Police apologise to Bristol man arrested for taking photo
A Bristol man was arrested after he took a photo of a police
officer who had ignored a no entry road sign.
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Police apologise to Bristol man arrested for taking photo
Plumber Andrew Carter, of Bedminster, has since had an
apology from the officer and Deputy Chief Constable of Avon and
Somerset police Rob Beckley.
Mr Carter, 44, was walking his two dogs when a police van
reversed into South Road, Bedminster, ignoring no entry
signs.
The van stopped near a fish and chip shop in the street and
two officers went into the shop to look at CCTV footage
relating to an earlier incident.
Mr Carter said: "I had nearly been run over the previous day
by a car going through the no entry signs so I was a bit miffed
when a police van did the same thing.
"He reversed into the road rather than going round the block
and coming in the other way, like the rest of us have to.
"I pointed at the sign and said "no entry" to the driver who
swore and said 'police business'.
"I went home and got my camera. I took a photo of the van
and then a picture of the officer, through the window of the
chip shop.
"He came running out, smashed the camera from my hand. I was
put in handcuffs and he said I had 'assaulted' him with my
camera and that I was also being arrested for resisting arrest
and being drunk and disorderly.
"This was complete nonsense. They bundled me into the back
of the van. I offered to delete the photos but the male officer
was having none of it."
Mr Carter was taken to Broadbury Road police station in
Knowle where he was kept for five hours until a doctor examined
him. He had very high blood pressure and was freed on police
bail.
When he returned to answer bail the following week, with his
solicitor, he was kept at the station for another five
hours.
Mr Carter, who was not charged with any offence, made a
formal complaint about the wrongful arrest by PC Aqil Farooq
who faced a disciplinary tribunal in July, seven months after
the incident in January.
PC Farooq apologised to Mr Carter and later he received a
letter from Deputy Chief Constable Rob Beckley, who chaired the
disciplinary tribunal.
Mr Beckley said in the letter: "I know that PC Farooq
apologised personally to you but I would also like to add my
apologies on behalf of Avon and Somerset Constabulary.
"We expect the highest standards of our officers and PC
Farooq fell below what was required. I know that his colleagues
feel he let us down and he has learnt a difficult lesson.
"As you know, he was spoken to by the Head of Professional
Standards Department immediately after the hearing.
"I am told he realises his actions were totally unacceptable
and he could and should have apologised to you much
earlier.
"I have also ensured that his line manager is aware of the
issue of his judgement on this occasion and that aspect of his
performance will be monitored in the future."
Mr Carter said he was happy with the apology but was
pursuing a claim for compensation for wrongful arrest.
Avon and Somerset police declined to make any further
comment.
96 Comments
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by Ron Levy, Rayleigh, Essex
Tuesday, February 24 2009, 12:38PM
“I have a great deal of sympahy with the call to have the police officer sacked. I would not usually be so quick to make such a call, because anyone can make a mistake, or be unaware of the finer points of law. BUT, this does not apear to be the only problem here. My main concern is that the police officer displayed an incredible lack of ability to distinguish between a person of criminal or dangerous intent, and a member of the public simply pointing out a mistake and taking a harmless photograph (albeit a little embarassing to the errant officers).
Surely, the police force does not need peole like this.”
by Tony, Bristol
Saturday, September 06 2008, 5:07PM
“Give it a rest will you!
Sacking people is not always the answer. If every company or service sacked their staff at the first sign of mistake, then we'd all be looking for a new job at some point or another.
Closed minded people can only resort to basic tactics.”
by john, Sussex
Friday, August 29 2008, 12:15AM
“Should have been prosecuted for unlawful arrest, assault, etc., and sacked.
Should be sacked now. Unfit for purpose (if he had any honour, he'd willingly resign).”
by bevernbridge, Sussex
Friday, August 29 2008, 12:13AM
“The way to keep our green and pleasant land green and pleasant (or 'pink and fluffy', if that is your orientation) is to remove chaps like this from the police force.
Should have been sacked. Should be sacked now.”
by Tony, Bristol
Tuesday, August 26 2008, 12:25PM
“I think there are too many people out there, and on this forum, who are too quick to discredit the police.
Day by day, these people have to put up with more than their fair share of abuse and disrespect from "law abiding" citizens, who think they have some right to abuse police officers.
Do you people realise how often police officers are assaulted in the line of their duties, but never see a glimpse of a sorry or the ever sought after compensation! The fact of the matter is, is that they don't want compensation, they are happy to go home at night and realise that they have done their job to protect you guys. You dont see the hard work that they put in, and how much stress they endure for the publics protection and prevention of crime.
I totally agree with Jeffs comments and I back Pc Farooq all the way.
Obviously most of you believe everything that you read in the papers and hear on the news.
Bad news is good news for the papers! The Evening Post is a local paper, and to write a negative story about A&S police is way too easy and will sell more papers.
Im sure that this incident happened, but the fact that Mr Carter is now seeking compensation, suggests to me that he has always wanted to gain something out of this!
If you want a real reason for complaint, then go to S. Africa, France, Italy, most other countries, and be dealt with by them. If you want police corruption, and want a challenge, then id love for you to let us know how you got on!!!
Over in these countries, you'll find that police officers will ALWAYS be right, and if you want to challenge them, then you'll be reminded that they are the ones who are holding the gun!!
Think yourselves lucky that we live in such a pink and fluffy country with police who have some dignity and respect.
You wouldn't be so happy if we were controlled by real corruption.
Stop your moaning and get on with your life!”