Wishing you a Happy New Year
By Andy Bennett (1426) 2nd January 2009 2:55 PM

Looking back over the Blog has given me a real sense of what has happened and been achieved in 2008. No resolutions yet and I will probably wait until I start the new job before I think about that. May I wish you a Happy New Year and share a few of my highlights from last year.

In January we saw police officers take to the streets of London in a dispute over pay. I think this was the greatest show of solidarity within policing since the anti-Sheehy demonstrations of the early 90s. I believe it made a powerful point to Government that saw the following pay negotiations in the summer handled very differently. Whilst the start of the credit crunch affected the final pay offering, most officers were satisfied with the process.

In February the review of policing by Sir Ronnie Flanagan was published. It was one of a number of reports to inform the subsequent Green paper on the future of policing, “From the Neighbourhood to the National”.

For PCs, his recommendations involving the reduction bureaucracy in stop & search and initial crime recording will be the most popular. Several forces have piloted these changes and are currently being evaluated by the National Police Improvement Agency (my new firm!). It is likely this will be rolled out across all forces early in the year.

In the spring we saw the first of three policing operations known locally as The Big one, The Bigger one & Op Bout. They were all targeting offenders in South Bristol. The first two centred exclusively around the sale of drugs whilst Op Bout added those wanted on warrant for crimes. Each succeeded in arresting and convicting multiple offenders and will form a template for coordinated action in 2009.

My summer was occupied with training for the Bristol Half Marathon which I ran in aid of my friend Inspector Dave Huggins and Macmillan Cancer Support. Whilst I did feel a sense of achievement I was most grateful when the free Double Decker bar, space blanket and a pint of Guinness were in my hands. Clearly not satisfied with that, I did the Warwickshire Sprint Triathlon four weeks later, in the torrential rain, and just for the hell of it. There is something about turning 40 that makes you do these things (I can’t afford a sports car!)

In the autumn the Government, through the Green paper (previously referred to), announced that The Policing Pledge would be launched. Chief Constables and ACPO came up with a consensus document that spelled out a future commitment between policing and the public. Essex Constabulary were the first to go 'Pledge live' although they could only meet about 7 of the 10 commitments at the time of the launch.

When I blogged about it, I generated quite significant negative commentary from officers around the country (the article was linked to an anonymous police blog). Whilst I understand many see it as policing propaganda gone mad, it will be a future expectation for public services and we need to make it work.

Avon and Somerset is taking a considered view about the pledge accepting we are fully compliant with some and working towards others. The Citizen Focus Delivery Group will oversee this work and much of the progress will be evident through links on our website.

I have not previously blogged about the Change course although I alluded to it in my article about vice. Details of the course have been published in the press and so I can now briefly discuss it. Think Speed Choice Workshop for Kerb Crawlers. In partnership with Safer Bristol we have been working through and trialling this concept for several years.

In simplicity you offer a first time offender an alternative to a caution. They pay a fee to attend an educational course whereby they are confronted by the full realities and implications of the street sex trade. Any money left over from the fees goes to local community initiatives linked to this issue. Early indications are that re-offending post course is extremely rare. Innovations such as this are an integral part of our new vice strategy.

In November I applied for a new job on secondment to the NPIA as a field officer for the Neighbourhood Policing, Citizen Focus and Contact Management Programme team. I was selected as one of four new members to the team and officially start on the 5th January.

I will be working in the Central region covering Greater Manchester Police, Merseyside, Cheshire, Staffordshire, West Midlands and Warwickshire. This is a real mixed bag in terms of size and population, very different to Avon and Somerset. I will talk a bit more about this in my final blog two weeks from now.

On a very cold morning in December at the Gloucester Road I launched a co-ordinated campaign with Bristol City Council to tackle dangerous cycling. This has long been a public priority in some areas however we have not matched activity to that level of concern.

We started by handing out leaflets pointing out the dangers of riding on the pavement and jumping red traffic lights. One hundred offences were challenged in two hours. This will be the starting point for each hotspot but fines will follow .

