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Bianca Williams: Met apologises to sprinter over stop-and-search

Excuse the thread drift, but it is PNC-related.

Many moons ago the 80s during my RCT days, I was guard commander at Regents Park Barracks. There was a suspicion that there were a couple of IRA active service units out and about in London.

We had a detachment of THEM operating out of Regents Park. Due to the heightened alert state we also usually had a copper from Albany Street nick on the gate helping us.

One of THEMs units were using a beat-up looking Ford Transit masquerading as a builder’s van. Apparently it was much souped-up underneath. We had been briefed on which vehicles THEM were using and just to wave them through the gate without stopping or searching their vehicles.

The Transit returned one day and parked just inside the gate. I asked the young WPC on the gate, for a bit of a laugh, to call up for a PNC check.

She got on her radio and passed the reg number. A rather panicked voice on the other end of the radio asked: “Have you stopped this vehicle?”

“No,” she replied. “It’s parked near the barracks.”

The radio op said: “It comes up as ‘refer to another force’ I can’t say which one over the radio, just walk away and call in on a land line please.”

I’m not sure what it would have shown on the PNC, but it did cause some level of panic. After that, each of the coppers in Albany Street nick were given a list of vehicles that were to be left alone.

Poor girl was commended for being conscientious but bollocked for not paying attention in briefings. Luckily she didn’t grass up the dumb squaddie who put her up to it.

Sorry for the thread drift.

She shouldn't really have got bollocked. It should have flashed up as an alphabetically numbered category and either refer to file or command station at Division. The process would then allow access to microfilm or in this case a polite order to ignore.

Edited to remove a letter and stuff.
 
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I have never advocated mutiny. But she has endangered her officers' lives.

Neither have I, but needs must. Ref your second sentence, but other lives too. Anyway, what is mutinous about resigning? I have changed jobs on many an occasion. Not as important as policing, but if they did?! I think there would be more than a little unrest in Westminster. It may cause a few to have some thoughts on the way they see things, as opposed to the rest of us. But then again, I'm ever an optimist.
 
Neither have I, but needs must. Ref your second sentence, but other lives too. Anyway, what is mutinous about resigning? I have changed jobs on many an occasion. Not as important as policing, but if they did?! I think there would be more than a little unrest in Westminster. It may cause a few to have some thoughts on the way they see things, as opposed to the rest of us. But then again, I'm ever an optimist.
It would also give Boris and Priti a cast iron, unassailable reason to get shot of Dick.
 
Indeed : She can play the oppressed lezza bint as much as she likes, but Boris and Priti can simply counter that with the " You're f*cking useless and here's why" card.
And ‘you’ve irrevocably lost the confidence of the rank and file’.
 
Well, she's made it impossible for her officers (not 'staff') to do their job.
The people that do the actual work (no comparitive puns intended) aren't officers either way. They're constables and sergeants - ORs and, if you want to push it, NCOs.

Those in constabulary with pips, crowns and whatever you call the wreath-things on ACC and CC epaulettes are nothing more than polishers of the trouser/skirt-seat.
 
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The people that do the actual work (no comparitive puns intended) aren't officers either way. They're constables and sergeants - ORs and, if you want to push it, NCOs.

Those in constabulary with pips, crowns and whatever you call the wreath-things on ACC and CC epaulettes are nothing more than polishers of the trouser/skirt-seat.
Was not the general term once over 'officer'? Genuine question.

I know it's not 'staff'...
 
Indeed : She can play the oppressed lezza bint as much as she likes, but Boris and Priti can simply counter that with the " You're f*cking useless and here's why" card.

The problem in a nutshell. When the rest of us furk up, we're sacked and/or shunned. However, in certain jobs zilch, or a move in a sideways direction. No loss of wages, pension secure, jog on. This seems to be when the taxpayer, mainly the majority of the population, are paying for it. It annoys me on hearing, "the government will pay for, will help, etc.." my arrse! It's the bloody taxpayer, you and me who's picking up the tab.
 
Was not the general term once over 'officer'? Genuine question.

I know it's not 'staff'...
I think that's something we picked up from the Yank TV imports, as over there it's "Officer/Sergeant/Lieutenant/Etc. X." Over here, in my dad's day at least, it was "Constable/Sergeant/Inspector/Etc. X." I've no reason to suspect a change - officially they are still referred to as "PC/PS/Insp. X." I for one always address a bluebottle as "constable" or "sergeant" as applicable.

An actual constable may be along shortly to confirm. There appear to be several serving and ex- on this site...
 
We dont use IC code IC-1 etc etc. Everyone is either Black, white, asian,mixed race.

Get a fair few people....on 9's calls too..trying to skirt around saying "black" thinking they'll get into trouble for it.
Multiple occasions have had "Can I say that?"

Edit...I ask..."Black white asian,mixed race? when asking for description.
 
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I think that's something we picked up from the Yank TV imports, as over there it's "Officer/Sergeant/Lieutenant/Etc. X." Over here, in my dad's day at least, it was "Constable/Sergeant/Inspector/Etc. X." I've no reason to suspect a change - officially they are still referred to as "PC/PS/Insp. X." I for one always address a bluebottle as "constable" or "sergeant" as applicable.

An actual constable may be along shortly to confirm. There appear to be several serving and ex- on this site...
In Court the Defence Brief, Prosecuter, Court Usher, Judge and Uncle Tom Cobley generally used to call you 'Officer' although sometimes Constable. Same with members of the public.
 
I think that's something we picked up from the Yank TV imports, as over there it's "Officer/Sergeant/Lieutenant/Etc. X." Over here, in my dad's day at least, it was "Constable/Sergeant/Inspector/Etc. X." I've no reason to suspect a change - officially they are still referred to as "PC/PS/Insp. X." I for one always address a bluebottle as "constable" or "sergeant" as applicable.

An actual constable may be along shortly to confirm. There appear to be several serving and ex- on this site...

I was appointed in the ‘office of Constable’ and as such, an ‘officer of the law’.
 
Was not the general term once over 'officer'? Genuine question.

I know it's not 'staff'...
I seem to recall that the term "officer" came in when people lost the ability to recognise gender. Before then, we had policemen and policewomen.

On the subject of "constables" (other than the artist), my recollection is that they belonged to a constabulary. Not all police forces are constabularies but I forget the distinction.
 
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