One Man and his Plod

PlayStations banned in jails!!!!!

2008-07-25T19:44:00.003+01:00

Prison bosses fear games make inmates violent
Jail bosses ordered a tough new crackdown on prisoners last night ... by taking away their PlayStations.
It is feared many of the games are making inmates more violent.
Prison documents seen by the Mirror show all games consoles are to be confiscated.
And only those who have earned "top privileges" will be allowed limited access to them. There will be a complete ban on violent and shoot-em-up games rated 18.
Youth jails are also expected to be told to ban computer perks.
There was fury when Soham killer Ian Huntley, 33, was photographed with a PlayStation in May.
The Government also sparked anger last year when it admitted spending thousands of pounds on games consoles for prisoners to use in their cells. But Prison Service Instruction Number 32/2008 said the games culture in many jails must end.
It stated: "In the adult (18 and over) estate access is to be restricted to those prisoners on the enhanced level of the IEP (Incentives and Earned Privileges) scheme only. In addition, no 18-rated console games are to be permitted.
"No public funds must be used by establishments to purchase games consoles and equipment.
"Governors must ensure that action to implement these changes is completed by 30 September 2008." The PlayStation project - where games consoles were given to highly-dangerous prisoners - was at Long Lartin, Worcs, and White-moor, Cambs.
It was hoped the games would stop prisoners getting depressed because of the long hours spent in cells with nothing to do.
But a senior source said there were fears the consoles were making inmates more vicious.
The source said yesterday: "We want inmates involved in useful activities.
"Spending hours in front of a games console did not qualify."

Exclusive: PlayStations banned in jails - mirror.co.uk

Playstations dont make prisoners violent, they are already violent when they go into prison as we have already established that only the violent go into prison as they have no spaces. How about selling all the consoles that they have and use that money to pay for more guards or more beds. I thought the whole idea of prison was so that we took away their freedom and that they served hard time.
This hard time would then help them stop offending because they would want to go back to jail. I now hear that thousands are refusing early parole, thats because its too easy for them in there. This whole judicial system is a farce and unfortunately its the Police that always get blamed for the rise in crime or the fact that some NUTTER or RAPIST gets freed and attacks or kills someone because we havent been monitoring them.

Why have they got play stations or similar consoles anyway, what purpose does it serve, they cant learn anything from them how is it educating them or making them a better person less likely to commit crime????

Good Work Undone

2008-05-14T22:04:00.003+01:00

It was a set of response shifts covering days and evenings in the heart of the city during the summer, many arrests were made for various offences including some persons of great interest to the local police intelligence department. Every crime for every arrest for the team came out as a detection - e.g. cleared up either charged to court, cautioned or given a fixed penalty ticket.

What was said to those officers involved the following week???

'Well done, but on occasions you were seen without your ties and hats on!!!!'

My response - under my breath - 'Your Welcome'.

Traveller 1 - PC 0 - a tale for Dogberry??

2008-04-10T23:05:00.004+01:00

A family group of travellers took over an area in a town and told the local council officers attending, 'Well Sir, we'll be leavin in the mornin', two days later they were still there and the local community werent happy. The council served forms on them to move within three days and they still hadnt gone so after another couple of days with Police help they were moved on.
On the morning that the local inspector was to serve more papers it was arranged for a PC to film the group including the vehicles for intelligence and evidence.

The PC was given a new handheld digital video camera without any training I might add. They were to walk around the site and video all the caravans, vehicles, the set up and any damage caused to the locality. Having never been in this situation before and not wanting to look silly in front of colleagues he worked out how to switch it on, insert the tape and use the different modes without asking any questions. He took two colleagues with him and proceeded to the site just in case the travellers didnt like the tactic being used.

He exited the police vehicle alone switched on the camera opened up the side viewer and set it to record and pressed record. He saw the red light come on and proceeded, it was a sunny day so he couldnt see a picture in the side viewer but didnt think much of it as the red record light was on. Not knowing exactly what to do he identified himself, the location and time and date whilst walking around and covered every vehicle, caravan and anyone on the site most of which covered their faces.
After just over two minutes a young chubby lad with an Irish accent pointed at the officer with the camera saying "OFFICER WOULDNT IT BE BETTER WITH THE LENS CAP OFF".

The embarrassed officer took of the cap and suddenly the picture appeared on the side viewer, he carried on walking around leaving the chubby lad laughing. After another six minutes of taping he walked back to the police vehicle informing his colleagues, what a mistake that was.

The embarrassed officer is now known around the nick as Spielberk!!

Change - a good thing???

2008-03-23T22:20:00.005Z

I have been in one force or another for about a decade, working in large urban areas to small villages and towns. I have worked alone and as part of small units and large teams from undercover auto crime to shoplifting squads, beat bobby to response car.

I have seen a lot of change in such a short time, some of it for good some of it for bad. At the end of the day I am a police officer and am employed to catch criminals, to protect the community and keep the Queens peace.

It is becoming harder and harder for the criminality that we arrest to get a custodial sentence and this is due to many factors -

Home Office

Prison Service

Probation

CPS - both at court and as part of the Direct Service.

Police

Social Services

Education

Human Rights Act

'People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones' - I don't know who first said this but I agree with what it stands for. All of the above factors except the Human Rights Act need to look at this and need to get their houses in order before blaming each other for society's problems and that includes us, our dreaded red tape and force procedures that just complicates and adds to our workload which is usually unnecessary.

Well the prisons are full, our force will be housing some Home Office prisoners soon so I will benefit by working extra shifts as a custody officer. But this also means shorter custodial sentences for criminals and lots of early release programs coming online. Meaning more work for us and the crime rate going up. At the end of the day we know that if a prolific criminal goes down we see a drop in similar crimes being committed. Its a simple equation - scumbag goes to jail = cant commit crime = safer place to live for the public.
Sorry common sense is not used by our criminal justice system.

Miscarriage

2008-03-04T19:02:00.003Z

This post is written about the weeks surrounding the eve of mothers day 2008 and I thought last year was bad One Man and his Plod: Worst Weekend of my Police Career to date.

