From Red Tape to the Thin Blue Line: Retiring Police Chief Tackles Your Questions ; the Chief Constable of Northumbria Police, Mike Craik, Is to Retire at the End of This Month After Five Years in the Job. We Asked Journal Readers to Put Their Questions to Him About His Time in Charge and Issues They Wish to Raise.

The Journal › March 23, 2010

Linked as:

Summary

Q Over recent years it seems that police involvement in road traffic related matters has been reduced enormously, either by design or because officers have less initiative in this direction.

Road traffic incidents (previously 'accidents') seem to present no interest to the police unless they involve an injury, and moving traffic offences in relation to signs prohibiting particular manoeuvres are no longer being actively policed. Is it, perhaps, the case that ACPO (the Association of Chief Police Officers) -or the Government - has directed forces to concentrate less on road traffic issues? Bill Pickard Gateshead A The protection of life and property, in all its forms, remains a cornerstone of policing; as it always has. This includes death, injury and harm on the roads. We have not reduced our investment in this form of policing. It is true we rely more on technology, such as cameras, than ever before. We also have a clear focus on denying criminals the use of roads; not least because they actually cause much of the harm and damage through uninsured road traffic incidents. I don't think it's right to distinguish between crime and road traffic issues. We deliberately set out to target those who routinely break our laws (traffic included), rather than simply deal with all those who occasionally make a mistake or error of judgment on the road.

See the full content of this document

Extract

From Red Tape to the Thin Blue Line: Retiring Police Chief Tackles Your Questions ; the Chief Constable of Northumbria Police, Mike Craik, Is to Retire at the End of This Month After Five Years in the Job. We Asked Journal Readers to Put Their Questions to Him About His Time in Charge and Issues They Wish to Raise.

Q A while ago there was talk of a superforce involving Northumbria, Durham and Cleveland. Has the idea been dropped? James Anderson Middlesbrough.

AI always held the view that strategic forces were a sound idea and, while...

See the full content of this document