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Category Archives: Police (local)
Election expenses scandal – Devon and Cornwall info passed to Crown Prosecution Service
“Twelve police forces have passed files to the Crown Prosecution Service over allegations that Conservatives broke campaign spending laws at the last election, after a 10-month investigation by police forces across the country.
The revelation is likely to increase concern in Downing Street and the Conservative party about the seriousness of the investigations, which could affect several sitting MPs and even lead to election results being declared void if there are prosecutions.
The CPS said it had been passed files from Avon and Somerset; Derbyshire; Cumbria; Devon and Cornwall; Gloucestershire; Greater Manchester; Lincolnshire; the Metropolitan police; Northamptonshire; Nottinghamshire; West Yorkshire; and Staffordshire police.
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Election expenses scandal – update
“Conservative MPs embroiled in an election expenses row have accused party officials of trying to dodge blame.
Two dozen Tories are understood to be under police investigation over claims they overspent on their local campaigns during the 2015 general election in which spending limits are tight.
Karl McCartney, MP for Lincoln and one of those under investigation, wrote a bombshell email to the party chairman attacking the party’s handling of the controversy linked to its election “battle bus”.
In it, he wrote: “We didn’t create this mess, the clever dicks at CCHQ (Conservative Campaign Headquarters) did, and I don’t see their professional reputations being trashed in the media.”
Sky News can reveal:
:: An email sent to 30 Tory MPs claims the party has withheld a draft report it has already received from the Electoral Commission into the issue.
:: A second email to the party chairman claims Conservative Central Office was to blame for the expenses “mess”.
:: The MPs held a showdown meeting with party chairman Patrick McLoughlin on Tuesday afternoon to air their concerns.
:: MPs implicated in the row said they felt “scared” about the outcome of the investigations and believe Downing St is worried.
The spending row centres on the Tories’ use of an election battle bus to campaign in key seats, and whether spending on hotels and campaign material were incorrectly registered as national spending, which has much higher limits than local spending.
Meanwhile, Kent Police refused to confirm reports Tory MP Craig Mackinlay, who defeated ex-UKIP leader Nigel Farage in Thanet South, was questioned under caution last Friday over his expenses.
If Conservatives are found to have committed any offence, their political opponents could ask for the contests to be rerun.
Mr McCartney, a justice of the peace who was elected in 2010 and fought off a challenge from Labour in 2015, is said to be acting as an informal “shop steward” to the group of mainly newly-elected MPs implicated.
He wrote to colleagues last week saying Conservative Central Office (CCHQ) had received a draft report from the Electoral Commission, which has been investigating party spending for a year.
Mr McCartney said this information came from a Conservative-party appointed solicitor who is acting for the group, but claimed the contents of the report had not been shared with MPs.
However, a Conservative source denied officials had received the report.
Mr McCartney wrote: “I have made my disquiet and disbelief at this course of action pretty clear in a blunt email to the party chairman and the whips office overnight.”
In that email, also seen by Sky News, and addressed to Mr McLoughlin who is in the cabinet, he wrote that his colleagues “feel completely cast adrift by CCHQ/whips/the parliamentary party and left to fend for themselves”.
He added: “At what stage do you think you (the Party) might inform us that another media s***storm is coming? We didn’t create this mess, the clever dicks at CCHQ did, and I don’t see their professional reputations being trashed in the media much.
“The initial cock-ups, ‘strategy’ and ineptitude with regard to this issue that has so negatively impacted our: lives, standing in our communities, standing amongst colleagues, families and our regard for particular parts of the Party centrally, and were all of CCHQ’s making…need to stop.
“We are the ones who are now (and since the beginning as individuals have been) in the media spotlight and it might have been a little more reassuring and collegiate if the powers that be in our party perhaps tried to be a little bit more supportive and less interested in covering their own backsides.”
Mr McCartney asks why MPs were not warned about the Electoral Commission report, expected to be made public in the coming weeks.
He said none of the MPs have been questioned by the Commission and asked: “Who else has had a copy? And what are the ramifications of its current version and what if it accepts your feedback and rewrites whole swathes of their draft?”
