Alan MaC

Was travelling through Glos this Afternoon.

Plod Car Blocking the road with 2 of the above sending every one back, there was a large puddle and, I watched an elderyly man in an old Escort try to go through the big puddle at 2mph, he stalled and got stuck and was stranded.

I asked to go through and was shouted at and told to turn round, this was the 3rd person to get stuck in the puddle.

Said I can get through no problem and, I would take resposibilty and, could do water.

This person said, I won't tell you again, I thought about it for a moment and, was tempted to just do it, she then started talking in to her radio.

A lorry behind me was also turned around, the water was no more than 6-8" deep on a level road.

He wasn't happy either, I understand they have a watered down ( sorry about that) brief as a mini Plod.

What could they have done to me if I had just driven through??

Sorry about the long post, had enough

hassle with the rain without Jobs worth contribution.


Your views please.

THanks.

Regards.

Alan MaC

Alan MaC

Anyone know??

New_scooby_04

iTrader: (4)

Alan,

As far as I know, they can only detain whilst waiting for the police; they do not have powers of arrest. All they can do is report what you've done to the police; its then up to them as regards to how they want to proceed.

Hard to see what they'd have reported you for!

Alan MaC

Thanks for that, wish I'd gone gor it now.

Regards.

Alan MaC

Dracoro

At the bare minimum they could do a citizens arrest regardless.

[Davey]

To be fair I dont think even a REAL Police officer could have grounds to stop you if your vehicle is capable of passing safely..

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

Unsure about that. "Real" police officers seem to have unlimited powers as regards motorists.

My eldest rang me this morning to say the road to his work, 15 miles away, was closed by police due to an accident. No-one there to tell drivers anything, or to direct them.

How often do we see this, now? Even motorways are closed if there's an accident.

I had to give him directions over the phone.

Alcazar

tonybooth

Not for a non-arrestable offence you can't.

They have very limited powers and no power of arrest. They do have power to direct traffic as required and any offence would relate to a failure to comply with a traffic direction which at worst would be a £60.00 fine.

T

Dracoro

I would have thought that much was obvious!! Even proper police can't arrest you for, by definition, non-arrestable offences.

bob r

iTrader: (46)

Errm yes they can. Any offence that could require a court case enables a Police Officer to arrest.

Examples : Dropping litter
: Failing to comply with a Traffic signal given by a Police Officer
: Failing to produce driving docs at the roadside

Looooooooooads more.

In this case the wanna be cop couldn't have done much apart from winging to a real cop who would have to told wanna be to ".... OFF"

Dracoro

Soooo, in other words, these are arrestable offences no?

CrisPDuk

I remember having this a discussion similar to this one with a 'proper' copper a couple of years ago, he wouldn't let me through a flood that was only up to the kerbstones because some silly cow in Beemer had managed to drown her engine.
I was in the company Forrester at the time, the water wouldn't even have reached it's bumpers

I ended up being over two hours late for work because I got diverted all the way round the back of Glossop, I wouldn't have minded so much, but my office was les than 50yds from the far edge of the puddle
If the same occured again I'd either risk it and ignore the copper, or just dump the car and walk it

Felix.

Things have changed since the start of this year. It used be a case of certain offences were classed as arrestable offences where as others were classed as offences with a power of arrest. Now all offences are classed as having a power of arrest so long as the arrest is deemed as necessary.

Anyway, back to the topic, if it was a police car parked across the road, this itself should be enough to tell motorists that the road is closed. We tend to put officers/PCSO’s there as well to inform drivers the road is shut and to turn around. You will be amazed how many people will either drive around the police car or wait at the police car causing a huge traffic jam.

Felix.

Cris

Its a lot easier in cases like this just to close the road to anyone. Otherwise you will get people moaning “Well you let him through – and my car is just as big”

TopBanana

I would have driven on if I was sure I could make it

Leslie

They have the same powers as you do, including that of citizen's arrest.

It is a cheap way of putting someone in a police uniform on the streets to make it look as though they have employed more police!

Les

New_scooby_04

iTrader: (4)

Nail on the head hit!

BTW IIRC An arrestable offence used to be one that, upon sucessful conviction, would carry a sentence of 5 years or more in prison.

As has already been stated, it's been changed now......such that it pretty much includes everything!

Spoon

In most cases that I've seen they certainly have the powers to look complete cócks.

ScoobyWeb

They are pretty much a complete waste of time and effort. I don't mean to belittle them as people doing a job, but the problem is they have no powers and the little ******* know this and take the p*ss. Lets face it thats what these CSO's are on the streets for, the gangs of kids.
They don't even have the power to demand someones name and the kids know this, when asked they just say f**koff I don't have to tell you anything. I see it all the time, as I contract to the council and work on some of the roughest estates in Sheffield.

AudiLover

These community police officers are a laughing stock to 7 year olds. They command no respect or authority from the youth at all.

Bonehead

Wrong, they do have the power to ask for peoples details

monkeyboy840

why cant everyone just do as they are asked.

roads are closed for a reason. it may not be apparent to you why it is shut but it is shut for a reason. I have spent the past twelve hours rescuing stranded 'IDIOTS' (not calling you an idiot alan mac ) because they thought they could get through.

today a bloke was in the same situation. wanted to go through a 'foot' of water in a 4x4, passable yes I agree! But, when the wall at the side of the road exploded and let thousands of gallons through seconds later (Adwick near doncaster) he was happy I had stopped him. Had he been travelling through he may have been killed.

I do have more powers that the PCSO's though (COP ) They are helping us out in south yorkshire letting us do the worse jobs while they man/staff the ropad blocks. I believe emergency powers have been given out to them at the moment re road closures but they do have powers to stop you passing a road block normally as did traffic wardens before them.

Sorry for the rant but i'm cold and a bit pissed off at the lack of common sense of the general public. Hope that helps Alan Mac.


Oh and before everybody starts slagging this post I wont be replying if it just gets stupid I have better things to do.

Odds on

And you would know this information 1st hand obviously

richie001

iTrader: (3)

hope this helps

Home Office | Police | Community Support Officers - Frequently Asked Questions

Dazza01

AudiLover, that maybe true, but you ain't seen the blonde community officer round my way, christ, she could arrest me any time she liked

AudiLover

yeah im the shoulder your wifey comes to cry on when the kiddies mock her

AudiLover

you see thats the only good thing about these community coppers. Some right top totty wearing the uniform these days. Sadly some of them get sexually harrassed by the youngsters, such as odds on's wife

kingofturds

iTrader: (1)

They have the power to look like a **** What we need is real armed cops on the beat. Catch any twoc'ers or druggies on the street then they fill them with 60 rounds of lead.

Brun

^^^^^^^^^
Yep!

bob r

iTrader: (46)

As someone else has said, any offence is arrestable nowadays.