Inline Woes
A red-faced Nigel has raised the issue of rollerblading in Greenwich Park:
"I have just walked back from Greenwich park after being told by the local plod, that Roller Blading was 'banned in the park'. I asked since when; he replied 'Since forever, we have been told that any offenders must be reported.' WOW!
He didn't report me as I believe he felt a bit stupid telling me, but that's it, all the kids, families who bought their shiny blades have nowhere to go. Unless you can suggest somewhere?"
The Phantom replies:
You know I've always had a sneaking desire to have a go at rollerblading. I haven't, of course, having a) no sense of balance b) no sense of co-ordination c) no level of personal fitness, but all the same it looks fun.
I can understand why they don't want people bombing around Greenwich Park (especially people like me - I really would be a danger to myself and others) but it does seem a shame that there isn't anywhere to play safely.
The Thames Path would be one option - though please - not the bit outside the Royal Naval College - I'm always being buffeted by cyclists who insist on ploughing their bikes through the people walking there when it's only five foot wide, and rollerblades would just make it worse. That really narrow bit's only about 100 metres long for heaven's sake - can't they just walk that little distance? The rest is fine - I cycle myself there - but that tiny path's crazy.
For the moment, I reckon that the Peninsula has wide enough paths and few enough people for you to be able to work up a bit of speed without too many problems.
I've always thought that that bit under the Woolwich Road Flyover could be adapted to make a skateboard park - though the fumes would, naturally, hasten an early death for the participants.
Any other suggestions?
"I have just walked back from Greenwich park after being told by the local plod, that Roller Blading was 'banned in the park'. I asked since when; he replied 'Since forever, we have been told that any offenders must be reported.' WOW!
He didn't report me as I believe he felt a bit stupid telling me, but that's it, all the kids, families who bought their shiny blades have nowhere to go. Unless you can suggest somewhere?"
The Phantom replies:
You know I've always had a sneaking desire to have a go at rollerblading. I haven't, of course, having a) no sense of balance b) no sense of co-ordination c) no level of personal fitness, but all the same it looks fun.
I can understand why they don't want people bombing around Greenwich Park (especially people like me - I really would be a danger to myself and others) but it does seem a shame that there isn't anywhere to play safely.
The Thames Path would be one option - though please - not the bit outside the Royal Naval College - I'm always being buffeted by cyclists who insist on ploughing their bikes through the people walking there when it's only five foot wide, and rollerblades would just make it worse. That really narrow bit's only about 100 metres long for heaven's sake - can't they just walk that little distance? The rest is fine - I cycle myself there - but that tiny path's crazy.
For the moment, I reckon that the Peninsula has wide enough paths and few enough people for you to be able to work up a bit of speed without too many problems.
I've always thought that that bit under the Woolwich Road Flyover could be adapted to make a skateboard park - though the fumes would, naturally, hasten an early death for the participants.
Any other suggestions?
Labels: Ask The Phantom, Sport Greenwich, Things to do
posted by The Greenwich Phantom at
08:52
43 Comments:
I had always felt that the presence of the police in the park was a good thing. They use to drive around slowly and unobtrusively on the paths and I felt that if there was trouble they would be close at hand.
In the past year they have clearly been given some sort of target for arrests or warnings and so have taken to bothering anyone who takes their fancy, regardless of whether or not they are actually causing anyone a problem. I am regularly in the park on a Saturday morning and have lost count of the number of people I have seen stopped, searched or otherwise harrassed by the park police, even on otherwise quiet winter days. This weekend I was sitting in the park with my sister when the poice car drove right across the grass towards us and slowed right down as they passed within ten feet of us, just so that they could check that we were doing no wrong. I am all for policing in the park, but is it really necessary for them to hound everybody in the hope that they will catch somebody?
Couldn't they borrow the runway at City Airport in between flights?
The change in the nature of policing maybe due to the abolition of the parks police and its incorporation into the Met. Having said that if they would like to drive slowly up and down my road checking for criminal behaviour 24/7 I wouldnt mind!
