Cabinet Office Minister Francis Maude reacted angrily to a senior policeman, Assistant Commissioner John Yates, telling the Association of Chief Police Officers annual conference that the nation was more vulnerable to terrorist activity due to an imminent reduction in the force’s budget. Mr Maude told the BBC News channel: "I’d like to avoid public servants doing this kind of shroud-waving in public.
Month: July 2010
Turnstiles in public toilets benefit older people
The decrease in public toilets (some 15 per cent approximately in the past decade) has had a negative impact on society: this is especially felt in older people. Age UK, who used to be known as Help the Aged, researched the problem and found that 13 per cent of older people (1.26 million) do not go out more than once a week.
Make car theft tough with modular scanning technology
The latest method of car theft is to literally steal the expensive ones from under peoples’ noses by taking the keys. Police have urged members of the public to be on guard and take extra security steps to protect them. The ‘M.O.’ is to burgle a premises – usually through an open access point, which is very common in the summer heat – nab the keys and simply drive off.
Tamper resistant full height turnstiles foil thieves
Crime dropped by 9 per cent last year in England and Wales, confounding fears that the recession would fuel an increase in offending. The number of murders fell by 6% to 615, the lowest since 1997, while gun and knife crime also fell. Crimes recorded by the police fell 8% from 4.7m in 2008/09 to 4.3m last year.
Automatic barriers and posts protect small convenience stores
A highly organised gang of robbers attempted to ram raid a convenience store to steal money from the cash machine inside. The Merseyside criminals targeted cash machines as they were being restocked between March and September, 2008; while committing a string of burglaries at houses in England and Wales. Welsh detectives worked hand-in-hand with Merseyside police’s Matrix team to help snare the gang.
Smart card computer system controls gates and turnstiles
Angry scenes took place in some constituencies at the spring general election when polling stations were unable to cope with the number of electors, some of whom were turned away. This was despite polls being open from 7am until 10pm. Jenny Watson, chair of the independent watchdog, the Electoral Commission, said that the returning officers "did not properly plan for, or react to, polling day problems. That is unacceptable.
Posts will stop illegal parking at your premises
Some local councils have taken on responsibility for parking fines. Traffic wardens have been replaced by civil parking enforcement teams (CEOs) on the beat for more hours than usual, from 7am-10pm seven days a week in Cardiff, Wales. The new teams will be mobile so any trouble spots can be prioritised. Cardiff council took over the enforcement from South Wales Police as part of a wider transport strategy.
Bollards deter people driving away without paying for fuel
A common crime is for a motorist to drive off without paying for petrol. Recently a man has been given a four-month prison sentence, suspended for a year, by magistrates at Portsmouth Magistrates’ Court for this offence after he pleaded guilty to making off without payment for £40 worth of fuel and driving while disqualified.