This year was a more personal time where it wasn't work related and hurts even more physically and emotionally. My partner and I are trying for a baby and in January we hit the jackpot finally and she became pregnant, I was overjoyed and couldn't wait to tell everyone but I kept quiet for a while. The last week in February I started to tell friends and family as she was starting to show and I had to start planning holidays, getting overtime to allow for a healthy bank balance when my partner was to take 9months off.
This is when it all started to go wrong, my partner started to get slight pains in her stomach area and started to spot bleed. We looked this up on-line and it is common for women when pregnant to bleed slightly, some minor discharge. It slowly became heavier over the days and we became concerned so went to the doctor, they backed up what we had found on-line but still booked us in for a scan. It was early but they should be able to see something on the scanner.
My partner started to become very worried and upset thinking that she was going to miscarry as two of her friends at work at the same stage as her had only just miscarried. The wait at the clinic didn't help with 4 out of the 5 women in front of us coming out of one room crying and being ushered down the corridor to another room, with only the 5th one coming out smiling with a letter and copies of the ultrasound.
The scan started and all the nurse could find was a black blob which wasn't encouraging, but she then proceeded to use an internal version and again no sign of life just a blob. We tried to work out how many weeks we were pregnant and why there wasn't any sign. The nurse said it could be just too early or our worst fear a miscarriage.

We booked in for another scan for two weeks time and went home very upset, even more so than before as we were left with no answer at all. Either yes or no would have been helpful but to have to wait for two weeks not knowing was unbearable. The bleeding became worse that night but we were told that might happen after an internal examination.
Two days later I had just finished a night shift on the Saturday morning and my partner had gone into town with her mother shopping, I was woken by my partner ringing me and crying down the phone stating she was now heavily bleeding and in pain wanting the on call doctors number. I asked if it was that bad would A&E be better. About two hours later the front door opened and my partner fell onto the floor doubled over crying and obviously in pain. I didn't know what to do, I helped her up and took her upstairs, I could see blood, I was shocked, this was my partner not some drunk on a Saturday night.
I called for the doctor but they were unavailable, when I called back they had just got back into the clinic and would ring me back.
I finally got the call and he advised me to give her some strong painkillers and that they weren't free to come out to us. I explained the situation again to him and the call ended with him stating he would call the Hospital.
About five minutes later he called back stating that A&E would be expecting us including someone from the gynaecology dept.
I rushed my partner up to the hospital and booked her in, the pains had become worse and the bleeding uncontrollable. She went to the toilet a few more times before being examined. The examination revealed blood clots and more followed large ones at that. My partner was in trouble but was in the best place possible, I felt like a spare part, all I could do was stand there as useful as a chocolate teapot. I held her hand when I could stayed out of the way when the nurse and doctor took turns to take blood pressure, blood samples and observe what was happening when she had painful cramps followed by ejecting large amounts of blood matter.
It was definite, a miscarriage, my partner was crying as the doctor explained that an operation was needed to stem the flow and to make sure there wasn't any other internal problems. I went to the ward with her, not understanding how this could have happened. What started this, how did it start, why did it happen.
My partner was blaming herself for losing our baby, I tried to make her feel better, to reassure her that it could have been anything, it wasn't her fault and that it just wasn't meant to be. We were now on a ward and it was 11pm, and the staff got her ready for the operation. I left as they said they were ready to take her to theatre.
I thought about my partner all the way home and it took a while to get to sleep. I woke the next morning to my partner ringing me to come and collect her. I arrived to the ward I found my partner tired looking. She explained that when she got back from the operation she woken every hour by the staff taking her blood pressure and if it wasn't them there were two old females on the ward one of which sounded like she was sucking through a straw the other snoring or shouting out VERA VERA all night so she was shattered. I didn't want to tell her that I was also tired as I might have received a kick or punch to the family jewels.
We got home an hour later and now the grieving period starts. This has got to be the toughest period in our relationship and something we will get through.

I have learnt that 1 in 3 pregnancies don't work out but that we can try again soon. I hope next time will work out but know that there is a chance it again may fail. I don't want to see her go through that again it was heartbreaking. I cannot do anything, I just have to be there for her that is the main thing I have gained from this experience.

Here are some links for advice if you have to go through what we have

The Miscarriage Association

Understanding miscarriage - BabyCenter

Miscarriage - causes, symptoms and pregnancy problems

Named and Shamed

2008-02-27T10:48:00.007Z

Footballers are probably the most seen persons on our papers and televisions on and off the pitch and it makes me sick the money that they earn. But saying that if I could play well and could earn £100-000 a week I wouldnt complain.

Take Mr GALLAS here, the Arsenal captain, what a display he made in the match against Birmingham throwing his teddies out of his highchair when the penalty went in.

Mr Ashley COLE making himself a great advert for marriage, what a role model.

Mr Wes BROWN, whinging about being offered £40-000 a week saying its not enough and threatening to leave, go on then fella leave your not worth that much anyway.

I have seen footballers fighting on the pitch and thats from the same team, diving and faking injuries to cheat and get themselves a penalty or to get another player booked. They are now heading towards the hated of Estate Agents, Solicitors, Clampers and MPs.

And dont get me started on MPs, giving us a poultry 1.9% pay rise and being allowed to vote their own pay rise!!! I hope they have to tell the public exactly what they spend our money on, their 2nd and 3rd houses, their staff (lazy Family members) and other things e.g. £4-000 on taxis!!! Some of these MPs should be arrested for fraud and investigated thoroughly not just let off when they resign.

Police Charity - Regies long way down!!!

2008-02-14T21:17:00.002Z

Who am I? A question I ask most mornings, at least until I have managed to get the first gallon of fully leaded coffee down my neck!
I am Regie, a just slightly past 21 year old bloke (well sort of 39 soon to be 40!) I am a Police Sergeant working in the South West of the UK who has decided that he wanted a challenge, something difficult but achievable. A year ago I started to get back into my cycling, (the lure of the Lycra called - my wife has not yet finished laughing!) I decided to tie my hobby in with my challenge and the idea of a ‘Jogle’ was formed. For the uninformed a ‘Jogle’ is a trip from John O’Groats to Lands end, going the other way is known a ‘Lejog’.
The majority of people tend to go South to North but I prefer going downhill towards home! A small cycle of around a thousand miles to be completed in about two weeks. It would be rude to put myself through this ‘little’ challenge without someone benefitting so I have decided on three charities which are close to me, and I hope will strike a chord with you and persuade you to contribute something.
Regies 2008 Jogle

Looks a cracking idea - so I thought I would post it on my blog, good on you Sarge.