I have to say that when my dog ran in away in the park, by all accounts (I wasn't there - long story) the police were really helpful and even drove my mother-in-law home to see if the dog was there. But no rollerskating in the park? Why ever not? Sure it's no more dangerous to pedestrians than cyclists? Or dogs running about? Stupid greenwich with it's stupid rules! I think there are much worse things happening in greenwich than the odd rollerblader trying to keep fit?!
If they think people on rollerblades are a danger, what about police cars driving across the grass?
I've seen the police do this when the park is full of families thinking they can let their children roam freely and safely.
Why don't the park police use bikes instead of cars?
Surely parks should be full of people on bikes and rollerblades not cars!
I like seeing police on horseback in the park. They always just seem friendlier - they smile more - and could go just as fast if not faster than a car in these particular surroundings if they really had to.
It could just be, of course, that I'm a big old soppy Phantom and I like patting horses furry, velvety noses...
The Greenwich park police are always coming up with so called "new laws". I was told the other day that if your dog chases a squirrel (never mind catching it), it is an instant £1000 fine! (Squirrel harassment supposedly but they don't seem to mind culling them regularly). I was also once approached by the park police and told that my dog was not allowed in the pond. As long as I can remember dogs have jumped in the pond and everyone loves seeing it. When I asked this police person when this law came about, I was told forever too...she implied she new this because she had been policing the park for years. Interestingly enough I had never seen her before (as I pointed out) and never since.
Yes - soppy old Phantom likes seeing dogs jumping around in the lake too. I don't enjoy standing too close to them when they get out and shake themselves though. The swirly cloak gets all damp...
There's a lot of (over-zealous?) policing going on in Greenwich Park at the moment, to some extent because of an ongoing row between local cyclists and the park authorities. A cyclist was killed in the park by a motorist recently; the response of the park authorities has been to crack down on 'illegal' cycling (even though the cyclist who was killed was on a cycle route). They are doing their best to enforce the laws about cycling (you are only allowed to cycle on certain paths) but as yet have made no attempt to improve safety for cyclists on the shared roads by changing the road layouts or checking that motorists are obeying the speed limits. Perhaps they get bored in between looking for cyclists to berate, and have started picking on everyone else too. If you feel strongly about these issues, why not join the Friends of Greenwich Park and go to their AGM in May? http://www.friendsofgreenwichpark.org.uk/currentevents.html
Rules and regs for the Royal Parks are here, if you need to check your facts: http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si1997/19971639.htm
As far as I understand cycling is prohibited everywhere in the Park except the roads. In my view - and as a cyclist - I think this is a good thing. It keeps the footpaths safe for pedestrians. And I think much the same principle applies to rollerblading.
In terms of where one can rollerblade safely, I think TGP's suggestion of the Peninsula is probably the best - long, flat, wide, new-ish pavement everywhere...
I disagree with Franklin in as much as I feel there should be a little discretion exercised when it comes to cycling through the park - if I race through it at 30mph on a busy summer's day then yes as a cyclist I may pose a significant hazard. If I pootle through shortly before closing time on otherwise deserted paths I think I should be treated as little threat to public safety and as a vaguely responsible human being. However as has been proved time and time again the Police are either looking to fulfill their targets with otherwise law-abiding citizens or hanging around not doing their job!
I guess it's the grey areas between a busy summer day and a late winter evening that make discretion difficult.
By the same token, would it be OK to drive at 120mph on the M1 at 4am, when there's virtually no traffic?
Anyway, it's OK to cycle through the Park as long as we stick to the roads. I think we cyclists should be complaining about the lack of safety on those roads - viz., the cyclist that Deptford Dame mentioned who was tragically killed in the Park last year - rather than focusing on what might be overzealous enforcement of the rules.
Apropos cycle safety, I'd strongly back closure of the Park to all vehicular taffic and the conversion of the roads into giant cycle lanes.
