Monday 25 October 2010

'Investigate'? What's That?

Red faces all around at Essex Police:
Police have issued an apology to a company they accused of being involved in a cold calling scam.

CPR Global Ltd were said to be charging people for a service which prevents unwanted cold calls when the Telephone Preference Service is available free of charge.
Even if they had been doing such a thing, that wouldn't necessarily have been illegal, of course. So quite why the police felt a need to stick their oar in (rather than punt it to Trading Standards) is anyone's guess.

But stick their oar in they did, and hilarity ensued!
Chris English from the Southend Crime and Disorder Partnership said: "We issued this warning with every good intention based on the information provided to us."
Translation: 'We got this email, like, and thought it was proper bad, innit?'
"We have since discovered that the named company provide a different service to that provided by the Telephone Preference Service and, as such, we should not have directly compared the two."
Translation: 'What do you mean, check it out? We're busy, and the cuts, and...'
"We would like to apologise unreservedly to CPR Global Ltd for releasing this inaccurate information and for any inconvenience caused."
Translation: 'Pleeeease don't sue us!'

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Given that most of Watchdog's (is the programme named after that awful woman presenting it?) tired old stories repeat year after year, one might expect the cops to be jumping in more often to prevent pensioners being ripped off etc.
Two and a half cheers for Essex Plod.

MTG said...

Without serious dedication to sloth, Essex could never have established itself at the forefront of police 'services' failing to investigate rape and other serious crimes.

Someone should be grateful for attempts to compensate through involvement in non police matters. And who can fail to be impressed by the warp speed with which false accusations are now made?

Who can say that vital evidence lost in the Barrymore and other enquiries will not eventually turn up in some drain blockage at police Headquarters?

JuliaM said...

"Two and a half cheers for Essex Plod."

When the consequences to someone's business are potentially so serious (and as MTG points out, so quickly made) I can't bring myself to raise even one cheer.

Good intentions just don't cut it any more.

"And who can fail to be impressed by the warp speed with which false accusations are now made?"

It's that old chestnut about a lie going round the world before the truth has got its boots on...