There are a number of hotspots in Bristol based on accident figures, complaints to council, police and media. Our campaign will be linked to public priorities in line with the PACT process and Policing Pledge.

I did a live down the line with Graham Torrington on BBC Bristol. I think he was sceptical about the use of police resources for something as low level as this. The next hour had numerous callers not only supporting this work but asking for much more of the same.

In the future our response to this will continue to be proportionate. It will form part of an integrated plan for Bristol’s Cycling City status. I am sorry that I won’t be able to see this one through.

This just touches on what has been another extremely busy year for me both professionally and personally. I am sorry to be finishing the Blog as I am still full of ideas for its development. I have spent 18 years in Operational Policing in four different ranks. Whilst I am very excited about my new role, I will miss parts of the old life.

I wish you all a Happy New Year and prosperity in whatever you are doing.

Best Wishes ……..Andy

I hope you have a very Merry Christmas
By Andy Bennett (1426) 24th December 2008 10:10 AM

It is rare for a professional like me, but I missed my editorial deadline! I promised to have this blog ready much earlier today but events overtook me. I am now topping it off after a very long and late shift, sat in wet trousers and the taste of CS Spray in my mouth. More of that story in a minute.

I was out tonight (19/12) in the City centre, but not enjoying a few Christmas drinks. I had volunteered to lead the first of our pre Christmas policing operations.

For many Friday, 19th December was their last working day and quite rightly, they would have been looking forward to some early Christmas partying. It is just a shame that a significant minority have behaved in a violent and aggressive way and ruined it for some of the rest.

I am definitely not a ‘bah humbug’. I am all for people having fun. Part of what our policing operation is about, is to allow the majority to do just that. So if you were out in town tonight I genuinely hope you had a really good time.

I enjoyed the foot patrols around the Watershed, Park Street, Corn Street and the Centre. It was really great to see the number of people who were clearly not embarrassed by wearing silly hats, draped in tinsel and merrily popping from pub to pub. Oh and I have to mention the high heeled shoes. Alcohol, cobbles and those shoes don't mix. I must have ‘chivalrously’ helped up a dozen woman who had fallen.

As the proceedings were winding up I became aware of an incident developing with a taxi driver near the Hippodrome. I approached just as the offender started punching out. Several of us tried to restrain him but he was strong and so I decided to take him to the ground.

In doing so I slipped on the concrete and fell to the floor with him. As I was regaining composure and taking his arm in restraint, an officer with me was discharging their CS spray. I was not unfortunately cognoscente of the warning given but soon knew about it as I had some in my mouth and up my nose.

He immediately calmed down and was handcuffed. Other officers also suffered collateral contamination. I made light of it but I can tell you, that since CS Spray was introduced to UK police have I never been sprayed. It seems slightly ironic that it has happened on the last operational shift before my secondment.

To top it all I had wet trousers from a puddle on the floor, I have taken it in my stride(s) and conceded the need to wash, dry and press them again.

I have just touched my eye and it has started stinging again It really is a gift that keeps on giving.
To show that I am listening to my feedback, I shall avoid any sort of corporate tone. It would however be remiss not to mention a crime prevention message about all those lovely Christmas presents that you are going to be receiving.

Don’t underestimate the savvy of even the basic burglar, they know that houses across the City are filling up with presents and in particular some expensive electrical items. Whilst nicking presents before Christmas it can often save the burglar having to rewrap them before re-gifting them, after Christmas they get to view before they buy by looking at the boxes that are in your recycling or left outside ready for throwing away.

Whilst our website will give you all the necessary advice, for me the message is really simple, if you were locked out of your house, how would you get back in? If there is an easy way to do it without smashing windows or completely destroying your doors, then the burglar will find it.

Whilst break ins do occur, so many burglaries that we report occur through insecure windows and doors. No one has spare cash and particularly not during the so called ‘credit crunch’. So please think about your security and have a really good Christmas.

I have decided to do one extra blog to make it the big 50. So it just leaves me say, have a really great Christmas and I will circulate my next one on New Year week.