I too think that some discretion should be exercised re cycling/rollerblading in the park. The place is meant to be for families. From personal experience, I can tell you that it can be quite difficult to keep up with a 4 year old on a bike by foot, yet he doesn't go fast enough to be a danger to anyone other than himself, and is not old enough to cycle on roads - which is where the not-so-friendly policeman in the park told me to take him. And I was pushing, not riding, my bike along the path next to him and was told I couldn't even do that!
I find that when running in the park, half-trained dogs on ridiculously long leads are far more of a hazard than roller-bladers or cyclists. Having been knocked down by big dogs twice, and having had to jump over/duck under leads on numerous occasions to avoid tripping or being garrotted, I think that cyclists, roller-bladers and dogs chasing squirrels instead of humans all pose far less of a risk.
Then again, the police do tend to go for easy targets, don't they? You never see them confronting a gang of teenage boys carrying cans of lager and accompanied by pit bull terriers called Rocky... so much easier to threaten to fine a 4-year-old for riding his bike on a path!
Cor what a swizz, where am I going to take my rollerblading dog or my bike riding cat I wonder?
The Circus? You'd make a fortune! ;-)
PS Nigel, we used to go blading on the Thames Path on the north side, turning left out of the tunnel towards Westferry,some pretty gnarly surface for skate dudes. No parkies or plodies to tell you off, although saying that it is an offence to not have your dog on a lead but your cats can run free apparently.
It's a shame about the 'no skates' policy - they could have issued the squirrels with them to get away from the dogs...
Yes, Franklin, I tried the circus but they didnt like the hours or life on the road, and busking on the tube is out because they dont like the "noisy" trains apparently.
Prima Donna's what can you do eh?
I thought the squirrils were going to be issued with little scooters?
Ahhh, that's always the problem with preposterously talented animals, B. My jet-skiing hamster just refuses to perform for friends and family - which - whatever you might have heard - is why I spent several years in Bedlam.
I often see a skateboarding dog (and its owner) in front of the Queens House on a Saturday morning and so far both the owner and the dog appear to have avoided arrest entirely. I'll be sure to warn them of their inevitable fate next time one of them rolls past.
Regulation 3, clause 9, sub-clauses (a) and (b) of The Royal Parks and Other Open Spaces Regulations 1997 (Statutory Instrument No. 1639) clearly excludes skateboarding dogs from regulation or control by persons using the Park.
The skateboarding dog is in the clear.
But you might want to give them a heads-up on the relevant statutory regulations next time you see them - just in case, you know.
Yours,
The Law Firm of Dewey, Cheetham and Howe
some points of information:
1. Rollerblading was outlawed in the main London Parks specifically in response to the death of a young man in Regents Park about 15 years ago, but surely the park is big enough for a space to be designated to allow this. BTW, on an unrelated matter, rollerbladers who think its cool to commute on the main highway are such complete pr--ks they want locking up.
2. The cyclist was killed on the main roadway through the park by an overtaking vehice. Nothing to do with cycle lanes. I personally would like to see through-driving cars banned from the park altogether.
3. Cycling is only permitted on the main road and on the route leading to the East Gate as I was reminded by the Community Blobby whom I had cycled over a small bit of grass to get to, to complain about the fact that a pratt in a white (is there any other kind?) had tried to run me off the road. This was the same Blobby who another occasion asked me what business I had taking photographs in the park??!!
4. Thames Foot Path. Cyclists now have a cycle path through the ONCR and only an idiot would take the river path for preference. Yes, cyclists (and I speak as one) can be their very own worst enemies at times.
And finally ... bit worrying to see that so many of us have had negative experiences with the police in the park.
How contrary! It seems popular in some parks and with some bobbies...but perhaps this is a bitout of date or far afield.
http://www.inlineonline.co.uk/past_news.htm
http://medicineagency.com/blog/archives/1952
Blackheathen -
Were you really asked what business you had taking photos in the Park??? That is the craziest thing I've ever heard - and probably amounts to harassment.
I hope you reported the pr*ck to his/her superiors and filed a complaint...
