Incident report from mobile unit

Incident report (ref 232)

16.30 Thursday 15 January 2008 Outside the PCSO WATCH mobile unit parked (with permission) on private land at the edge of Sneinton Market.

Knock on the PCSO WATCH door..... we open it and there are 2 CPO’s.

They are the same officers who came to the mobile unit at 15.15-15.45 when it was staffed by Officer B. (see separate incident report) .They also visited the Surface Gallery and spoke to a member of staff. In addition they had ten minutes earlier observed us observing them at about 16.20.

CPO 9949 speaks, the other CPO wanders off and waits from a distance.

CPO 9949 - First of all mate. Just a bit of concern regarding this PCSO sign mate. What it is, people will think it (the caravan) is full of PCSO’s

OFFICER ROB O COPP - People will think what?

CPO 9949- People could think you have got PCSO’s in here watching in the area and you could end up getting severely hurt. All right. Look mate, you wear a yellow jacket the same as us.

OFFICER ROB O COPP - People are laughing.

CPO 9949 - Young lads in this area will see the sign saying PCSO they will be more than happy to chuck a brick through your window.

OFFICER ROB O COPP - Well, most of them have been laughing. People have found it quite funny.

CPO 9949 - So....You doing it for R8R (festival) are you?

OFFICER TAGS -Is there something that we are doing that is against the law?

CPO 9949- No not at all, not but my beat manager would like a contact name and telephone number thats all.

OFFICER TAGS - For what reason?

CPO 9949- Cause I’ve had, we’ve had, complaints come in, about you guys being here.

OFFICER TAGS - Complaints?

CPO - Yes.

OFFICER ROB O COPP - Of what nature?

CPO - I’m not prepared to say their names and Im not prepared to say who from.

OFFICER ROB O COPP - We don’t need names. What sort of complaint? It’s private land.

CPO 9949 - All I can say is ....

(Starts to open his inner jacket pocket)

CPO 9949 - ....... and Im not going to show you. I do have incident report sheets, here.... (he pulls a piece of paper from his pocket just halfway, and pushes it back in again) .... about you guys with a caravan and the car being on it.

OFFICER ROB O COPP - OK

CPO 9949 - And with this sign being on here as well.

OFFICER TAGS - So you are basically saying you don’t like our sign.

CPO 9949 - No. It is a concern for safety.

OFFICER TAGS - Well should we warn you about your safety wearing a jacket and being on the streets?

CPO 9949 - The difference is I wear Kevlar body armour.

OFFICER TAGS - But you haven’t got any handcuffs have you?

CPO 9949 - No.

OFFICER TAGS - Have you got a truncheon or anything?

CPO - No. No.

OFFICER TAGS - Are you not concerned for your safety?

CPO 9949 - No

OFFICER TAGS - Why not?

CPO 9949 - All I have to do .... If I come under attack all I have to do is hit my orange button. (he points to a button on his radio)

Then I’ve got police officers coming straight to my aid.

OFFICER TAGS - Well if we have a problem then we can phone the police as well. So we’ll do that. We have got the same protection as you haven’t we?

CPO 9949 - Well that’s fine. Yes.

CPO 9949 - What I wanted to say was just mainly that. That was all. That was our concern, and obviously your health and safety being in mind obviously.