore and how it knew to climb up that particular prison wall?

Still it all turned to be a CATastrophy. Paws for thought, just a whisker away from getting away with it!

Article Courtesy of Metro and www.policeoracle.com

Drummer Lee Rigby - A Fallen Valiant Soldier

Drummer Lee Rigby, 25, from the 2nd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Fusiliers

Our Prime Minister, The Rt. Hon. David Cameron, MP, speaking in Downing Street on Thursday morning,  said there was "absolutely no justification" for the callous execution of this young off-duty soldier on the streets of London, which is believed to have been carried out by Islamist extremists.

"What happened yesterday in Woolwich has sickened us all. On our televisions last night and in our newspapers this morning we have all seen images that are deeply shocking. The people who did this were trying to divide us. They should know something like this will only bring us together and make us stronger," he said.

US President Barack Obama condemned the "horrific" attack and promised to "stand resolute" with the UK in the face of terrorism.

In a statement, the President said: "I condemn in the strongest terms the appalling attack against a British service member in Woolwich on 22 May. The United States stands resolute with the United Kingdom, our ally and friend, against violent extremism and terror.

"There can be absolutely no justification for such acts, and our thoughts and prayers are with the family of the victim, the police and security services responding to this horrific act and the communities they serve, and the British people."

Police Separate Star Wars & Dr. Who Fans

Organisers call on the force to deal with the dark side of a sci-fi convention!

Police had to be called in to separate rival Star Wars and Dr Who fans at a sci-fi convention in Norwich.

Trouble flared at the fourth Norwich Sci-Fi and Film Convention at the University of East Anglia, organised by the Norwich Star Wars Club.

Police were called after members of the rival Norwich Sci-Fi club arrived to get autographs from two Doctor Who actors at the event.

More than a dozen sci-fi fans from both groups, including several in fancy dress, were involved in a bitter exchange outside the venue at the University of East Anglia.

Jim Poole, Treasurer of Norwich Sci Fi Club, was asked to leave as he approached Doctor Who actor Graham Cole for an autograph.

That provoked a tense stand-off between Mr Poole and the event organiser Richard Walker (63) who then took their dispute outside.

Mr Walker said the visiting club had been trying to undermine and embarrass the convention by posting comments on social media sites such as Facebook.

But Mr Poole said he had attended "in good faith" to collect autographs from two actors for a Doctor Who signature diary to be auctioned for charity.

After police were called by Mr Poole, he was asked to sit in the back of a police car while officers spoke to those involved.

A police spokesman added: "The two rival groups were spoken to and advised to keep out of each other's way."

Article courtesy of Ananova and www.policeoracle.com

Force makes new acquisition - days after showing off new Lamborghini

                                          Courtesy of   www.policeoracle.com

Trying to out-run Dubai police in a car chase just got even harder after they added a Ferrari to their expensive fleet.

The force’s latest sports car – believed to cost between £228,000 and £415,000 - comes hot on the heels of a Lamborghini Aventador, which was unveiled earlier this month.

‘Dubai is a unique city and everything in it should reflect its uniqueness and for that reason police will add a Ferrari sports car to its patrol fleet,’ said Dubai’s police chief Lieut Genl Dhahi Khalfan Tamim.

‘We have been pleasantly surprised by the reaction of people to the Lamborghini, so we said a Ferrari would be a good choice too,’ he told GulfBusiness.com.

The latest addition to the flashy squad was unveiled at the foot of the Burj Khalifa – the world’s tallest building.

The Ferrari FV boasts a V12 engine, which can reach top speeds of 208mph, and is capable of going from 0 to 60mph in just 3.7 seconds.

The Italian-made Ferrari has already been emblazoned with the police force’s distinctive green and white colours.

Police hope the sportscars will be a deterrent for owners of high-powered vehicles thinking of breaking the speed limit.

But the Ferrari may also be used by female police officers to patrol tourist hotspots.

Dubai police force’s fleet also includes a Chevrolet Camaro SS, a Dodge Charger and a BMW 5-Series.

FOOTNOTE COMMENTS:
Anonymous - Wed, 01 May 2013
I bet they do not pay £1.37 A LITRE to fill up their cars either!

Anonymous - Wed, 01 May 2013
Wait till Winsor gets his teeth into the Dubai force! They'll be back to camels!

Anonymous - Wed, 01 May 2013
& we are getting electric vehicles in my force in this age of austerity!

Anonymous - 13 hours ago
If its anything like where I worked, it'll be:
1. Inspectors toy!
2. Sergeants toy!

Police Body Worn Video Experiment

Article Courtesy of - Jasmin McDermott - www.PoliceOracle.com

A project exploring the operational benefits of Body Worn Video (BWV) in freeing up officer time and cutting bureaucracy could instigate changes to parts of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE).

