The driver of the car, PC John Mole, this week told an inquest jury in Liverpool he believed he had activated both its blue lights and siren - but accepted the siren had not in fact been switched on.
The absence of the earsplitting noise wasn't a clue?
The inquest heard there was no information within a police car, other than its sound, to show its siren had been activated.
Probably not something the manufacturer ever considered would be needed. Still, maybe Mole is an aberration and...
His passenger, PC James Jordan, had also believed the siren was on.
Oh.
The 11-strong panel found ‘there was no opportunity for the collision to be avoided’ after hearing that the victim had been more than three times the drink-drive limit.
Yeah, you heard that right. The
victim. God forbid anyone suggest it was the idiot driving the car that was at fault.
No fault was found with PC Mole’s driving and he remains on duty and eligible to take the wheel on emergency call-outs.
How reassuring to the public!
However coroner Andre Rebello ((CRCT)) is to write to the National Police Chiefs Council asking for it to consider whether there should be a signal inside police vehicles that confirms a siren has been activated.
Good grief. What calibre of police are they hiring up there?
PC Mole, who previously worked as an Emergency Medical Technician with the London Ambulance Service, wept as he told how he performed an emergency stop and ripped open Mr Carroll’s shirt to perform CPR but ‘I just couldn’t bring myself to do it’.
‘I curled up into a ball and started crying my eyes out,’ he added.
Well, I guess that answers that question. Seems Mole is as dangerous outside the car as in it...
Assistant Chief Constable Rob Carden said the force’s ‘thoughts and sympathies’ were with Mr Carroll’s family and friends.
He stressed the officers had ‘acted in line with their training and national guidelines’.
Apart from the curling up into a ball and weeping like a little girl while the man you've killed bleeds out on a cold street, you mean?
‘The safety of the public is always our officers’ primary concern, and it is a tragedy that this collision took place as they were travelling to protect a young child and their mother from any further harm,’ he added.
Except they weren't. They'd received a report that there was a drunken woman with a pram. Is that really so uncommon in Liverpool that a 60mph response is required?
Come on down MTG. No doubt you witnessed this .
ReplyDeleteJaded
PC Mole would would have multi-tasered a witness...then found himself be far too upset to deploy the defibrillator.
DeleteWhat could possibly go right inside a public 'service' bulging with liars, psychos, pathological criminals and alimentary terminii?
ReplyDeleteWPC Jaded: I can picture you sobbing and plotting in the aftermath of another fatal plod-car-chase. That you were permanently sidelined to the social media beat, is probably a humanitarian concession to all road users, including yourself.
And an audible warning that the blue lights are on.
ReplyDeleteAnd double controls and mirrors like wot driving instructor cars have.
And a "Baby On Board" sign in back window.
'BOB' - Brilliant.
Delete‘I curled up into a ball and started crying my eyes out’
ReplyDeleteThat comment alone should be enough to have him thrown immediately out of the force, along with any of the morons responsible for recruiting him in the first place.
Now if this were a novel, the PC’s thinking would have been “if I do CPR and he survives, he’ll be a witness and tell them what really happened”.
ReplyDeleteWouldn’t be like that in reality, of course?
Maybe inside the car there should be a light to let you know the siren is activated and an audible warning to let you know the beacons have been activated?
ReplyDeleteDiPLODmatic Immunity, perhaps?
ReplyDeleteYou do know Liverpool is no worse than most other places and by many crime measurements rather better than many? I can only presume the inhabitants have done something to hurt your tender feelings.
ReplyDeleteEven on "son et lumiere", 60 in a built-up area seems excessive.
ReplyDeleteThat the pensioner was "three times the drink drive limit" is irrelevant - he was crossing the road, not driving!
If the incident had involved a fire engine or an ambulance at that speed what would have been the outcome for the driver?
PC John Mole...hmmm...sounds like, from his reaction and inability to do his job, that he's related to Adrian Mole.
ReplyDelete"And a "Baby On Board" sign in back window."
ReplyDeleteA 'Baby In Driver's Seat' would be more appropriate...
"That comment alone should be enough to have him thrown immediately out of the force..."
You're not wrong...
"Maybe inside the car there should be a light to let you know the siren is activated and an audible warning to let you know the beacons have been activated?"
LOL!
"I can only presume the inhabitants have done something to hurt your tender feelings."
It's the accent. And the constant stream of arrogant self-pity.
"If the incident had involved a fire engine or an ambulance at that speed what would have been the outcome for the driver?"
We can but imagine.