A year on Blogger

2008-02-09T23:34:00.000Z

I have now been reading and using the blogger site for a year and what a year it has been. We now know the true identity of PC Copperfield who now works in Canada and my knowledge of him came when I logged on to read a story which he posted about a gypsy liaison course between two members of a force which everyone was talking about and which he had to close due to the amount of comments the like I havent seen since. Some of them were to the point, some funny and some just a rant all of which made great reading and got barred from our work web site!!

I have since bought two books from fellow bloggers DC and BLOGGS both of which I have read a couple of times and both make me laugh and both nod and shake my head having been in a similar incident.

Some of you I have spoken with via my email and from this have posted some topics to try and help your causes, I hope this has helped in some small way.

Its been a tough year and my thoughts are with those fellow officers who we have lost and those who have been injured, on and off duty.

I dont know about anyone else but my workplace has been ever changing with ACPO trying to come in line with the Home Office wants and needs, forcing us little ones on the frontline to bend to their everchanging whim. We have had and are still in a pay dispute and now a big debate which can only get worse over Sharia Law, started by our Archbishop Rowan Williams.
Whatever his point was it doesnt seem to have come out quite right and I fear a backlash of sorts firstly from the media. Its a difficult topic to bring into our little country, a mostly Christian country.

My thoughts are - this is the UK we have our own laws and that of the european court to deal with. When abroad you come under that countrys laws, they will not deal with you under any other laws and nor should they, unless it is in breach of agreements such as Genenva Convention. In some countries you lose your hand for theft, you are put to death for murder and rape but you dont in this country of ours not that I dont wish for that in certain cases.

What will this year bring............

Fix My Street!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2008-01-22T20:18:00.000Z

I have received this email recently and looking at the attached links it looks a rather good project, a charity run national service which helps make our communities look better and become safer. It points out problems to the local council/authority and puts the onus on them to fix the problem with a paper trail.

Have a look at the links and let me know what you think -

'Hi there.
I'm writing to see if you'd like to give a mention to FixMyStreet.com on bigfellainblue.blogspot.com.
FixMyStreet is a national service, run by the charity mySociety.org, whereby anyone can report a problem to their local council by sticking a pin in a map and describing the problem, be it fly-tipping, graffiti, a pot-hole, a dangerous wall, or whatever.
Recently, an interesting and unexpected use has turned up -- police officers have filed reports on the site where previously they might just have made a phone call or sent a letter to the council in question. See for example:
http://www.fixmystreet.com/?id=12225
http://www.fixmystreet.com/?id=12227
The interesting part is that the reports are visible and searchable by the general public. If the council do their job promptly, favourable comments can be left on the public site. And if they don't, there's no question about whether the information was ever passed on to them'.

Honour those that have fallen and be proud of those that still stand.

2008-01-12T22:07:00.000Z

Good New Year So Far...

2008-01-06T05:43:00.000Z

Want to be a Dog Handler??

310107 - PC Katie Johnson a Police Dog Handler was shot whilst attending a robbery at a Public House in Bamber Bridge near Preston Lancashire. PC Johnson was taken to hospital with gun shot wound to her leg.

030108 - PC Neil Sampson A Police Dog Handler in Swindon Wiltshire and another Police officer were stabbed whilst attending an incident. The Police dog Anya was also stabbed but is not in a serious condition. Both officers were taken to hospital with the dog handler being stabbed in the head and leg, but injuries although serious not thought to be life threatening.

PC stabbed in Sussex whilst attending a Domestic Incident in Bognor Regis on 030108 was stabbed by a male weilding two knives. The injury is not serious luckily!!

ONLY WORTH 1.9% PAY RISE ARE THEY????

I hope the home office ministers choke on their high pay rise as the only danger and difficulty they get into is which wine to have with the steak and fish served to them in the safe Houses of Parliament that we the poorly paid police officers protect.

Be safe out there everyone, wear your PPE at all times, dont try to be a hero...........

The Xmas Files

2008-01-02T19:06:00.000Z

Christmas Eve was a joy to work, we had enough staff to deal with the nights events and all the pubs and clubs had either shut at midnight or hadn't even opened at all. Obviously SMT (senior management team) had brought on extra troops to work as it was a Monday evening and the usual staffing after 11pm was a sergeant and 4PCs maximum.
I was on a bus with a sergeant and five and due to the lack of calls we amused ourselves by reading the Christmas edition of VIZ. The two WPCs on the van voiced the Fat Slags and I added Johnny Fart Pants with Sid the Sexist and Roger Mellie being voiced by others on the bus.
I hadn't really worked with alongside of these officers before but soon relaxed on finding my company as juvenile as I am when bored. I cried with laughter at some of the renditions and the night went swimmingly with none of us having to arrest anyone, words of advice adding 'Santa wont come and empty his sack if you've been a naughty boy/girl were enough.'

New Years was a different matter, everywhere was open and my buddy and I spent the whole night on foot in the main centre watching the hi jinks. The place was heaving with once a year drinkers, large groups and the local feral kids playing up to the crowd.
There was a lot of people dressed up including a large lady dressed as super girl, Ive never seen the 'S' stretched so much. The night started off well with only a few arrests for sec5 public order and being drunk and disorderly but the two nearest custody suite were already full in the neighbouring divisions by 10pm. At midnight a shout came out from a residential area of disorder, I heard the unit arrive as they called up on the radio but it wasn't long before an assistance shout came over the air.
The lads that went I have never really heard call for assistance so I sped to their location to find them and another unit fighting with a very strong drunk nutter. He had been Parva sprayed twice and was still fighting but they had finally been subdued on the ground after some well placed knee strikes and arm locks. His accomplice was being held back by members of the public and was screaming and shouting abuse at my colleagues. Advice was given three times but on the third she shouted "Get f&%d you c&%t ", to which I took offence as she didn't even know me!!
She was bundled into an awaiting van and by the time we got to custody and finally booked her in after a one and a half hour wait, she had sobered up and calmed right down. She was unknown to the police and within an hour I had processed her, given her a fixed penalty ticket and taken her home. (Not to my home).

