Author Topic: Policing Issues Discussion  (Read 93314 times)

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Offline Mike

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Re: Policing Issues Discussion
« Reply #270 on: December 03, 2018, 06:35:15 pm »
I think the road marking there is a problem. Normally the left lane is for left or straight on, the right for going around the roundabout to the right. But at that roundabout to go straight on you wait in the right lane.
Anyone not familiar with it would naturally be in the left lane for going straight on. Also anyone waiting to turn from Tesco to Conwy/Deganwy would normally expect the traffic in the right hand lane to be going around the roundabout, meaning they should be able to emerge. They would have to know the area to be aware of this rounabout peculiarities.
People not indicating any more hinders this further.

I'm guessing it was designed that way before the cinema/fast food outlets appeared, and most traffic was either Tesco or straight on.

Think it should be put back to standard layout.

Offline Hugo

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Re: Policing Issues Discussion
« Reply #271 on: December 03, 2018, 08:23:10 pm »
Sorry to have to correct you Mike but the left lane has two arrows before the roundabout and both point to the left to Tesco.
The right hand lane also has two arrows and both point straight on towards Deganwy
Any traffic going in the right hand lane to the cinema complex should have to indicate that they are turning right.
Any one unfamiliar with the area should drive accordingly and follow the direction markings


Offline SteveH

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Re: Policing Issues Discussion
« Reply #272 on: August 29, 2019, 01:12:22 pm »
Policing boss says some drug crimes 'as good as decriminalised' in North Wales
Police and Crime Commissioner Arfon Jones said other forms of justice are the way forward on drug crimes.

Mr Jones said that many forces in the England and Wales were no longer choosing to prosecute for possession of drugs, and this amounted to a de-facto decriminalisation of the problem.

More.......... https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/policing-boss-says-drug-crimes-16831842

Offline Ian

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Re: Policing Issues Discussion
« Reply #273 on: August 29, 2019, 01:41:34 pm »
It's ludicrous that some drugs are still illegal. Legalising the lot would raise treasury income at a stroke, get rid of most of the illegal trade and the violence and corruption that follows and create new high street businesses. Forget brexit;  you could fund the NHS entirely on drug taxation.
Nothing is so firmly believed as that which we least know.  ― Michel de Montaigne

Si hoc legere scis, nimis eruditionis habes.

Offline SteveH

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Re: Policing Issues Discussion
« Reply #274 on: December 19, 2019, 11:10:51 am »
Policing boss says some drug crimes 'as good as decriminalised' in North Wales
Police and Crime Commissioner Arfon Jones said other forms of justice are the way forward on drug crimes.
Mr Jones said that many forces in the England and Wales were no longer choosing to prosecute for possession of drugs, and this amounted to a de-facto decriminalisation of the problem.
More.......... https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/policing-boss-says-drug-crimes-16831842
It's ludicrous that some drugs are still illegal. Legalising the lot would raise treasury income at a stroke, get rid of most of the illegal trade and the violence and corruption that follows and create new high street businesses. Forget brexit;  you could fund the NHS entirely on drug taxation.

I have been considering changing, my perhaps old fashioned  views on drug laws, perhaps follow the way Holland deals with them, not so sure now, after reading this ........

Is the Netherlands becoming a narco-state?
By Anna Holligan
BBC News, The Hague

Quote from the piece ...
"How big is the Dutch drug problem?
The Netherlands has in a sense created the perfect environment for the drugs trade to flourish.

With its extensive transport network, its lenient drug laws and penalties, and its proximity to a number of lucrative markets, it is an obvious hub for the global narcotics flow."


Full article  https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-50821542



Offline Ian

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Re: Policing Issues Discussion
« Reply #275 on: December 19, 2019, 11:49:51 am »
That article puts the real issue front and centre: the Dutch have effectively decriminalised minor drugs but haven't taken the essential step of legalising supply and distribution. That's what needs to happen to prevent the criminal gangs from profiteering.

When we were walking round Amsterdam it was surprising just how difficult it was to find cakes with cannabis, for example. To some extent, they're still almost underground. My argument's long been two pronged: criminalising the people who take drugs doesn't work. Never has, either, but what it does do is encourage illicit supply.

The second prong is simply that because we know - conclusively - that criminalising drug users and suppliers has no effect at all, and because it's patently absurd that any supermarket is free to sell psychoactive and dangerous drugs on its shelves in the form of alcohol, then we need to grow up as a society and legalise supply and demand of all drugs, then add tax, before making their sale subject to the same restrictions imposed on sales of alcohol.  The treasury benefits, which means we as taxpayers benefit and illicit drugs are controlled far more than they are at present.
Nothing is so firmly believed as that which we least know.  ― Michel de Montaigne

Si hoc legere scis, nimis eruditionis habes.

