Tuesday, August 28, 2007


With the new anti-smoking laws all in place and everybody now numb to seeing the horrible no smoking sign defacing public buildings and the ilk , I for one as a non smoker want to be allowed to take my prisoners ( sorry Detainees ) out on the ramp at police stations to have the evil "fag"

I also want to hear from fellow officers any stories they have about anti smoking enforcement...

9 comments:

Paradise Driver said...

In most jurisdictions, a "smoking" complaint has a dispatch priority just about equivalent to a "barking dog" complaint.

A really "low priority" call.

Any police agency expending man-hours on this would be either really low-crime or the officers are lazy and avoid the more dangerous events on his beat.

Just my opinion, anyway.

BelfastPeeler said...

Don't even think we do. Isn't it plain clothed council inspectors?

My interpretation of it is if you threaten the pubs and clubs with REALLY big fines they'll do the enforcement for you...

Metcountymounty said...

On a recent set of night duties I did I was crewing the only response car left in our very central london borough that wasn't tucked up with a bod, it was friday but we were still down to 4 Pc's including me and the driver and we got the following call from an extremely new cad operator "can you attend walkabout please, report from door staff that a couple of males inside were smoking, they had been asked to put them out and leave and have done so, the manager would like an officer to atend to show that they are complying with the licencing regulations"
My response was "can you put your supervisor on please so I can ask them why they even passed that call through to you, let alone let you put that out over the air please?" It thankfully put an end to her being on the air for the rest of the shift she was replaced with someone with half a brain and more experience than my watch strap.

thinblueline said...

ahhh metcall and airwave,
I could type for days and complain for months , but its still seen as shiny and god by the powers that be rather than crap and infectucal and down right going to get people killed.

metcountymounty said...

However, saying that I loke a good fag....

metcountymounty said...

Fancy a sleepover?

thinblueline said...

drumroll.............. TA DA !

Metcountymounty said...

gotta love that cuddles, he's the best comedy act in town...

Words of Advice Given said...

I am known for having a fag with prisoners. Even the prisoners are often surprised when, after a chase, a violent struggle, spray and batons deployed I finally arrive with them at custody, both of us knackered, injured (grazes and bruises and both with very stingy eyes) and I say "Do you want a fag with me before we go in?"

As far as I am concerned, they were doing their job (committing crime, trying to secape and resisting arrest) and I was doing mine (stopping them from doing all the above!)and once we have both concluded our efforts at doing the job we sit down and have a fag. I probably need one just as much as him to be fair, but it's a chance to put things into perspective, have a nice 'intel Q' chat and he (generally it is a he) will go through calmy without any further todo. As I lead him in to the cell, get him a cup of tea and wish him good luck he says "cheers mate, you're alright for a pig."

Now considering all the above I could not help resisting a reply to the department that 'tells people off' for everything. Following an email from a custody sergeant to them it appeared that a 'customer' had kicked off because he was not allowed a fag. Apparently it was all my fault and other colleagues who broke all the rules when giving customers fags. Now, there is a rule to giving someone a fag: They have to be polite, not threaten to rape my mum and my children and behave themselves, I do not ask much.

In my reply I simply pointed out that giving them a fag now and again was good, reduced the chance of injury to both them and us and often resulted in goog intel Q. My reply did not go down well! Emails continued to bounce forwards and backwards with the 'telling off' department CC'ing more people into the replies. "This officer should be taken to task because of his complete disregard for rules" they said. "I am a rule breaker" I replied, then quickly sent another email saying "That should have said I am NOT a rule breaker" which for some reason I genuinely missed on the last email.

So in a nutshell, I broke the rules, made life easier for all of us on occassion but had to adopt the stance of "Sorry mate, would love to give you a fag but i would lose my job if I got caught". The reply I normally get to this is "Fuck off, as if, your just being a wanker". Telling them that apparently I am alright for a pig, I don;t think will help.......

Investigations - 183 | Crimes Solved- 85 | No Crime - 47
% Detection rate - 46.4 % (Counting year April 08 )


Investigations - 129 | Crimes Solved- 53 | No Crime - 36
% Detection rate - 49.3 % (Counting year April 07 )