He asked the party chairman for guidance on dealing with media inquiries, saying: “We do need a press release for national and local media interest. I would rather sing from the same hymn sheet.”
On his website, he wrote: “The Conservative Party advised us that the so-called campaign ‘battle buses’ were, as at previous general elections and in keeping with the practice of both the Labour Party and Liberal Democrats, a national campaign expense.
“This meant that they were not to be declared in our own election expenses.”
Another of the MPs in the group, elected in 2015, and under police investigation said they firmly believed the spending was correctly registered.
The MP said: “People are scared, this has been hanging over us for more than a year. I absolutely believe it was legitimately national spending in my case.
“Our solicitor which they have paid for agrees that the law is what it is and we haven’t broken it. But I think CCHQ have been quite complacent about how far it would go. No 10 is now very concerned about it.”
A Conservative spokesman said: “We are cooperating with the ongoing investigations.”
Election expenses scandal: some Tory MPs in panic mode
Our current Police and Crime Commissioner, Alison Hernandez, was election agent for MP Kevin Foster [Torbay] who took the seat from Lib Dems with a majority of 3,286 at the last election with just over 40% of voters choosing him.
“A Conservative MP has been interviewed under caution as part of an ongoing police inquiry into whether the party overspent in its campaign for South Thanet in the 2015 general election, when they were up against Nigel Farage.
Craig Mackinlay, the MP who won the seat against the former Ukip leader, is said to have spent about six hours speaking to police about their investigation, which has been going on for about a year.
Asked about the interview, a Conservative spokesman said: “We are cooperating with the ongoing investigations.” Mackinlay did not reply to a request for comment.
There is growing panic in the Conservative party about the scale of police probes into election spending, which could affect dozens of MPs. A separate investigation by the Electoral Commission into whether the national party broke election spending limits is also under way and expected to come to a head within weeks.
The allegations, first uncovered by Channel 4 News, are that spending in marginal seats on a battlebus tour and teams of party officials was wrongly recorded as national, rather than local spending.
The penalties for wrongly declaring local elections are steep, with possible criminal charges for MPs and their election agents, and results can be declared void.
It is understood police could meet the Crown Prosecution Service as early as 21 March to discuss bringing a possible charge in relation to South Thanet, where Farage was narrowly beaten by Mackinley.
Nigel Farage says he would stand for election again in South Thanet
Farage, the former Ukip leader, has already said he may be interested in rerunning in the Kent coastal seat if it there were to be a prosecution and byelection.
Kent police said: “The investigation into this complex matter is ongoing and officers continue to follow lines of enquiry. Therefore it would not be appropriate to comment further.
“Officers from Kent police continue to work with the Electoral Commission as the investigation continues.”
Separately, a group of Conservative MPs under investigation over their election expenses are growing increasingly frustrated at the lack of support from the party’s headquarters.
One has sent an email to Tory HQ accusing the party of keeping secret a draft of the Electoral Commission report from MPs whose local spending returns are under investigation.
In an email seen by Sky News, Karl McCartney, a Tory MP [Lincoln] under investigation who is helping other MPs, accused party officials of trying to save themselves rather than help those who were elected.
He wrote that his colleagues “feel completely cast adrift by CCHQ/whips/the parliamentary party and left to fend for themselves”.
He added: “At what stage do you think you (the party) might inform us that another media s***storm is coming? We didn’t create this mess, the clever dicks at CCHQ did, and I don’t see their professional reputations being trashed in the media much.”
“The initial cock-ups, ‘strategy’ and ineptitude with regard to this issue that has so negatively impacted our: lives, standing in our communities, standing amongst colleagues, families and our regard for particular parts of the party centrally, and were all of CCHQ’s making … need to stop.
“We are the ones who are now (and since the beginning as individuals have been) in the media spotlight and it might have been a little more reassuring and collegiate if the powers that be in our party perhaps tried to be a little bit more supportive and less interested in covering their own backsides.”
Hernandez won’t change policing to get excellent ratings
Really, you could not make this stuff up!
