Former brigadier arrested over credit card-sized toolkit

What an excellent use of resources.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-2462834,00.html


Mind you, you could not make this up either:

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/business/story/0,,1945549,00.html

Sound familiar?

".....why should we expect the police to be different from the rest of the public sector, where target bureaucracy and top-down management sap front-line energy in the same way? "

 

Mrs B III and me went to Lille on the Eurostar and rather than pay for first class (being tight), we took a bottle of fizz, with some cheese, pate and and assorted bics, for an on board 'nosh'. Liking to do things 'proper', Mrs B III had packed the biggest, most evil looking cheese knife to ever come out of Sheffield. Guess what, the security whallah found it in the bag. Conversation went something like this:

Whallah: 'Ello, whats this'?
Mrs B III: 'It's for the cheese'
Whallah: 'Oh, that's ok then, enjoy your trip'.

Sound like we were a bit lucky there.

 

Is there is no common sense in the world?

 

I tried to post this earlier about that story.

It is another example of shoddy journalism from News International. SInce when has the Institute of Civil Engineers been a directorate of the MoD and since when were civil engineers weapons experts. Also the title is sensationalist crud. He is an ex Brig, no longer in the employ of the MoD and not engaged in MoD business.

 

Not in the world of Nu-Labour target bureacracy. The second article may give a hint as to why the BTP made such a fuss. Wonder what it got reported as: Major Security Risk Averted??

 

The story seems pretty clear to me:

http://www.ice.org.uk/about_ice/icemanagement_director_tomfoulkes.asp

Could be a bloke who used to clean the bogs in the MoD: the issue is that of OTT responses to the trivial which just brings everything into disrepute.

 

That's British Transport Police for you - probably their collar of the week!

 

BTP - almost like being a policeman. When I was in the specials in Preston, the BTP had an officer who used to sit in his car outside the railway station all night "just in case". some of them would come onto town to help us with kick-offs but one fat b-d used to sit there and listen. Tw4t! One night I went to collect a prisoner from him and in the course of conversation I discovered I had locked up more in my first six months than he had in ten years...and not because he was using his magisterial personality to quell situations with resorting to custody either. He claimed to be ex-sapper too. Guess which squadron? Yep.

As for this nonsense, well no one has ever found the tool-kit ala Brigadier that I keep in my wallet. Interestingly it was a business gift from BAESYSTEMS - imagine the scope if that got into the Sun? "Merchants of death supply terrorism nail files to ex-commando killer on Easyjet!"

 

Was the "business gift" delivered late (after the Saudis had been bribed to take a truckload) and vastly over-budget?

 

Preston Special - almost like being a member of BTP!

Anyway, went through airport security the other day with two bog standard disposable plastic lighters. Told I could only have one, so I binned the other. On the way back I was told I could only carry a bog standard disposable lighter if it was contained within a zip lock bag. Having lost my handy supply of zip lock bags (that I always bloody well carry), that one got binned too. Air travel in North Anerica ain't what it used to be........!

 

Perhaps Ventress could comment?........'Mind the gap!'

 

Does the Peanuts and Monkeys equation hold good here?

 

Oh in that case he should be locked up and have the key thrown away..oh thanks for clarifying that, for a moment then I thought the plod had gone completely over the top, now however you have helped reassure me that they obviously did the right thing!!

 

Sounds like what happened to Joe Foss;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Foss

"On January 11, 2002, Foss, then in his mid-80s, gained renewed fame when he was stopped at the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport because he was carrying his Medal of Honor (which has pointed edges), along with a clearly marked dummy-bullet keychain and a small knife (with MOH insignia) on his way to giving a speech to a class at the United States Military Academy at West Point.

The subsequent delay and lack of recognition of the award, together with his age, were used as an example of an alleged widespread abuse of passengers by airport security personnel. The story later attained urban-legend status before it was held as true by snopes.com, a popular "last word" on such claims.

 

Similar thing with me only I had my Leathermans on my belt, worn out of habit. On the train and conducter asks can he borrow it as he neede a screwdriver to undo a battery cover. Also used a couple of times to repair several different pair of spectacles(none mine, good samaritan style) Bike repairs on half the neighbourhoods kids bikes. The only comment from Police I've ever had is "can I borrow that a minute?" or "I'll have to get one of those". Also I have only had to take it off once going to Court in the last 5 years. I always say to the guard on the metal detector barriers what I've got and remove it from it's belt pouch and plonk it in the bowl with my change. Average seven trips to Court in the last 5 years (both Crown and Magistrates). I have also worn my multi-tools to several Party conferences (Labour & Conservative) while working as security, Passing through barriers 20+ times a day as well as manning them. The Officers involved in this should be Boll**ked. No use of common sense.