The published rules and regs seem a little out of date - rollerblading is definitely permitted in Hyde Park now. Not much help to GPark users short of blading out to North Greenwich and heading for Green Park stn. The folk on the underground get well stroppy if you wear skates in the stations though:-)
Perhaps a campaign for clear rules and regs to be displayed in the park and solicitation of GPark authorities to elicit some form of feedback from park users. It is nuts that kids can't learn to cycle in the park but I take the point that it should mostly be done on the wide road sections at the top of the park.
I think the owner is skateboarding, whilst 'gently' dragging the dog along ;-)
I'm late coming in to this discussion but am compelled to comment. I am a serving police officer (not in Parks though) any have years of beat duty experience.
Several of the comments here are made without any thought as to the practicalities of policing or dealing with the general public.
"In the past year they have clearly been given some sort of target for arrests or warnings and so have taken to bothering anyone who takes their fancy" THIS IS COMPLETE RUBBISH. Officers are not given targets for arrests or warnings. What you don't see is the story that leads up to police 'bothering' people. Police generally act on information recieved FROM MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC so those poor soles that get searched have 9 times out of 10 been pointed out by people like you! Also, police often see things that the general public don't observe ie: drug taking or carrying knives, etc.,
"Why don't the park police use bikes instead of cars?" Have you ever tried taking a prisoner on the back of bicylce? Do you know how much equipment we have to carry? Bikes are ok for the tiniest proportion of police work that you invariably have to call for a car or van anyway.
"The Greenwich park police are always coming up with so called "new laws". WRONG. Police do not make laws - we only enforce them. The park is Crown land and the regulations are made up by the owners and Parliament.
Several people mention discretion. Well, ladies and gents we (the police) are having our discretion eroded by, wait for it, the public! Yes, YOU. When we use discretion on one person and then have to take a different approach with someone else guess what happens? People complain that we don't have a consistent approach. I actually recieved an official complaint from a member of the public that i knocked too loudly on her front door. Now, don't get me wrong I wasn't kicking it in or anything of the sort but was knocking to let her know that her son had been arrested for theft. She complained and it HAD TO BE INVESTIGATED by our professional standards people. Please don't think that we get away with anything in 'the job' as we are under such close observation for all and any of our actions - on and off duty - that nobody I know (in the service - not force, tut tut) would ever do anything out of line. You think you live in a police state - try being a copper!
Finally, police moral is at an all time low. The average length of service for a PC 'on the beat' is less than 4 years. Officers are leaving at a rate of 3:1 and, contrary to popular belief, up to 30k for working early, late and night shift dealing with drunks, drug addicts, violence and idiots isn't a great deal of money. Yes, we knew what the job was when we joined but none of us reckoned on having to deal with the anti police brigade at every step of our patrol. You whinge, you whine but you never, ever praise. We do catch criminals, we do get serious injuries doing it but no one ever says "thank you" to a policeman.
Err, last paragraph should say "Police morale" not moral - I can speak for others morals!
ell said P&D. I am sure Greenwich Park would not be kept as nice for everyone without the park police. All the best kept parks in London have a police force attachment - this can not be a coincidence.
There is a certain indignation felt when as a generally law-abiding person one is stopped by the police. But the police are just doing the job of looking out for everyone who uses the park. An it is their duty to tell you if you are breaking the rules as much as the next person.
British police officers are far more accountable for their actions than those in many places on earth. Cut them some slack.
P&D-
While I'm sympathetic to much of what you have said, the aggressive tone in which you have framed some of your points highlights what a lot of people who have complained here about their interaction with the Parks Police are referring to.
Being a Police Officer (or any other civil servant) doesn't give you or anyone else the moral high ground. I think that you need to realise that many of these complaints - assuming that they are true and accurate reflections of peoples' experiences - are justified, and that policing in the Park has been - if only at times - unnecessarily heavy-handed of late.
For example, I don't think that it can ever be justified for a Parks Police officer to ask a member of the public "what business they have" taking pictures in the Park.