We were back out on patrol and came across an ambulance treating a male laid in the gutter, we hadn't been called but I always check with the paramedics on the street on passing them. They needed our help as they had been called to a large built male with a broken leg, with my great observation skills I asked "Whats going on here them", to which the male laying on the floor stated "Ive F%$kin broken me leg", to which he grunted and took a breath of 'gas and air' from a bottle to his side via a hose and mouth piece. I then observed that his right leg looked shorter than the right and a piece of bone had pierced the flesh just above the knee.
I then noticed smashed roof tiles around him and asked him what had happened to which he replied he had just tripped over the kerb outside his house.
I couldn't get a lot more out of him so I just followed directions given to me by the paramedics and we first bagged his bad leg and lifted him onto a stretcher. Being a big fella myself I took the top end and it took all my strength to lift him up as he screamed in pain and gripped onto my shoulders.
Once in the ambulance I gained his details and then used my torch to check the roof, it was then I noticed that there were missing roof tiles just above the guttering next to a drainpipe which was about 6feet away from a window that was slightly ajar.
Putting two and two together I guessed that 'Spiderman' had scaled the wall after not gaining entry to his house via the front door and had lost his super powers falling from the roof breaking his leg in the fall.

If it wasn't his house and he was a burglar then he got his just desserts, but if he was a resident it was a great way to start the new year. I did some research with the hospital and our records and it was his house. The beer goggles had obviously given him super powers similar to the recently aired TV advert whereby a superhero climbing a building falls to his death.

The night ended with the usual domestics, drink drivers and parties gone wrong and I finished 2hours late, one of my colleagues had received a black eye and we had just managed to keep the streets safe and leaving the custody suite almost full.

Happy New Year everyone........

MERRY CHRISTMAS

2007-12-20T14:58:00.000Z

I would just like to say Merry Crimbo to everyone, hope you all have a good one, keep safe and see you in the New Year.

Im working nights xmas eve and new years eve this year which will be fun!!!!!

Big Fella

The Cheek of It

2007-12-15T20:55:00.000Z

'The colossal cheek of it! The police, who always seem to be breaking the law, now want a legal right to break the law.
Coppers are to hold a national ballot on whether they should have the right to strike, a privilege denied them by the 1996 Police Act.
But they have already broken that law... and got away with it. Armed policemen downed guns when there was a threat to discipline officers who shot dead a man in possession of a chair leg.
By my definition, that is withdrawal of labour and therefore a strike. The police don't need a right to strike. The simple threat of it gets them what they want.
And what a lot they get! Handsome salaries, help with housing, oodles of overtime, generous sick leave, retirement on gold-plated pensions 10 years before everybody else and complete freedom to shoot innocent Brazilian electricians. '
Paul Routledge - Daily Mirror 141207 http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/topstories/2007/12/14/cops-need-to-find-their-true-station-89520-20248592/

Mr Routledge should investigate his story more as he is WRONG WRONG WRONG.

I dont get housing allowance, I dont get overtime, I pay 11% of my pay each month for my GOLDEN pension, I pay into Flint House and federation and life cover PMAS for my sick leave.

Yes we now start on 21000 but I started on 17000 and our PCSOs start at above that and do a tenth of what we do.

Mr Routledge stop hiding behind your PC and come and work the street for a week with a frontline response unit anywhere in the UK and see if your views differ to those you just threw onto your column without obviously researching your topic.

PAY RISE

2007-12-14T17:40:00.000Z

1.9%
pay rise what an achievement and thats not backdated, so with petrol going up by 6% along with everything else way above our pay rise, all I have to say is Merry Christmas and I hope we get to choose the next pay rise for our MPs sat safely at home and NOT fighting drunks at 2am or dealing with rape victims etc etc. If our armed MET police chuck in their tickets who will protect you and your cabinet of MPs - Mr Brown???

THANKS FOR NOTHING GLAD I TURNED UP FOR WORK

BIG FELLA

Kingstown Kops - Part 2

2007-11-29T20:32:00.000Z

Sam was woken by being headbutted by a small furry critter, his cat Mouse. Mouse had jumped onto his chest and then rubbed noses with Sam but as Sam opened his eyes fully all he was greeted to was a close up of Mouses 'Tea Towel Holder'.
'Morning Mouse, I suppose you want feeding?'
Mouse jumped off and Sam walked downstairs, putting the kettle on and then fed Mouse, who was very appreciative as if he hadn't been fed before, ever.
Sam arrived at work as usual at 0645hrs, collecting all his gear he would need for the day, and then went to the morning briefing at 0700hrs.
The briefing was the usual surprise, no troops, just a sergeant and four PCs instead of what the duty roster showed of eight PCs.
Even though they were on the rota, one was on a driving course, one on an operation, one on paternity and one sick through injury. In the station being sick meant you were either sick, lame, or lazy. If you were fit enough to come back to work but not to go out on duty you were nominated 'Station Cat'.
Being the 'Station Cat' meant you made all the tea, cleared up the parade room, put up photos, maps and other information on the intelligence board and nice little graphs of crime figures on the walls. This was just in case any of the SMT (Senior Management Team) came to the Nick to show them that the front line officers had an interest in statistics!! You also answer the telephone in the parade room, help at the enquiry office, take statements and be a general dogsbody.

The night shift were furtively completing paperwork for the arrests and jobs that had been attended during their shift as Sam entered the parade room asking for a set of keys for a response car.
His two way radio then sounded 'Burglary in progress, Kingstown, Port street unit 14, 1216 are you free to attend?'
'Sierra Victor from 1216 I'm en route can you get me back up and is there a dog on duty?' Sam asked.

'Sierra Victor' is the call sign used by the operators in the communications room located at Wessex Constabulary Headquarters, with Kingstown being the Southern division's main metropolis and divisional headquarters. Officers at Kingstown use 'Sierra Kilo' as part of their call sign to denote that they are working from that station.
Kingstown is on the coast and contains a small port with an industrial estate surrounding it, further into Kingstown is a busy shopping mall contained within the town centre and the most northerly point is the main commercial estate. The residential areas form a horse shoe around the town centre with the arc at top leading to that commercial estate. The main A road comes into the town from the north and forms a ring road around the town before ending in the port.
The Kingstown Police Station or 'Nick' as it is referred to is nestled within the arc of the residential estate accessed by the A road. Kingstown Nick serves not only the population within the town itself but numerous villages nearby.

Sam grabbed his kit and jumped into one of the main response cars a Ford Focus Estate which has a two litre sixteen valve petrol engine. He turned the ignition and as it started into life his Sergeant Simon De'Ath jumped in the passenger seat beside him.
Sam screamed out of the nick with the blues lights flashing and the two tone sirens wailing turning right onto the main A road heading south to the ring road.
Sgt De'Ath used his radio 'Sierra Victor from Sierra Kilo One Zero can you show me in company with Sierra Kilo One Two One Six en route to the burglary Port Street.'
'Roger One Zero, the dog is en route from Sierra Victor area travelling time twenty to thirty minutes I will ask them to contact you direct', replied the communications operator.

