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Meeting A TASER Sales Rep
On Wednesday the 24th of October 2012, Richard M Jones, the sales manager for Tactical Safety Responses Limited, the sole UK distributor for TASER weapons, visited me at my home in Cambridge. Richard Jones had told me that as someone who regularly comments on UK Police TASER use he and his company wanted to help […]
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Councillors Say Ombudsman Ought Strike Down Unfair Parking Permit System in Cambridge
Cambridge’s bizarre, unfair and unclear rules on parking permit eligibility might now be shaken up following a public question from resident Emma Chin raised during the open forum section of the West Central Area Committee on the 1st of November 2012. One problem is that some properties on a street have become ineligible for parking […]
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Development Proposed Between Milton Road and Woodhead Drive
On Tuesday the 1st of November 2012 I attended a busy public exhibition to view plans for a proposed development behind 231-247 Milton Road in Cambridge. The plan is to demolish a property to provide access to back gardens on which thirteen three bedroom homes are proposed. The image associated with this article shows the […]
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Cambridgeshire Police and Crime Panel – Volunteering to Join
On the 26th of October 2012 I submitted an application to become one of the two independent, non councillor, members of Cambridgeshire’s Police and Crime Panel. I am making the application, and covering email, which I submitted available publicly below. Dear Sarah Swift, I am writing to volunteer to serve as one of the non-councillor […]
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Cambridgeshire Police and Crime Commissioner – Anti-Social Behaviour
Antisocial behaviour is often raised at local police priority setting meetings I would like to see the term “Anti-Social Behaviour” disappear. I don’t find it useful as almost invariably it masks what people are really talking about which can be anything from youths gathering to very serious crimes including drug use and dealing. Too often, […]
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Cambridgeshire Police and Crime Commissioner – Complaints
UK Police shock a man in Nottingham with a TASER while he is lying on the ground surrounded by four officers. (More…) Police complaints ought be dealt with in a much more public manner. The substance of the complaint and details of how it was resolved need to be made public where this can be […]
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Cambridgeshire Police and Crime Commissioner – Preparedness
A Police and Crime Commissioner will be an elected representative who the public will have entrusted to make decisions on their behalf about policing the force area. The Commissioner will have a responsibility to consider, and give due weight to, elements of policing which the electorate may not generally give much consideration to. Even if […]
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Cambridgeshire Police and Crime Commissioner – Road Safety
Police Sergeant Mark Kathro conducting speed checks in the East of Cambridge. Speeding is one of the top issues raised at local police priority setting meetings in Cambridgeshire. The most important reason to tackle speeding is to improve the safety of our roads, reduce injuries, and to make sure cyclists and pedestrians in particular feel […]
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Cambridgeshire Police and Crime Commissioner – Police and Crime Statistics
In my view the number and severity of injuries caused by crimes and road incidents is a relatively solid statistic on which to assess police performance. If the number and severity of injuries related to for example pub and club drinking in a city centre is falling the police can be sure they’re having a […]
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Cambridgeshire Police and Crime Commissioner – Courts
Inside Cambridge Magistrates’ Court (source) Public courts are a key and essential part of our justice system and simply having the doors open is not enough; it needs to be easy to find out when cases are to be heard, and easy for what happens in courts to be publicised in accordance with the law. […]