Instead of getting defensive about this, it would perhaps be more persuasive if you were to say, "Yeah, sometimes we get it wrong. We're doing our best and we're only human." Asserting that the Police are essentially always in the right is off-putting and, frankly, slightly alarming.
On the specific issue of the Parks Police using bikes instead of cars: I can't imagine that many arrests happen in the Park! Surely, for those (I assume very few) arrests that do take place, surely a quick radio call to the Parks Police HQ could dispatch a car to collect the offender? Moreover, Parks Police the world over use bikes - in Central Park in New York, for example, a much more dangerous Park than Greenwich Park. I really don't see any reason that the Greenwich Park Police shouldn't use bikes as well.
On a personal note, I have had quite a lot of interaction with the Met over the years (more than I would have liked), having witnessed several crimes, had four cars stolen and been burgled three times. Most of my own experience with the Police has been extremely positive - I have been impressed by the professionalism, courtesy, and on one specific occasion the real toughness of the officers I have dealt with. I always, always tell the officers I interact with how much I appreciate their work and what a good job I think they're doing, because I know how much that can mean to them.
As a result of my interactions with the police here and in a number of countries (for professional reasons, not because I'm particularly naughty), I sincerely believe that the British police - and the Met in particular - are the best in the world.
However, a minority of my experiences have been negative: taking hours to show up or not showing up at all to an active crime; failing to address reported crime hotspots; having to wait for several hours in the nick waiting room to report my stolen car because no one could be bothered to take my details. But you shouldn't take my (or anyone else's) expressing our discontent with some aspect of the Police's service as a judgment on your commitment or abilities. Instead, you should realise that sometimes people can have valid complaints, and if you can try to address those complaints rather than assuming that they are always unjustified, 99.9% of them will be easily resolved and we can all work together to continue to make Greenwich an ever-better place to live.
Finally - thanks for what you do.
hear hear Franklin - I was trying to come up with some words but yours sum my thoughts up perfectly.
Franklin
You have read into what I said what you want believe. It isn't aggression, it is frustration.
I take it you haven't, don't and won't be working for any police service either here or overseas as you again seem to think that we are arrogant. I'm not defending myself or anyone else as, quite frankly, i'm happy with the way I interact with the public and the way I conduct my duties. Thats confidence, not arrogance.
You wrote, "For example, I don't think that it can ever be justified for a Parks Police officer to ask a member of the public "what business they have" taking pictures in the Park."
Why not? Ever heard of hostile reconnaisance? London is a major terrorist target and will continue to be so. I'm not going to argue about the politics of the issue but officers are tasked with finding out who is filming what and why. Greenwich IS a major attraction to lots of people for lots of reasons. Don't think an atrocity can happen in Greenwich? Remember the Aldwych bomber? He made and transported the bomb from a flat in Lewisham less than a mile away. Remember Canary Wharf bombing? Woolwich Arsenal bombing? I shan't go into the times perverts have been caught photographing (slighly) women and/or children in public places. I've dealt with exactly that offence in Trafalgar Square. Should I not have asked him what he was up to we would never have known he was photographing women in skirts sitting on benches quite a distance away.
Of course people have valid complaints about most everything but more people are prepared to critise the police when we are doing our damn best to help. I'm afraid you use the stick too much and not enough carrot.
You wrote, "However, a minority of my experiences have been negative: taking hours to show up or not showing up at all to an active crime; failing to address reported crime hotspots; having to wait for several hours in the nick waiting room to report my stolen car because no one could be bothered to take my details."
Do you consider why police take hours to turn up? Have you asked? No, probably not. Just take a cheap shot and cite the same out complaint. Ever considered that for a city of 6 million (ish) that there are only ever about 5000 old bill on duty at any one time? Are you aware that for LBG the average core team strenght (ie. those that answer 999) is about 40 police officers. For the WHOLE of the borough. Don't shoot the messengers, speak to your MP's.