Sgt De'ath then asked for his two other response trained officers to float about the immediate area around Port street and that they would go straight to unit 14.

Sam was now on the ring road a dual carriage way with a forty mile an hour speed limit within sight of the industrial estate. The speed camera flashed as he hurtled passing it at seventy miles an hour. The roads were empty due to the fact it was a Sunday morning.
'Sierra Victor from Sierra Kilo One Zero, camera activation Kingstown Bypass driver One Two One Six vehicle number Forty Two', Simon chirped through his radio. He then said to Sam with a smile on his face,'That was a bit slow Sam the station record is eighty six.'
Sam replied with a cheeky smile, 'Sarge we are only supposed to go thirty over the limit according to the new force policy.'
'Bollocks', replied his smiling Sergeant, 'You drive as fast as is safe enough to do so according to the traffic flow, weather and road conditions, put your foot down hows that for driver training school talk?'

Sam turned off his siren as he entered the industrial estate, but left the blues on to try a quiet approach and arrived at the warehouse. As Sam jumped out he could smell the clutch and the brakes from the two year old Focus burning and could hear the alarm sounding from outside the warehouse.
'Sierra Victor from One Two One Six status six as is One Zero', Sam stated on the radio, 'All received awaiting your update, One Two One Six.'
The radio then sounded again, ,One Two One Six from Sierra Delta Two One I will be with you in ten minutes.'
Status six meant that they had arrived at the scene and the 'Sierra Delta' call sign was the Police Dog unit coming to join them.

'Sam, go to the side I will watch the doors, is that transit warm?', Simon asked as he pointed at the white Ford Transit parked in the loading bay.
Sam approached it with caution placing his hand on the bonnet, it was hot, and looking through the windscreen, there was no one he could see in the front seats.
Sam scrawled the registration down in the rear of his pocket note book, with the time next to it so that he could complete his entry later on. This should have gone into the front of his book but he hadn't had a chance to start it being sent straight out and he hadn't completed it from yesterday.
Sam stood on the corner of unit 14 so that he could see the side fire exits and his sergeant at the front door. There were only two sides to this unit as it had other units to the other side and to the rear.

'Sarge, the Transits warm, Ive got sight of the fire exit its slightly ajar', Sam quietly said on the radio.
'Sierra Victor from One Zero, forced entry has been made via the front door believe offenders still on site, awaiting dog unit before entry.'
'One Zero from Sierra Victor noted.'
The dog unit piped up, 'One Zero from Delta Two One, will be there in six minutes try and keep containment.'

The dog unit arrived, it was a male officer Sam didn't recognise, with one of the biggest, hairiest German Shepherd dogs he had ever seen, being let out of the cage at the rear of the dog units van.
He then saw the 'Land Shark' let off of its lead and sent into the building.
Suddenly, there was lots of barking followed by shouting and screaming. 'Come on' Sam thought to himself, 'Hope that hurt.'

The sarge came onto the radio 'Sierra Victor from One Zero, one male arrested for burglary, we are continuing the search of the building. Can we have a unit for prisoner escort please?'
Before the communications operator could respond a second response car turned up at scene and informed Sierra Victor of their call sign and location.
Just as they did Sam could hear panting coming from the other side of the fire exit door. He backed away about ten yards and stood still facing the door, then a brown wet nose on the end of that very large German Shepherd, poked out from inside the building.
The dog came outside and started barking at Sam who didn't make a move.
He had been told on previous operations involving these land sharks that they do not recognise a police uniform from Adam and will bite anything that moves.
The dog handler appeared and shouted, 'Drake sit.' Drake sat down as instructed, whined, and continued to pant staring at Sam. Sam looked at the handler 'How did he do?'
The handler replied 'Good job, the bloke tried running but Drake gave him a little nip and he soon went to ground. That was the screaming you might have heard.'

Sam smiled, 'Anyone we know?'
The dog handler replied, 'I don't know him he had a balaclava and gloves on but your sergeant knew who he was just from a tattoo on his neck as he removed the balaclava.'
Sam asked, 'Why what was it?'
The dog handler replied, 'It said 'Stan The Man', what sort of idiot has their name tattooed on their neck?'
Sam shook his head, 'He is one of our regulars, we have caught him on a few jobs where witnesses caught sight of his tattoo. I only remanded him two days ago, guess the courts thought he would be a good boy and bailed him again.'

With the building clear the dog handler placed a happy Drake back into the cage and then left scene telling Sergeant De'Ath he would meet them back at the Nick.
Sam joined Simon, and saw Stan being driven off in the back of the other response unit.
'That's your mate from the other day isn't it Sam? I don't get too many arrests these days,' he said. 'So you'll have to help me process him when we get back.'
Sam replied, 'Yes Sarge, I'm glad I did all that paperwork for no result, did he kick off?'
'No, once the dog went in and got hold of him, he screamed like a big girl, and wet himself'. Both started laughing just as the key holder for the premises arrived.

They checked the building again with the key holder and viewed the CCTV. This showed two persons in balaclavas, turning up in the Transit and entering the building with the second one running out of the fire escape on the side of the building about eight minutes later. Sam updated the communications room of the situation, contacted the other free police unit and dog unit, to search the area for this person giving what brief description he could.
Sam went outside, called for the scenes of crime officer to attend the scene. He then put the Transit registration through the Police National Computer or PNC, which came back as unregistered. The Transit was insecure, but Sam didn't touch it until the scenes of crime officer arrived.

With the CCTV seized and the transit towed away to the police compound Sam and Sergeant De'Ath also left the scene. Turning his head towards Sam, Simon said 'I will contact CID if I can find anyone when I get back.' 'Can you drop me off and go back and have another drive around?'
'Yes Sarge, can you say hello to Stan for me?' replied Sam.
'Yes will do, he will have to have the doctor out first to look at that bite, but I will pass on your regards.'