“Devon and Cornwall police commissioner Alison Hernandez says the force won’t change the way it serves the community just to chase ‘excellent’ ratings. She was speaking after a report from Her Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary said the force must do better in key areas.
She said: “We need to make sure we don’t just chase reports, trying to get an ‘excellent’ result.
“By chasing the result you’re trying to say that you’re brilliant, but actually it doesn’t always work out that way. …”
http://www.devonlive.com/police/story-30175081-detail/story.html
How effective are Devon and Cornwall Police?
Find out here:
“Overall, the effectiveness of Devon and Cornwall Police requires improvement. The force has clear priorities for reducing harm across the force area and protecting the most vulnerable people in the community. Its management of vulnerability and serious and organised crime is good. However, it needs to improve its approach to neighbourhood policing and aspects of crime investigation. Our overall judgment is a deterioration on last year, when we judged the force to be good in respect of effectiveness.”
Click to access peel-police-effectiveness-2016-devon-and-cornwall.pdf
Resigning Devon and Cornwall police officer tells it as it is
“I am Police Constable 6552 Laura BEAL on Response covering MID-DEVON and I am writing this to you to inform you that as of this date; Tuesday 28th February 2017 I am resigning my post as Police Constable.
This will be my 13th year as a Police Constable as this has been my life since I was 19 years old. I am sure that what I am about to say will not be new information to you, but I feel I owe it to myself and my colleagues to tell you my reasons for leaving.
I joined in 2004 having followed in my father’s footsteps and was so proud to call myself a Police Officer, however as my career has progressed the total lack of support both governmental and from the Chief Officer Group has made me lose all faith in the job I loved.
I am expected to go on patrol covering MID-DEVON with one other officer most days and this is meant to be adequate staffing and safe. How this can be acceptable is beyond belief. I have always worked to the best of my ability as I had pride in what I did. This however is not possible any more.
As a result of the way I have been treated within this organisation I have to undergo Cognitive Behavioural Therapy as I now suffer with anxiety, depression and stress. I would rather take the massive pay cut and quit than spend one day longer in a job that is making me ill.
I am and was a good Police Officer and you are losing more and more every day, only to be replaced by new recruits who have little to no people skills however are able to answer exams effectively. I have seen Police Officers who are completely incompetent get promoted because it’s been too difficult for higher management to manage them so promoting them and moving them is the easy option. I have also seen incredible supervisors in their roles be moved because a space needed filling.
I am sure you have bigger and more important things to be doing than listen to what seems to be a standard resignation letter from an upset employee, but I implore you to please hear this;
Your staff are not coping, and are suffering because there is no one looking out for them. Please take it from someone who has been personally affected and has been so low she has wondered what the point of it all is, and only through her friends and family been able to see that there is more to life than Policing. Front line response is where you need to focus your time and money. This is where the buck stops. We are always called upon when things need doing and when things go wrong in every department.
I was one of the lucky ones and have had the personal support at home to get out however there are so many that are unable to do so because they are either alone or financially dependent on the organisation. We are more like a business now in how we function in relation to finance and ‘customer’ relations, yet we are so far behind on employee rights.
I am leaving before this job kills me both physically and mentally. I am not only sad because I see what is potentially an amazing career get ruined by hypocrisy and lack of funding; but also because I know I am not the only one going through this and not everyone that needs the help and support will be as lucky as I am to be able to leave.
I have so many I people I love still in the job and I want so much for their lives to get better and you have the power to make that possible. It is your responsibility to make this right; the front line needs more officers, leadership and managerial support.”
Hernandez tweets praise for Torquay Planning Committee Chairman and Planning Officer
Which Police and Crime Commissioner (see below) was at the Riviera Centre, Torquay last night on her night off tweeting her support for Torquay councillors (and flattering the Chairman of the Planning Committee and the planning officer involved) when they approved a massive carbuncle block of flats on the seafront, towering over the lovely old Pavilion?
Where’s Alison?
A bit like the “Where’s Wally” books, our Police and Crime Commissioner Alison Hernandez is, yet again, hard to find.