Operation Hyperion is a year-long study assessing the effects and implications of the personal issue of BWV to 183 officers and PCSOs in Hampshire Constabulary up to inspector rank. One camera will be assigned to a specific officer or PCSO for the duration of the project, which will conclude in March 2014.

The project, which is the first of its kind in the country on this scale, will consider the impact BWV has on police complaints, its usefulness in the conclusion of certain crime incidents and implications on the wider criminal justice system.

Researchers from the University of Portsmouth’s Institute of Criminal Justice Studies will independently evaluate the pilot during the year, including how the issuing of the devices has been implemented by the Force and officers’ understanding of the equipment.
Insp Steve Goodier, who is leading the project on the Isle of Wight, believes the evidence, which will be presented to national agencies including the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) and the College of Policing, could facilitate a wide-ranging change in how statements are taken under PACE.

In an interview with PoliceOracle.com he said: “I strongly believe we could make some small changes to legislation that can have a big impact on officers.

“PACE (Police & Criminal Evidence Act) was written in 1984 at a time when BWV was not around. Under PACE the interview suspects outside of custody on a voluntary basis must be held contemporaneously with the interviewee, which includes a full question-and-answer session and this has to be recorded by the officer in a written format and then signed by the interviewee as a true and accurate record.

“According to the true letter of the law, BWV cannot be used to record the interview so even if officers are wearing it they still need to write the statement which is a laborious and time consuming process.

“We want to look at ways we can use BWV to capture first accounts from people and not take written statements. If we can do this it will free up a lot of time.

“We want to get the legislation changed so that BWV could replace the need for hand written statements from officers when it is likely that an early guilty plea would be entered at court or that the incident could be dealt with a caution or community resolution."

It is hoped the results from the project, which costs £47,500, will form a strong evidence base on the plethora of benefits the devices offer and prove they can contribute significantly to operational policing.

“We want to prove the use of BWV is a viable and cost-effective way of delivering modern policing,” Insp Goodier added.

“We can justify the cost of a camera very quickly in reducing bureaucracy and freeing up police time.”

www.PoliceOracle.com will be reporting on the results of the project when they are available next year and I will update this blog accordingly.

Compensation Claim PC 'Should Not Be Vilified' says Police Federation



The Chairman of the Police Federation of England and Wales has spoken out against the “vilification” of an officer who considered launching a compensation claim against a victim of crime after tripping over a kerb while responding to a burglary call.

In a statement, Steve Williams (pictured) said that the action – launched by Norfolk PC Kelly Jones – had “understandably caused widespread debate”. He also pointed out that it had impacted on the wider reputation of the Police Service, and that the staff association needed to examine how it provided advice to members.

The Chairman’s comments came as Norfolk Police and Crime Commissioner Stephen Bett said that the news of the claim – which relates to a call to a garage in Thetford – had “left him cold”. He said the officer had gone “a step too far” and urged her to immediately reverse her action.

"I will be seeking a full report into the circumstances from the chief constable and I expect to be having a conversation with the Norfolk Police Federation,” he added.

But Mr Williams stressed that officers were not compensated by their forces for injuries received on duty – and that the wider public needed to understand that they could lose money through reductions in pay and allowances.

Injury could also affect promotion prospects and opportunities for specialisation.

Mr Williams said: “Let me be clear – to vilify this female officer is wrong.

“She took legal advice as to how she could claim back some of her lost earnings as a result of the injury, and at this stage no formal proceedings have taken place.

“She has been supported by my own organisation, the Police Federation, who have agreed to fund her on a conditional fee basis should the matter progress.”

Mr Williams said that the Fed needed to look at “processes and structures” on how it provided advice, claiming that PC Jones had not been prepared for the “wider personal impact” that could arise from her making a compensation claim.

The Chairman added: “The Police Federation’s structure is being independently reviewed and no doubt how we continue to provide advice in the round for our members will be examined as a result of this unusual case.

“I must underline that our local Federation representative in Norfolk worked tirelessly under the spotlight of the national and local media, advising and assisting PC Jones in every way that he could. However, it will be clear to all that this very quickly became a national policing issue beyond the local remit.

“While PC Jones may be an easy target as she is one individual within a media storm, for me it is the Police Federation that needs to be mindful of the widespread public and member perception that has arisen out of this claim.”

But the Police and Crime Commissioner said that the action had led to public anger. Mr Bett said: "As the public representative for policing in Norfolk, I share the concerns of those who have questioned the actions of this officer

"I believe she should withdraw her legal action as soon as possible. In my mind, that would be the right thing to do and, judging from what people have been telling me, what the public would want to see.”

Article Courtesy of - Cliff Caswell - www.policeoracle.com

Wishing A Happy Easter to all my Family & Friends

God Bless You at Easter

May the message of Easter bring you hope and joy

Wishing You Happiness and Peace

and some warm sunshine too !!!!