Sam drove off back towards the industrial estate, there was a steady stream of traffic on the ring road, as the town centre was now open for business. Sam thought to himself 'He's got to go down this time, that's three times this month.'
Another alarm activation came through from Port Street. Sam volunteered to go to this one and again put on his Blues and Twos. He came up behind a stack of traffic on the ring road, the vehicles on the left lane pulled across but the last vehicle in the outside lane just sat there. It was a mint condition looking Morris Minor and the driver had a flat cap on. Sam thought to him self 'He obviously cant hear me or thinks I'm a taxi, or just doesn't give a toss.' Sam beeped his horn and saw the elderly driver visibly jump in his seat, and pull across, letting Sam continue on his journey.

Sam approached the industrial estate, again turned off his sirens and went in silent. His heart was racing, he was thinking about what might be happening at the alarm, and was it the second offender for the other job who got away. He pulled up at unit thirty one which was a 'Reginald's Removals and Storage'. There were a couple of large goods vehicles parked outside with the company logo on the sides, and another white ford Transit.
Sam used his radio, 'Sierra Victor from Sierra Kilo One Two One Six,'
The radio was silent he had no reply he repeated the message again and again. He used the radio again.
'Any unit on this channel receiving.'
This time he had an answer, 'Last unit from Sierra Victor, go ahead.'
Sam calmly replied, 'Sierra Victor from Sierra Kilo One Two One Six, I'm status six at unit thirty one Port Street for the alarm, can I have back up.'
The reply was not good, 'Sorry last unit there are no units free all tied up in custody.'
Sam gave the registration of the van to the operator, asking them to check it through PNC. He then told them that he was going to check the warehouse, asking for back up asap. There was no audible alarm, but he noticed the alarm box outside was flashing, Sam flicked out his ASP (extendable baton) and approached the front PVC doors to the warehouse, there were other buildings either side, so this was the only entry or exit point he could see.
He could hear movement inside, he checked the handle to the door, but it was already ajar. Sam took a deep breath and stepped into what was the reception area. He could hear talking from the other side of an internal door, behind the reception counter, just then his radio went off calling him for an update. The internal door swung open and Sam raised his ASP to his shoulder, out came a man in his fifties wearing blue overalls carrying a big set of keys. The man looked startled at seeing Sam, all six foot five of him sporting a skinhead wearing body armour, a blue long sleeved shirt, black tie, black trousers, Magnum boots, with the ASP held in his right hand resting on his right shoulder.
The man then smiled and said to Sam, ,Sorry you've come all this way, I couldn't get the alarm to reset.' 'Ive just got off the phone to your station, to let'em know.'

Sam let out a deep breath, 'It's no problem sir' he said. 'I was in the area.'
He told the male about the other incident, took his details and then left the building. He stood by the response car, closed his ASP on the tarmac, and noticed the smell of burning still coming from the car. Sam radioed in and updated the communications room, with the operator replying,
'We were trying to call you to stand you down are you free for another job.'

The Batman

2007-11-26T01:12:00.000Z

Which Action Hero Would You Be? v. 2.0
created with QuizFarm.com

You scored as Batman, the Dark Knight

As the Dark Knight of Gotham, Batman is a vigilante who deals out his own brand of justice to the criminals and corrupt of the city. He follows his own code and is often misunderstood. He has few friends or allies, but finds comfort in his cause.

Batman, the Dark Knight

92%

Indiana Jones

79%

Maximus

75%

James Bond, Agent 007

75%

Lara Croft

71%

The Amazing Spider-Man

63%

William Wallace

58%

The Terminator

54%

El Zorro

46%

Captain Jack Sparrow

46%

Neo, the "One"

42%

Kingstown Kops - part one

2007-11-20T21:13:00.000Z

The sun had set but it had gone unnoticed, as Sam sat glued to his computer in the now deserted office. He was compiling the court file for Stan 'The Man' Rogers who was sat in a dimly lit cell in the custody suite at the other end of Kingstown Nick.
Sam had been dealing with Rogers for most of his shift after arresting him on the first shout of the day and was now finalising the remand file, so that Rogers could be put before the local magistrate court the following morning.
Sam looked at his watch and noted it was now 8pm, he should have finished at five and was due back in again tomorrow at seven. He picked up his now cold coffee in a mug which read 'Tatters Solicitors - Experts in Police Divorce'.
Sam shook his head in disbelief but then thought of ten colleagues who were divorced, two of which used to work together, got married, got divorced and now cant even be in the same room as each other. He drank his coffee then stood up and walked out of the office down the corridor to the night kitchen. It wasn't a great kitchen but it had the essentials - a fridge which smelt, a sink and draining board which were full of dishes, a couple of cabinets which were locked, a kettle, a toaster and a microwave which hadn't been cleaned in weeks and looked like school children had been conducting science experiments inside.
The sink was full of dirty mugs and above this sink was an A4 sign saying 'They wont wash themselves, please wash your dishes and cutlery or they will be removed' underneath the warning was the station inspectors name and number . He then noticed that someone had written in Biro 'Ooooh ark at er'.
Sam smiled left his mug in the sink with the others and walked back to the patrol office sitting back down at the computer. The seat was still warm, he shook the mouse and the screen for the computer came back on and he sent the last of paperwork to the photocopier. Sam then walked into the copy room where the photocopier and fax machine were to be found and he entered his shoulder number into the photocopier and it started to churn out his file.
The machine started to flash that it had ran out of A4, Sam changed the tray being used but that was empty too. 'Lazy Bastards' he thought to himself and set about filling all three trays with A4 white paper. He pressed the large green button and the machine churned out the rest of the file which he collated and took back to his desk this he then separated into three bundles - CPS, DEFENCE and PROBATION.
Sam took off his tie and epaulets grabbed the file and his kit bag and headed off to the locker room, he arrived at his locker which had a sticker on it saying '1216 PALMER'. Sam opened up the locker and shoved his bag inside leaving his custodian helmet and flat cap on top and grabbed his coat. He stuck his coat over one shoulder and tucked the file under his arm and walked over to the custody suite.
"Evening Sarge" Sam said "Ive finished the Rogers file, where do you want it?".
The duty skipper was Sergeant Nick Young, he was sat behind the charge desk with a two month old copy of NUTS magazine. Sgt Young had the same amount of service as Sam and they had both been to training school together but had taken and passed his sergeants exam, this resulted in the punishment post of custody.
"Sam, I thought you had fallen asleep mate. Chuck it here I will add it to his property, are you off home now?"
Sam wiped his eyes and replied with a yawn "Yeah, I'm shagged", he handed over the file and had a look at the magazine and continued "Finished your Telegraph then?"
Nick replied "Well Ive only got your man left in now and I'm saving the crossword for two in the morning unless nights bring in someone".
Sam turned to walk out "Sarge what is that smell?".
Nick replied "Its your man, Stan the Mans feet, we even stuck his trainers in plastic evidence bags and you can still smell him from forty feet away".
Sam chuckled, walked out saying goodbye and heard Rogers shouting for attention as he left the custody suite. It was pouring with rain and pitch black outside as Sam walked to his car and he was soaked by the time he had pressed the open button on his key fob for the tenth time 'Bloody car' he thought. He sat in the drivers seat and turned on the ignition to his black ten year old Ford Escort, the engine turned over and the windscreen steamed up within seconds leaving Sam to sit there cold and wet with the heaters on full blast chucking out cold air.
Sam thought about the days events, 'Ive spent all day dealing with Rogers for two thefts and breaching his bail conditions for another theft awaiting court. He goes no comment in interview and CPS dither about charging him which took three hours on the phone and I have achieved nothing else on my other jobs because of this thieving junkie'.
Water trickled down his face, Sam wiped it off and then noticed the windscreen was clearing enough for him to drive home.
The drive home was thirty minutes, Sam stuck on his 'Queen Greatest Hits' CD on full blast and set off thinking about what the court result could be. He arrived home with the conclusion that Rogers would receive a fine at most maybe another drug testing order and that he would probably be called to arrest the schmuck tomorrow afternoon and have to go through it all again.
Mouse, Sam's black cat was sat on the doorstep along with the entrails of a small mammal that hadn't made it home to his family that night only Sam didn't notice until he walked in on his cream carpet. Sam turned on the lights and looked down at Mouse who was purring and rubbing herself against his wet black uniform trousers and then noticed the green and yet bloody footprint on the carpet - 'Great what a cracking day can't wait for tomorrow'.