No slouch when it comes to getting a selfie and photo-op with a working firefighter when the Royal Clarence Hotel was burning fiercely she has been somewhat less high-profile since then.
The latest glaring absence was this evening on BBC Spotlight. There was an item on Devon and Cornwall Police having lost a £20 million court case against Morrisons, who reneged on an arrangement to buy their Middlemoor HQ.
And who do they wheel out from the PCC’s office? Ms Hernandez? Not on your life – her CEO Andrew White. Ms Hernandez didn’t have any other appointments on her public calendar.
Still, he has to do something for his £103,602 annual salary (plus perks).
Torridge council leader criticises Police and Crime Commissioner
“A council leader from Devon has hit out at the area’s Police and Crime Commissioner over the “dramatic” reduction of PCSOs over the next four years.
More than half (190) of the region’s 340 Police and Community Support Officers (PCSOs) are to be lost in the next four years.
In their place, 100 new uniformed officers, 50 civilian investigators and 30 record takers will “re-connect” communities with the force, Chief Constable Shaun Sawyer announced in February. Torridge District Council leader Jane Whittaker has written to the county’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Alison Hernandez.
In her letter Mrs Whittaker acknowledges the need for new police officers but worries about “how a district like Torridge will survive when these numbers are so reduced. In such a rural district as Torridge the impact of the reduction of our PCSOs will be dramatic,” said Mrs Whittaker.
“They are the regular presence in every sense in terms of visible policing in Torridge.
“As it is, their role is hugely stretched because of the size of the areas they look after, but, that said, they remain the only tangible presence whenever there is a need to deal with the varied number of, what to the Force are, smaller criminal incidents.
“What I wish to learn from you is how a district like Torridge will survive when these numbers are so reduced that there will simply be no lesser crime addressing/problem solving capacity available throughout a large area of the district.
She added: “Torridge is only just about surviving in this respect with the current numbers in place, reduce these and the landscape will be all but barren.”
Mrs Whittaker is awaiting a reply from Ms Hernandez.”
Seaton: “dark net” dealing in LSD from the town says Sunday Times
The Sunday Times is doing an investigation into the “dark net” – a hidden part of the internet where criminal activities take place.
A map with their article (page 11 of main newspaper) titled “Dark Net Dealings around Britain” highlights Seaton with “LSD” against it, and the article says:
“Our investigation found 14 accounts on the dark net that had posted photographs of their illegal wares taken from locations ranging from Troon in Scotland to the seaside town of Seaton in Devon, according to the metadata.”
Might this be connected to the recent high-profile kidnapping and armed robbery trials which featured residents of the town in newspapers last week?
Devon and Cornwall Police under- reporting crimes – by up to 17,400 per year
Isn’t this just the sort of thing Ms Hernandez, our Police and Crime Commissioner, is supposed to be making sure doesn’t happen?
Does she have a plan?
East Devon District Council has a former copper (Councillor Tom Wright) on the committee she reports to – perhaps he could ask her.
However, as this committee met recently only to set the police precept and its next meeting, scheduled for 7 April 2017* has already been cancelled:
that might prove to be a bit difficult.
* surely this meeting has not been cancelled to avoid bad news for the Tories just before DCC elections?
The Plymouth Herald covers the story here:
and says:
“Inspectors said the force had “no excuse” for the failings and had failed to act on many of the recommendations it had made three years ago.”
The story on the BBC Live website:
“Devon and Cornwall police are failing victims of crime by not recording thousands of offences, including rape and serious assaults, an official report has found.
Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary estimates the force is failing to record more than 17,400 reported crimes each year.
The policing regulator rated the force as “inadequate” on the issue.
HM Inspector of Constabulary Wendy Williams said: “I was most concerned to find that the force had failed to record reports of rape, serious sexual assault and offences of serious assault and human trafficking.”
The force said they put victims at the heart of their work, and most of the criticisms concerned updating records and administration.”
Source: BBC Devon Live website
Here is the PCC’s catch-all spin response which shows that her former job in PR is one to which she could readily return:
200 PCSO’s out, 100 police officers, 50 investigators and 30 online staff in, says Hernandez
“Devon and Cornwall Police plans to spend £24m on 100 new constables, 50 investigators and 30 online staff, but PCSOs will be cut by about 200 over the next four years.
