…as a refusal
often offends can get you a criminal record:
A post office worker who asked a police officer to carry out an unauthorised police check on her future son-in-law has been sentenced to 100 hours of community service.
Now, who would feel a need to do that?
In February 2011 a Police officer contacted the Directorate of Professional Standards [DPS] to report the incident.
An investigation was launched resulting in Patel's arrest on 4 March.
Hmmmm….
DI Claire Moxon, from the MPS Directorate of Professional Standards, said: "Police systems contain sensitive personal information that must be kept confidential.
"The officer did exactly the right thing and reported it straight away so that we were able to take action. We will take action against anyone who asks a police officer to conduct unauthorised police checks."
Isn’t anyone wondering
why she thought this particular police officer would be amenable to such a request?
13 comments:
Clearly more to this story and being cynical I wonder if it has anything to do with the particular 'community' this woman comes from, let alone the unidentified constable.
If innocently done surely a 'I'm afraid I cannot do that madam, it is a criminal offence and you and I could go to prison' would suffice?
More police double speak from the detective inspector.
How much has this pointless exercise in tattle-tale stupidity cost the taxpayer?
How badly did the unidentified constable need to re-establish his credibility & integrity with his bosses ?
I will stand to be corrected (Jaded) but AFAIK giving out sensitive information on a 3rd party is one of the few mortal sins that will get a policey man kicked out almost instantly....and it's been that way for at least the 10 years (I know because around the MM I made the mistake of asking a mate in the Met to 'run a plate' for me).
Its fine for the Home Office to leave usb-stix on a train but god help any copper suspected of handing out 'secret' information.
If the police man involved in this case hadn't reported it and it had come out somehow then his possible allegiance to a community wouldn't, for once, have saved him either.
This story is very local to me.I didn't feel comfortable with it to be honest.The woman asking probably didn't know it was a big no-no.She either must have asked repeatedly or offered money perhaps?
We all know this is a cultural thing.If you did a freedom of information request on why Asian officers get sacked then this is the main reason-giving out info to their own "community".
I have been asked to check number plates and similar requests.I always say no and explain why.They seem to accept it.Every time I log onto to any police computer it is recorded somewhere and we are constantly warned against misuse.
SBC is right in what he says in his first paragraph.
Jaded
Mrs Patel was arrested under the Serious Crime Act 2007. The 54-year-old of Village Way, Beckenham, appeared before Southwark Crown Court and was sentenced to 100 hours community service and ordered to pay £500 costs. She previously pleaded guilty to Section 45 of the Serious Crime Act 2007 - encouraging or assisting an offence to be committed.
http://www.theasiantoday.com/article.aspx?articleId=2662
There must be part of the story missing for it have come to a prosecution. An officer covering their back by reporting to the Professional Standards is understandable - probably very wise - but something made it go further.
There are inconsistences in our approach which have nothing to do with race. For instance, had Ms Patel been employing her prospective son-in-law in certain jobs e.g. care worker, trusted sub-Post Office counter clerk, then she could have applied for an enhanced CRB check anyway. (If you believe the part about it being about her would-be son in law. I have my doubts.)
In Cambridgeshire, Warwickshire, Hampshire and Cleveland there is a pilot scheme which allows those with direct responsibility for children to request a check by the police on new partners.
http://www.cambs.police.uk/help/disclosurepilot/
Ms Patel asking if it is safe to let a prospective son-in-law near prospective grandchildren extends that idea to the limit, but it is in the same range.
"This story is very local to me.I didn't feel comfortable with it to be honest."
Yet comfortable enough to get astride this half truth and embellish it with low quality speculation, Jaded.
The smaller mind has a far easier task of impressing itself.
The smaller mind has a far easier task of impressing itself
Whereas by contrast the towering intellect derives satisfaction from tiresomely repetitious sniping, I suppose?
@ Mick Turatian
I admire folk willing to share their own poetry with the rest of the World. A contribution of one molecule of inventive flair is evident in your mini epic:
"We all of us rightly detest a
Fellow who shows us his vest: a
Boxer or Brief
Should be hid underneath.
Not so in the City of Leicester!"
So, no prose to defend your gay ladyfriend or wit to support her from your end?
Belated thanks to Micturation for his effusive tribute. Intellectual rating is just a matter of relativity, Mick.
I will assume that the verse quoted above is your very own composition and thus deduce most intellects are towering from your perspective.
Speculation based on experience MTG old chap.
What's your theory then? Put it in words that even I would understand.
Jaded.
I am crushed, utterly crushed.
But, of course, at the same time flattered not only that MTG should take the trouble to talk down to me but also that anonymous should have researched my published oeuvre.
"...being cynical I wonder if it has anything to do with the particular 'community' this woman comes from, let alone the unidentified constable. "
You're not the only one. And like SBC, I suspect fear of PSD is what prompted the reaction in this case.
"How much has this pointless exercise in tattle-tale stupidity cost the taxpayer?"
Too much? But perhaps not, if this is more rife than we suspect, and an example needed to be made.
"The woman asking probably didn't know it was a big no-no."
Possibly not, but when in Rome, eh..?
"There must be part of the story missing for it have come to a prosecution."
Perhaps as Jaded points out, the offer of money?
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