Thought Id have a go at writing, any comments appreciated no abuse please its my first attempt.

Ive Been Tagged again

2007-11-19T20:49:00.000Z

8 Passions in my life.

My Family
My Friends
Laughing
Watching a good film
Music
My God-daughter
Sport
The Job!!

8 Things to do before I die

Visit other countries/experience other cultures
Have more children
Go up in a hot air Balloon (scared of heights - well actually falling from height and dying)
Retire abroad
Have a suit made for me
Make sure my child(ren) have a decent start in life
Tell my partner how much I really love her
Drive a Ferrari

8 things I often say

F@?kchunks
NO (I have a small child)
You re feet are freezing
I'm full
Hello Buddy
This Jobs a f@?king joke
Boo (I have a small child)
I'm gonna be late sorry

8 books I read recently

Tom Clancy - Without Remorse
Rev Awdry- Thomas The Tank Engine
Beatrix Potter - Peter Rabbit
Chris Ryan - Strike Back
John Connolly - Black Angel
Frederick Forsyth - The Afghan
Jeffery Deaver - The vanished Man
WPC EE Bloggs - On Call Girl

8 songs that mean something to me (8 isn't enough)

Don't Stop Me Now - Queen
With Arms Wide open - Creed
Going Underground - The Jam
Virtual Insanity - Jamiroquai
Live and Let Die - Guns n Roses
Jerusalem
Nessun Dorma - sung by Pavorotti
My First, My Last, My Everything - Barry White

8 qualities I look for in a friend

To make me laugh
To be able to drop everything when I need them
To embrace my faults
To really listen
To be honest even if it will hurt me
To give me a kick up the backside
To stand by my side when the shit hits the fan
Someone I trust with my life and that of my family

Cancer

2007-11-01T11:18:00.000Z

I have just learnt that a friend of mine has testicular cancer and it has knocked me back. He is a great bloke - a father, a husband and a great skipper. He is always upbeat, friendly and always looks after his troops, yes he is usually the first to take the mickey out of you but its always funny. Since joining the force he has made an impact with everyone he works with and I have never heard a bad word said about him. He is the sort of skipper who stands up to the bosses when they make a bad decision and if you have any problem he helps you sort it out whether work or home oriented. I wish we had more like him.

From the fit and strong man he was not so long ago the process has started to take its toll and there is still more to come through different types of treatment such as Chemotherapy. He has already lost weight, looks frail and needs help to walk but he still has that cheeky smile and a glint in his eye that tells me he is going to fight this all the way.
There are many of us in work ready to drop what we are doing at any time to go with him to hospital, grab his shopping anything he needs.

My thoughts are with you mate, you and your family I hope you get better soon.

From the cancer research site:CancerHelp UK
'About 1,800 men were diagnosed in the UK in 2003. Testicular cancer is not that common. Out of every 1,000 cancers diagnosed in men, only 14 are testicular cancers. But it is the commonest cancer affecting young men between 20 and 39 years old. Almost half of all testicular cancers occur in men under 35 years old, while only about 1 in 7 (14%) are diagnosed in men over 50 years. Treatment for testicular cancer is very effective and the vast majority of patients are cured.'

This made me think I am only a few years younger than him, when was the last time I checked myself? Testicular self-examination.

Just to update you all and thank you for your support, my friend has had an operation and the tumour has been removed. It was classed as stage four which is the worst but it hasnt spread. He will have to have some chemo but only once.
Seeing him well was great, he had all his colour back and has put on weight.
Hopefully thats the end of it.
Fellow bloggers and readers it can happen to us all (I dont just mean testicular) please look at the attached site and get yourself checked. It doesnt matter how old you are and if you are worried the local GP is always on hand for advice.
Thanks Relieved Big Fella

Local Policing Advert

2007-10-24T19:21:00.000+01:00

I wonder what type of fumes come from that exhaust???????

Blood, Sweat and Tears

2007-10-21T22:07:00.000+01:00

Well you could say it was a miserable week for the English in the sporting worlds of Football, Rugby and Formula 1 but I would disagree.

Lewis Hamilton our new hope for F1 had a fantastic debut coming second in the world championship in his first season driving for McLaren. This is an amazing feat just coming in the top ten or top five but to come second it shows great determination and a skill beyond his years.
I take my hat off to the new world champion Kimi Raikkonen, he had a great second half to the season coming from a great distance to overcome Alonso and Hamilton to pip them by one point.
I cannot wait foe next season to start come on March 2008.