Chief Constable Shaun Sawyer said: “The front-line has become very stretched over the past years of austerity.
“At the same time demand has increased and the need for specialist capabilities, such as firearms officers and public order trained staff, has grown to meet the national and international threats.
“The redesign and reprioritisation of our workforce will require us to move some staff from existing roles, such as PCSOs, to other police staff roles, new staff investigation roles or to join up as police officers depending on their career aspirations and suitability.”
Source” BBC Devon website.
PCC Hernandez has authorised the release of £10m from police reserves (currently £70m) and expects the rest to come from council tax contributions.
Engage with Police and the Police and Crime Commissioner
“You are invited to attend the Annual Conference of the East and Mid Devon Community Safety Partnership at Broadclyst Victory Hall on
Wednesday 5th April 2017
Please arrive at 9:15am for a prompt start at 9:30am. This year it is a morning only conference which will finish at 1pm after which there will be a free buffet lunch.
The main speaker will be the Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon and Cornwall, Alison Hernandez but there will also be inputs on local policing, modern slavery, Bethe change and the RISE Hub at Axminster.
Booking is essential as places are limited. Please email: communitysafety@middevon.gov.uk or phone 01884 234997 to book a place.”
PS: Perhaps next time a venue could be organised that people can get to more easily on public transport from the east of the district.
TV Sunday Politics: Councillor tells Police and Crime Commissioner to quit
“Devon and Cornwall’s under-investigations crime chief was put under pressure this morning after a councillor told her to quit on TV
Cornwall councillor Candy Atherton said an ongoing police investigation, appalling crime figures and a complete failure to put one plan in place during nearly nine months in office, made PCC Alison Hernandez’s position intenable.
On Sunday Politics South West this morning, former Labour MP Ms Atherton pressed the point home and said the elected police boss must go – a call which was firmly rejected.
Speaking after the broadcast, she told Cornwall Live that it had simply “gone on long enough.”
She said Ms Hernandez, who earlier this month was revealed to have been interviewed by interviewed by police probing expenses allegations, couldn’t possibly have her eye on the ball.
“What I want is a PCC who is totally focussed on the job in hand, but we do not have that, we have someone who must be constantly looking over their shoulder and wondering what is happening next,” said Ms Atherton.
“She was elected in May for a four year term but still hasn’t got her first plan in place.”
Ms Atherton added that it “must be very difficult for her to concentrate” because of the weight of allegations.
“I’m sure you would have wanted for it to be kicked into the long grass by now, but that hasn’t happened and so now we have to move on.”
Ms Hernandez has been accused of failing to properly declare election expenses when she was employed as the general election agent for Conservative MP Kevin Foster.
And last year she was also widely criticised for taking a selfie with a firefighter outside the burning Royal Clarence Hotel.
Earlier this month it emerged that she had been interviewed by West Mercia Police, which is investigating the allegations, and that their report will go to the Independent Police Complaints Commission. A decision will then be made whether the case should be referred to the Crown Prosecution Servic
Ms Atherton said last week’s crime figures, which showed the number of offences was on the increase, was also reason for the PCC to go.
She said that while Ms Hernandez couldn’t be held responsible for the increase, the county needed a police commissioner who was “fully focussed on the job.”
She admitted not supporting the decision to introduce local police and crime commissioners, the election of whom attracted just a 22% turnout last year, up from 15% the previous election.
But said this was irrelevant as the point was getting a person in the role who was not distracted.
Ms Hernandez robustly defended herself in the interview on Sunday Politics South West saying she had been elected to do a job and that would continue with it.
She said: “In terms of saying whether I’m the right person for the job, the point is that I’m elected to do this job so I am here to do it and I will make sure I endeavour to do a really good job while I’m here.”
Ms Hernandez rejected the suggestion she hadn’t brought any plans forward and said that a budget proposal would be presented in early February and that a policing plan had been formulated with the chief constable.