Offline Ian

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Re: Policing Issues Discussion
« Reply #276 on: December 19, 2019, 12:17:21 pm »
The key is making drugs part of the overall Alcohol / tobacco framework. There is another aspect, too; currently, to buy alcohol or tobacco a person has to prove their age. One the supply, and hence the quality, of drugs is brought in-house, as it were. then adults are free to make their own decisions as to what they want to buy.  There is, let's face it, no justification for treating alcohol differently to any drug.  It's certainly as dangerous and addictive - for some.
Nothing is so firmly believed as that which we least know.  ― Michel de Montaigne

Si hoc legere scis, nimis eruditionis habes.

Offline SteveH

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Re: Policing Issues Discussion
« Reply #277 on: December 19, 2019, 12:48:10 pm »
Ian, I think the only thing that is clear is the size of the problem, your comment re "legalising supply and distribution" makes sense, but I hate to think how long it will take to control, definitely not soon enough.

Offline Ian

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Re: Policing Issues Discussion
« Reply #278 on: December 19, 2019, 01:34:12 pm »
You're probably right; it took them a while to sort out the illicit alcohol supply issues.
Nothing is so firmly believed as that which we least know.  ― Michel de Montaigne

Si hoc legere scis, nimis eruditionis habes.

Offline Hugo

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Re: Policing Issues Discussion
« Reply #279 on: December 20, 2019, 05:44:46 pm »
I've just read a disturbing bit of news involving a three car crash in South Wales and that the driver of the Ford involved in the crash had fled the scene.    Det Sgt Huw O'Connell, said: "To leave the scene of an accident, especially when someone is seriously injured, is a particularly callous thing to do, and I would urge that individual to hand themselves in to explain their actions.
"The events of that evening must be weighing heavily on their conscience and it is only a matter of time before we catch up with them.
"In particular, I'd like information on the person who was driving the white Ford Fiesta, registration ST11 KUX, at the time of the collision.

It took me a couple of minutes to find out that the road tax on that Ford car ran out on the 1st January 2019 so the Police and the DVLA already know the name and address of the owner of the vehicle and if the DVLA had done its job properly that vehicle could have been taken off the road before the accident happened.
it is a similar story with the North Wales Police too who when advised of a car with no MOT ( and road tax  ) do not act on the information supplied and allow the vehicle to continue to be driven on the roads

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-50872650?intlink_from_url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/wales/north_west_wales&link_location=live-reporting-story

Offline Bri Roberts

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Re: Policing Issues Discussion
« Reply #280 on: December 20, 2019, 07:58:01 pm »
Very interesting, Hugo.

No doubt, the police will know whether or not a vehicle owner has applied for a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN).

If it hasn’t then the owner will be committing an offence even when the vehicle is kept on a driveway or in a garage.

Offline Hugo

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Re: Policing Issues Discussion
« Reply #281 on: December 20, 2019, 09:25:26 pm »
Bri, when you do a car tax checker on a vehicle it will tell you if there is a SORN on the vehicle.     In this case there isn't a SORN and although the MOT has only recently been renewed the road tax is nearly 12 months out of date

I suspect that there is more to it than just out of date  road tax but I can't understand how or why the DVLA has not dealt with this matter in the last 12 months as their records would have shown that the tax was out of date on 1st Jan 2019

We are effectively losing hundreds of millions of pounds annually in unpaid road tax and it can be prevented

Offline Ian

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Re: Policing Issues Discussion
« Reply #282 on: December 21, 2019, 09:19:20 am »
Perhaps this would be worth raising with our local police and crime commissioner?
Nothing is so firmly believed as that which we least know.  ― Michel de Montaigne

Si hoc legere scis, nimis eruditionis habes.

Offline Hugo

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Re: Policing Issues Discussion
« Reply #283 on: December 21, 2019, 03:57:06 pm »
That might be a good idea Ian and I'll have a think on that.   I know that the Police have had a 101 phone call and a follow up letter but the offender is still driving about on a daily basis

The strange thing is that the DVLA  deals with all the outstanding road tax cases and have no power in the MOT cases.     For any cars that are driven without a MOT you have to phone 101 and report it to the Police who" allege" that such cases will be followed up

My own experience with the DVLA  being responsible as a debt collecting agency for unpaid road tax is that the office is not fit for purpose. It is not the fault of the people working there but of the system that is used to collect these unpaid duties.   

Offline Hugo

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Re: Policing Issues Discussion
« Reply #284 on: January 11, 2020, 12:04:03 pm »
Northampton hit and run: Driver fined after mum traces CCTV

After waiting a week for police to contact them, her mother, Gail Thompson, took matters into her own hands.

She said: "Within the space of six hours we got CCTV of it happening."


When I read this article today it made me think of a similar incident that happened at the Llandudno General Hospital in recent years.
A woman was walking across a zebra crossing at the hospital when she was hit by a car and sustained serious injuries and was admitted into the hospital with broken bones     The driver a woman in her 60's with grey hair wearing a purple parka style coat and driving a small purple coloured car got out but then drove off.
The Police were quoted in the NWWN  as "asking the driver to hand herself in "
      More than 3 weeks later the lady had not handed herself in and the Police were nowhere near finding the offending driver
The point I'm making is that with all the CCTV available in the area it wouldn't have taken the Police a long time to trace the offender so what exactly were they doing to follow this up?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-northamptonshire-51046448