The England Rugby team made an impressive come back from their 36-0 spanking by the South African Springboks in the group stage to beating Australia and France to get to the final. Penalties were given away stupidly and maybe it was a try. If the try stood would we have won, we will never know. All I can say is the boys got battered and gave it all which is what I cannot say for our football team. The England Rugby team are still heroes in my eyes.

Rooney scored a wonder goal but then gave away a penalty and within four minutes we were 2-1 down. These players get paid ten times what our rugby team get but it doesn't seem to me that they have the same drive and determination. They all have talent playing for the top teams in the English Premiership which is known as one of the best leagues to play in, in the world but where is the heart?

What does annoy me about football and before I say it I do love my football, is that you watch the glorious game but have to pay a fortune as a fan for tickets, shirts etc and these players have five cars, three houses and some are getting well over a hundred thousand pounds a week. ( that would take me four years to earn if I never spent any and the taxman didnt take his cut)

Yet there are some players who deserve to lose all of this, take Dida for example this goalie was tickled on the neck by a fan who invaded the pitch and he went down as if he had received a Glaswegian kiss, another guy but I cannot remember his name had a football kicked at his knee and he went down holding his face. There are players like this who go to ground if a mouse farted in the next county and its a disgrace these cheaters should not just be banned but stripped of their pay.
Ive watched rugby games where the guys have ears hanging off, broken noses and who get a real battering and just get a quick bit of medical attention and then get stuck in. The referees in rugby are spoken to politely and respected but in football they are surrounded and barked at by players and mangers alike. They should bring in the head mikes for these football refs so that the world can hear what is being said and have the same policy that only the captain may approach the ref. There should be a touch judge to look at replays to cut out cheating and errors that can change the course of a game, mistakes will still be made but its got to be better than what we have at the moment. This wouldn't slow down the game this would enhance it a typical example was the long range Tottenham effort against Man Utd which clearly went over the line but wasn't given because the ref and linesmen were too far away.

Well I've had my rant, please feel free to add your thoughts, goodnight.

England, England, England

2007-10-14T23:46:00.000+01:00

We had a cracking weekend,

Footie
we should have won more than 3-0 against Estonia but its a great result I just hope we can beat Russia on their home turf (not grass - plastic). Great for Rooney to score, great goal by Wrighty and a fantastic own goal headed in from outside of the box. If we beat Russia we are through, come on England.

Rugby
Our players gave France an insight at the start but then as a sign of respect as they are the home side, we gifted them 9points in bad penalty plays, but showed our ture intentons in the last 10mins. I was on the edge of my seat.
I didnt want to meet the Springboks again after that beasting we were given, but I will be watching at the weekend on the edge of my seat hoping that we can make history.

Cricket
I know we lost the last game of the cricket ODI against Sri Lanka but we won the series 3-2. Bit of a poor performance but Fernando for Sri Lanka was excellent taking 6 wickets and it was good to watch.

I bow my head to our Scottish cousins, they cannot be left out as they won a fantastic match 3-1 v Ukraine with great goals and now sit at the top above France and Italy. Scotland have to win their last two as they have two good teams breathing down their necks but with a great goal difference Im backing Scotland to go through - come on you blues.

On a last note - Englands F1 ace Lewis Hamilton is racing in Brazil at the weekend and all he needs is a top two finish to become the world champion - Come on Lewis make yourself a legend in your first season - although it will be a hard act to follow next season if he does.

Bring me my bow of burning gold
Bring me my arrows of desire
Bring me my spear o-clouds unfold
Bring me my Chariot of Fire

I shall not cease from mental fight
Nor shall my sword sleep in my hand
Til we have built Jerusalem
In England's green and pleasant land

Come on ENGLAND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A collection to put a smile on your face

2007-10-08T21:49:00.000+01:00

Question of Law

2007-09-30T14:36:00.000+01:00

Phil Bowles has asked me to have a look at the below question, any chance you can help.

Calling all serving and retired police officers - a question for you:
I am a former police officer with the Metropolitan Police and am currently studying in the final year of my law degree (LLB). As part of my third year project, I have a simple question for you, the answer to which will assist me with some research. For statistical significance, my sample needs to be as large as possible, so please tell all your operational friends and colleagues about this site and ask them to give me 2 minutes of their time, to help a former officer still trying (naively!) to make a difference.

It is a simple (and sadly, not uncommon) scenario, concerning s139 Criminal Justice Act 1988 (as amended) - the "Points & Blades" offence, to which I have a simple YES / NO question, which is "can you arrest?"

THE SCENARIO:
There has been an altercation in the reception area of a bail hostel in which the suspect has been living for some six months. He returns one evening to find that his room had been burgled. He puts a bread knife and a kitchen knife in his pockets, makes an angry scene in the reception area, and is finally locked out. You are called to deal. You observe him briefly and then search him. You find the knives which he advances no lawful excuse or reason for having with him. He tells you, in fact, that he was looking for the offender with them.

THE LOCATION:
The scenario takes place in front of the square(ish) white building in the centre of the photograph, ie on the patch of grass between the building and the line of parked cars.

The following additional facts may assist:

The building is a bail hostel in multi occupation.
the hostel is set far back from the road
the pedestrian entrance from the road is a gap in the front wall and there is no gate
the wall is a low wall about ten bricks, or one metre, high which marks the boundary with the public highway
there is no fence or other obstruction on the wall
there are no signs prohibiting access in any way whatsoever
access to the front of the hostel is unimpeded

THE QUESTION:
CAN THE SUSPECT BE ARRESTED UNDER s139 CJA 1988?

I'm not interested in discussing OffWeap, Public Order or Breach of the Peace as alternatives, nor any other factors such as how close you are to the end of your shift, whether he fails the "attitude test" or how heavily your sergeant is breathing down you neck for figures this month...the question ultimately is whether the front of the hostel as described is - in your personal opinion - "a place to which the public have access" for the purposes of s139 and therefore renders the suspect lawfully "arrestable". Don't think about it too long or study text books, or look up s139...I'm not after any "correct" answer, all I want to know is what you would do in that scenario on a dark night with only a few seconds to make your decision!

After entering your emal address, you will receieve a mail with two links on it, one for "yes", one for "no". Clicking the appropriate link will register your "vote" uniquely for that email address, and confirm that the address is correct. I cannot verify your credentials - I have no need to and nor would I want to. No record of your email will be retained once you have "voted", nor will it be used in any other way.

To enter your email and help Phil please click on this Phil Bowles question on law

Or email him phil.bowles@btopenworld.com.