She said she was looking to recruit more police officers, but would not be drawn on whether – and the extent – of any planned increased to the precept, the amount on council tax bills which go to funding the force.
She suggested that a 2% rise, which the maximum allowed, could mean another £2 million for policing in Devon and Cornwall.
Ms Hernandez claimed that a police and crime commissioner being at the centre of a police investigation had actually proved a “real positive” in terms of her profile.
“The bit that has been so positive is the publicity I have received.
“I can walk down Newquay town and I will get stopped by people who want my help.”
Another guard not being guarded?
PCC Alison Hernandez has said she has not been national media trained.
But does PCC Hernandez need national media training to complete a general election expenses return correctly – or to consider whether appearing at an event with the officer who is the designated Devon & Cornwall police point of contact for the investigation into her alleged election expenses offence may not be the best of ideas?
Hernandez thinks ” negative press” on election expenses allegations were good for her!
When does spin become bovine excrement? AND she says she is “not nationally media trained” yet was employed as a campaign manager for the Tories!
” … Back in October last year, when Ms Hernandez had not been contacted by West Mercia Police regarding the investigation, she spoke about the impact the negative press has had on her.
“This negative publicity has been a very helpful process because it’s made me approachable, it means that people will ask for help,” she said at the time. “It’s got to the point actually where I’m not seeing it as a bad thing.
“When I’ve gone out in the public domain I’ve had a lot of people come and say I feel sorry for you, and I’ve never felt more loved in my life.
“It was like a baptism of fire. I’m not nationally media trained, I don’t want people to think I’m shying away from them.”
PCC Alison Hernandez FINALLY being interviewed about election expenses
Just before Christmas – Thursday 22 December:
Devon and Cornwall Police not police vetting their own staff to national standards
“A new report has criticised Devon and Cornwall Police for not vetting more than 300 staff in line with national standards”
The force said the staff were vetted to local requirements, but national standards would now be introduced.
Overall, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary rated Devon and Cornwall Police as “good” at maintaining public trust and treating communities fairly.”
BBC Devon Live web page
One for our Police and Crime Commissioner, Owl thinks!
Hernandez: quick – find money, sell police stations, increase council tax
“Police and crime commissioner (PCC) Alison Hernandez has told officials to find millions in cash to boost neighbourhood policing with dozens of new officers.
The Tory crime tsar won the May election with a pledge to keep open police stations and deploy more “bobbies” in communities that felt “abandoned”.
… Now Ms Hernandez has instructed her office to find all the spare money she can to fund new officers – including raising council tax and digging into cash reserves.
The operation – which could generate an extra £4million, funding as many as 80 new officers – comes as the results of a huge public consultation in Devon and Cornwall, generating 1,400 responses, are revealed.
Ms Hernandez will attend the police and crime panel in Plymouth, which oversees the PCC, to formally present her plans next Friday.
Andrew White, chief executive at the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, said every potential source of fresh money would be tapped.
“I have been going through the budget to find all the money I can to turnover as much money as possible into frontline policing,” he told the Echo. …
… The plan is not explicit about the future shape of the force but promises to “retain a broad footprint for the police estate”.
“Police stations and offices are not the primary means by which the public engage with the police although they can play a part in connecting the community to the police,” it states.
The report also says “keeping underutilised or unnecessary physical buildings will tie up capital and revenue funds which we can spend in other ways”. “Going forward when a police station is vacated we will seek to provide an alternative base within that locality.
“In addition the PCC and the Chief Constable will look at ways to widen the police footprint in local areas to improve community liaison and connectivity – including through the Citizens in Policing Programme, colocation with partners and community access points and will pilot options in the second half of 2017.”
Panel member and Plymouth City Councillor Philippa Davey said: “it is a good plan which contains lots of fantastic things but does not set out exactly how we will achieve them. “It will be interesting to hear from Alison Hernandez and the chief constable at the meeting. “The bottom line is going to be a reduction in workforce, officers and money.
“The PCC and the chief constable will be spending their time making savings rather than doing their job – keeping our communities safe from harm.”
East Devon Watch 