Regards Andy
3 Blogs until 50!

Operation (Gin &) Tonic
By Andy Bennett (1426) 10th December 2008 1:09 PM

I love Christmas. My tree is up already up which is a family tradition. I am about to book tickets to watch Bristol vs. Gloucester on the 27th at the memorial stadium. Works do is paid for and cards bought ready for writing. All set.

Christmas is family time. That's why police don't want to be knocking on doors to tell someone a loved one has been killed in a crash involving a drink driver - awful at any time but somehow worse at Christmas.

The bottom line is that we will be stopping hundreds of motorists and giving them a breath test. Why? Because more people drink and drive at this time of year. It is okay to be full of the Christmas Spirit(s) - just don’t get in a car and drive.

The message on the OPERATION TONIC press release says “EXPECT to get stopped, EXPECT to be breathalysed and if you are over the limit, EXPECT to lose your licence.” Losing a driving licence often means losing your job and gaining a criminal conviction.

Whilst this is what motivates many not to drink and drive, it should also be highlighted that impaired driving often leads to road deaths and tragedy. I just want to share a couple of personal stories. This is a reality check on drink driving.

Whilst working in the Met I was dispatched to a horrendous accident on Latchmere Road, Battersea . A motorist had come down the hill too fast, lost control on the bend and mounted the kerb. He had hit a woman and two children walking along the pavement even though they were protected by a barrier.

He was cut out of the car and rushed to hospital where he died of his injuries. It was later shown that he was two-and-a-half times over the legal limit and had spent three hours in the pub after work. His friends knew he was going to drive and no one stopped him.

Only one of the children survived and she was hideously scarred. I don’t remember more about this family but have often thought about the devastation it caused their lives. I know it affected me. I am sure it affected the officer who had to knock on the door and tell the families about the deaths, the fire officers, ambulance crew, nurses and doctors.

About five years later whilst driving through the area I saw flowers by the side of the road at the site of the crash. The barriers were repaired, the pavement mended, the garden wall rebuilt. Only the flowers remind us of the scars.

Two years ago on the 27th December there was a serious crash right outside my house. This was not the first on what is quite a tricky bend if you speed or are drunk! I say this as I have been out to many shocked motorists in the past six years and know the score. The drunk ones normally run off before the police arrive which is the basis of this story.

We had friends to stay. All the children were in bed and we were just going up ourselves when the crash happened. I put my shoes on and ran out. My wife and one of our friends followed leaving the other adult to phone the police and look after the kids.

My wife and I are well practised and so she and the friend went straight to direct traffic to prevent additions to this pile-up. I went to the car. It was on its roof with smoke billowing out of the bottom. In the accident the car had damaged a gas pipe.

I quickly helped the passenger out who had a serious bash to his head. He sat at the side of the road and I went back for the driver.

The roof was dented in and I struggled to open the door. I dragged him out in fear that the car would catch on fire. He then proceeded to throw punches at me and was then joined by his friend. They both were drunk. I am not sure how I was not hit. Some of my neighbours came out in support. They both ran off when they heard the police coming.

They were lucky to be alive and it was fortunate that no-one else was injured or worse. The car did not explode but if it had, with the damage to the damaged gas pipe, who knows what would have happened. They were later arrested nearby. Both were over the limit to drive.

Anyone who really believes that drinking makes them a better driver is under a dangerous misapprehension.

There are various circumstances that empower police to breath test a motorist for drink or drugs. I think that anyone who is driving could and should be liable to random checks, no caveats.

Most drink drivers are convicted purely on the fact they were over the limit not because they have caused an accident. They were lucky. If the sentence for drink driving was six months in jail because of the ‘what if’ factor I bet far fewer would do it!

If you see someone about to drink and drive, have no compunction, challenge them if you can or report them to police. My stories are two of hundreds police, fire and ambulance could tell. When you see the road blocks or you are delayed in your journey for a few minutes, just remember we are doing this for a reason - to reduce road deaths and bring offenders to justice.

Only three blogs to go! :-(

Cheers

Andy