Having to wait in a nick for someone to 'not be bothered'. Don't make my blood boil. You see, you've done it again. A back handed insult to the officer or civilian attempting to make sense of the whole range of things that present themselves. Of course someone is 'bothered' they might just be 'busy'.
Now that is off my chest can I just say that officers and staff are fighting (litterally) an up hill struggle. You ask me and my colleagues to understand or accept our failings which I, for one, readily do. However, next time you have a bad experience with plod why don't YOU stand back and think, "Hang on a minute. Could I have handled that better?" The PC you were just speaking with might just be having a really tough shift.
Well P&D I sincerely hope I never encounter you if I need a policeman. The 'tone' of your post is quite hostile and you appear to under a great deal of stress. I stood once, watching a man break into a flat literally yards from the police station. I called the police on my mobile and spoke to the operator throughout the crime. The man eventually ran off with whatever he could grab. I was informed someone would call me back to take my statement. 3 years on I'm still waiting. Must have been one hell of a bad shift! In the 11 years I lived in Greenwich I've had call to call the police 15times. On only one occasion have I received any follow-up and that was a very positive experience. My neighbours are a little apathetic about police response time and only last week we witnessed a huge fight that had spilled out from a pub. When it was suggested someone should call the police it was decided there would be little or no point. P&D you can't trample over peoples experiences and perceptions by being alarmist, muttering dark warnings about terrorism...
Anon says, waving bright red flag at enraged bull...
P&D-
I think my comments were fair, balanced, and in fact highly complimentary of the Met. I was simply hoping that you might see that the complaints against the Park Police that have been aired here might have some grounds, and that they shouldn't simply be dismissed outright.
No, I haven't, don't and probably won't work for the police, but not because I think that the British police are arrogant (although they certainly are in some other countries), but because I quite simply couldn't do the job that you do. I've seriously considered becoming a Volunteer Police Officer - my wife's cousin is one, and he loves it - but I don't honestly think I could deal with the "drunks, drug addicts, violence and idiots" that you describe.
And yes, of course I've asked about why things go wrong, and invariably the reply relates to lack of resources. I have a number of friends who are serving and former police officers, and so am very much aware of the pressures and constraints you are all facing. And yes, these are issues that I raise with my local representatives at every opportunity.
(Just as a general point, it's not particularly productive to the discussion to assume the worst of the other contributors, including me. We're mostly nice and fair-minded folk.)
I think that it is important to bear in mind that all professionals who deal with the public on a daily basis - whether doctors, teachers, the police or local council employees - have bad days at work, largely caused by those same resource shortages. However, no one in any field should ever assume or assert that their actions or words are intrinsically unassailable because of their professional positions.
For example, my wife is a hospital doctor, and I can promise you that she takes a LOT more sh*t from the general public than most police officers do. But when she gets an unreasonable complaint from a patient or family member - no matter how unfounded - she never uses the fact that she thinks it's unreasonable as an excuse to dismiss those complaints or concerns. Neither does she blame 'the system' for what might be her (or her colleagues') responsibility. She carefully and fairly evaluates the complaint and, if there's anything in it, she takes the necessary corrective measures. That takes huge patience and humility, which I find extraordinarily admirable.
You might find that dealing with any complaints about the police in a similarly understanding way might actually be productive, rather than frustrating, for all concerned.
All
I'm going to bow out of this conversation now as I have said my piece. To Anon. I've lived in Greenwich all my life (40 years) and have called the police about 3 times (I think). I don't know who you mix with or where you live but it sounds aweful. I'd leave.
Franklin. Your comments don't fall on deaf ears and although peed off I will take your thoughts on board. Don't assume (anon) that being angry here translates to my working life. I'd rather vent my spleen here than at work.
Well, all done. I'm now off to do a 12 hour shift in central London. Hopefully both you, and I, will be safe in the morning.
Night, night.
Blimey. I turn my back for two seconds...
We've certainly had a Friday afternoon here, I can see. The weird thing is that you both seem to be saying much the same thing - just in different ways.
