A RETIRED soldier who was questioned by riot police after complaining about a lord provost's lack of etiquette, has received an official apology.
Former guardsman Jake Reid was stunned to be interviewed by police officers after the provost took exception to being called an "embarrassment" in an e-mail.
The Scots Guards veteran who served on five tours of duty in Northern Ireland was visited by police and warned not to send any more e-mails to Dundee's lord provost, John Letford.
However, Mr Reid has now received an apology from chiefs at Tayside Police, who admitted "there was no basis" for their heavy-handed reaction to the e-mails and that their reaction was "inappropriate".
Colin Mackay, the deputy divisional commander, wrote to Mr Reid this week to confirm that "no action should have been taken by Tayside Police in respect of an e-mail which had been sent by you to Councillor Letford".
Superintendent Mackay wrote to Mr Reid: "I am happy to confirm that in the circumstances there was no basis for any police involvement or action against yourself.
"I would like to take this opportunity to apologise to you for any embarrassment caused to you as a result of police involvement in this matter."
Mr Reid had sent two e-mails to Lord Provost Letford after being outraged by Mr Letford's failure to properly address the Queen during a royal visit to the city. He headlined his e-mail "Dundee and Dignity", and wrote: "Sir, You are an embarrassment to Dundee, when will you resign?"
Days later, a riot squad arrived at his door and ordered him to stop sending e-mails to the provost.
Mr Reid, 56, said: "I e-mailed the lord provost as a citizen of his city after I was embarrassed at his handling of two recent events. There was the official re-opening of Baxter Park, which Her Majesty the Queen attended, and Provost Letford mumbled, 'I'll now ask the Queen to open the park'.
"He has no protocol, no awareness of how to be around dignitaries, and I was embarrassed. It was the same thing at a recent veteran's parade in Dundee."
When he failed to receive a reply, Mr Reid sent a second e-mail to Lord Provost Letford, quoting A Man's A Man For A' That.
But Mr Reid was shocked when riot police suddenly arrived at his home in Dundee.
He explained: "Out of the blue, there is a knock at my door and the police are standing there, complete with a riot police van. The cops asked me if I had sent two e-mails to the lord provost.
"I told them that I had and they told me not to send him any more e-mails. But I said, 'Don't tell me not to write to an elected official'.
"When he retires I will stop, but not before."
He added: "It was a complete waste of police time and resources. The whole thing was a disgrace but I am glad to receive an apology over the incident."
Former guardsman Jake Reid was stunned to be interviewed by police officers after the provost took exception to being called an "embarrassment" in an e-mail.
The Scots Guards veteran who served on five tours of duty in Northern Ireland was visited by police and warned not to send any more e-mails to Dundee's lord provost, John Letford.
However, Mr Reid has now received an apology from chiefs at Tayside Police, who admitted "there was no basis" for their heavy-handed reaction to the e-mails and that their reaction was "inappropriate".
Colin Mackay, the deputy divisional commander, wrote to Mr Reid this week to confirm that "no action should have been taken by Tayside Police in respect of an e-mail which had been sent by you to Councillor Letford".
Superintendent Mackay wrote to Mr Reid: "I am happy to confirm that in the circumstances there was no basis for any police involvement or action against yourself.
"I would like to take this opportunity to apologise to you for any embarrassment caused to you as a result of police involvement in this matter."
Mr Reid had sent two e-mails to Lord Provost Letford after being outraged by Mr Letford's failure to properly address the Queen during a royal visit to the city. He headlined his e-mail "Dundee and Dignity", and wrote: "Sir, You are an embarrassment to Dundee, when will you resign?"
Days later, a riot squad arrived at his door and ordered him to stop sending e-mails to the provost.
Mr Reid, 56, said: "I e-mailed the lord provost as a citizen of his city after I was embarrassed at his handling of two recent events. There was the official re-opening of Baxter Park, which Her Majesty the Queen attended, and Provost Letford mumbled, 'I'll now ask the Queen to open the park'.
"He has no protocol, no awareness of how to be around dignitaries, and I was embarrassed. It was the same thing at a recent veteran's parade in Dundee."
When he failed to receive a reply, Mr Reid sent a second e-mail to Lord Provost Letford, quoting A Man's A Man For A' That.
But Mr Reid was shocked when riot police suddenly arrived at his home in Dundee.
He explained: "Out of the blue, there is a knock at my door and the police are standing there, complete with a riot police van. The cops asked me if I had sent two e-mails to the lord provost.
"I told them that I had and they told me not to send him any more e-mails. But I said, 'Don't tell me not to write to an elected official'.
"When he retires I will stop, but not before."
He added: "It was a complete waste of police time and resources. The whole thing was a disgrace but I am glad to receive an apology over the incident."
Is no one allowed to speak against Liarbor politicians in this bloody country?