Thread: Real Crime Cops Action Camera

I found myself watching Real Crime Cops Action Camera (or whatever it's called) in the early hours. One of the stories depicted West Yorks traffic coppers pulling over some motorist as his plate had flagged up on the Automatic Number Plate Recognition System for an 'outstanding fine'. He is then detained at a service station car park until some no neck from the debt recovery agency turn up to march him off to the nearest cash point for the £1000+ payment (bearing in mind how much a £60 fine can snowball in hours) on pain of his vehicle being seized.

I then thinks to myself: 'Did I just see that? Did I miss some vital snippet of information there, or can someone be pulled over by the police - acting as agents for bailiffs - for an outstanding parking fine?' If this is indeed the case, what else is the ANPRS programmed to flag up, Council Tax? I found that specific part of the programme quite worrying. Are we really that Draconian already, or is it for our 'safety'? Should I immediately don my tinfoil hat?

I did not see the programme you mention but it is now the practice (as far as I am aware ) that court appointed bailiffs are used to collect / act on "Fines" warrants issued by the courts. So although it may well be a private firm collecting the money they are actually acting on behalf of the issuing court. This replaces the need for police to chase people for non payments of court fines. Apologies if the above is incorrect but it is as it was decribed to me a couple of years ago.
No different to people being stopped on ANPR for no road tax and being handed over to the DVLA to be dealt with (if the DVLA are on the ANPR operation) rather than being issued a fixed penalty by police officer (Fixed penalty still available if DVLA are not).
It is not uncommon for many agencies to be involved in ANPR checks DVLA / VOSA / Immigration to name but a few

Hardly a career criminal; OK the fine needs to be collected and the courts have appointed and payed an agency to do so.

So why then are the Police doing the agency's work when their time could be better spent. I bet the coppers on the ground were none too happy either.

Originally Posted by BuckFelize

I found myself watching Real Crime Cops Action Camera (or whatever it's called) in the early hours. One of the stories depicted West Yorks traffic coppers pulling over some motorist as his plate had flagged up on the Automatic Number Plate Recognition System for an 'outstanding fine'. He is then detained at a service station car park until some no neck from the debt recovery agency turn up to march him off to the nearest cash point for the £1000+ payment (bearing in mind how much a £60 fine can snowball in hours) on pain of his vehicle being seized.

I then thinks to myself: 'Did I just see that? Did I miss some vital snippet of information there, or can someone be pulled over by the police - acting as agents for bailiffs - for an outstanding parking fine?' If this is indeed the case, what else is the ANPRS programmed to flag up, Council Tax? I found that specific part of the programme quite worrying. Are we really that Draconian already, or is it for our 'safety'? Should I immediately don my tinfoil hat?

Things only reach that stage when the Magistates Court have been consistently ignored when trying to recover fines or if the vehicle has no registered keeper and its owner is using that to evade paying his fines/congestion charges. This is how you try and catch the sort of persistent evader who sticks two fingers up at everybody else and refuses to pay his dues.

Trotsky

Though, this sort of thing is being used by local councils to recover unpaid parking tickets etc.

As I think council parking charges and fines system severely take the urine, Im not in favour of having to do their dirty work.

I thought going round collecting fines off motorists was all the police did? Also most of that is done automatically so they can spend more time eating doughnuts.

But then not being a criminal sort it's all I see them doing maybe they should be allowed to wear their uniform in public?

Originally Posted by Hassle

I thought going round collecting fines off motorists was all the police did? Also most of that is done automatically so they can spend more time eating doughnuts.

But then not being a criminal sort it's all I see them doing maybe they should be allowed to wear their uniform in public?