Stay safe P&D. And you too, Franklin.
Happy Friday night.
Yeah man,
May the "Force" be with You. (sorry I couldnt resist it)
Thanks Phantom! I'll be gardening all weekend, so barring any pitchfork debacles...
Good luck P&D, hope it's not too nasty out there.
And a good weekend all!
Parks police get stuck in:
On 23 April 2008, at New Scotland Yard, the Royal Parks OCU held a ceremony to recognise the good work of police officers and staff. Twenty-nine OCU Commander's Commendations were awarded.
Invited guests included Mr. Mark Camley, Chief Executive of The Royal Parks, and Colonel Patrick Tabor, MVO, Commander Household Cavalry, in recognition of the OCU's heavy involvement in ceremonial events.
Superintendent Derek Pollock, OCU Commander Royal Parks said:
"I have only recently been appointed and I was pleased to be able to invite back my predecessor, Superintendent Simon Ovens, to make the actual presentations. I am enormously privileged to have taken over a very successful OCU and I am immensely proud to be associated with the excellent work of all those recognised at today's ceremony."
The recipients of OCU Commander's Commendations were:
PC Robin Claydon (TW) and PC Daniel Holden for professionalism, determination and commitment in securing the arrest of two people for robbery.
PC Diane Butler, PC Sarah Rivers Simpson, PC Kiran Sangha and PCSO Lisa Nicholls for teamwork, persistence and determination in securing the arrest of five suspects for a violent robbery.
Special Constable James Beattie and Special Constable Florian Tarcea for outstanding dedication to duty as a Special Constable and for enthusiasm and professionalism.
PC Anna Tsangaropoulos for leadership and professionalism in securing the conviction of two men for sexual touching.
PC Semra Boratac, PC Mike Randall and PC Sarah Arnold for dedication to duty and professionalism in securing the conviction of two men for sexual touching.
PC Sara Glass for professionalism, dedication and exemplary interpersonal skills in dealing with an allegation of rape.
PC Dinesh Patel for excellent observation, sound judgement and professionalism leading to the arrest of a rape suspect.
PC Andrew Yerlett (RG) and PC Laura Williams for professionalism and excellent interpersonal skills in supporting a distressed and vulnerable victim of a serious sexual assault.
PC Paul Thomas for professionalism in aiding the search and arrest of two gang members in possession of a S1 firearm, a sword and bomb making equipment.
Inspector Scott McDonald for outstanding leadership in securing a conviction of a man for a linked series of thefts.
PC Carl Drake (not present) and PC Rebecca Shaw for excellent teamwork, thoroughness and professionalism in securing a conviction of a man for a linked series of thefts.
The wierd thing is this: My overall impression of "The Police" is a very positive one, and historically, whenever I have either requested the assistance of a police officer or even been pulled over by one for a minor speeding offence (sorry), I have always been dealt with fairly and courteously.
My gripe is that only once have I ever seen what I would refer to as serious anti-social behaviour in the park in the past 10 years and I spend literally weeks of every year there.
Why then, is it suddenly necessary for the police to harrass me and many other regular, considerate park users like me?
It's all very well for a police officer to complain about a lack of resources, but how is that on a Friday and Saturday night, you often see people causing trouble and there is almost never a police officer around and yet on a Saturday morning in Greenwich Park there are officers in a police car driving round constantly, bothering just about anyone they see fit? It just doesn't make sense! If resources really are so terribly tight, why waste time on Greenwich Park on a cold saturday morning?
I'm sorry, but I simply don't believe that the policing I am complaining about is the same as the sort of policing that led to the commendations listed above.
My apologies for a shameless plug (to the Phantom in particular, as I know that TGP's the only person likely to read this), but if any of the contributors to this very interesting discussion/debate would like to continue it, I have set up a "nephew blog" at
http://greenwich-provocateur.blogspot.com/
where I hope that we might be able to continue to discuss the overtly political local issues that get some of us all hot-and-bothered (or just hot, depending on your personal foibles of choice).
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