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Winston Roddick elected as North Wales police and crime commissioner

Winston Roddick elected as North Wales police and crime commissioner



The QC began his career as a police constable in Liverpool before becoming a barrister and has been a crown court recorder. After his victory, Mr Roddick said he was aware of the "big challenge ahead".

"I hope I'm up to the challenge and I hope that I will get the assistance from the interested groups that has been promised,"


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Winston Roddick elected as North Wales police and crime commissioner

Winston Roddick elected as North Wales police and crime commissioner and ex NWPA chief executive Tal Michael is runner up.

Police Commissioner Election North Wales

At last we have an opportunity to influence policing policy and performance in North Wales.

The PPP have been campaigning for over 8 years for Proper Policing in North Wales and elsewhere in the UK.

Our website tells you what we still believe in. For 8 years we were virtually ignored by the Police Authority which was paid to represent the people. This failed system is to be replaced by a new team led by a Police Commissioner. If we didn't vote on the day, we missed another opportunity to exercise our democratic right. IF WE DON'T USE IT WE COULD EVENTUALLY LOSE IT!

UK electricity generation sources and costs

This website gives a complete breakdown of current electricity generation sources. Included are tranfers with and within Europe. The current prices/Mwatt are also available in each European country. Just click on the link
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Flashing driver fined

Daily Mail on 4th January 2011
A driver who flashed his headlights at oncoming motorists to warn them of a police speed trap has been left with a £440 court bill for 'obstructing police'. Michael Thompson thought it was his 'civic duty' to warn other drivers coming in the opposite direction of the police speed trap - but magistrates took a very dim view of his actions.
The 64-year-old was charged and brought to court for wilfully obstructing a policeman in the course of his duty.

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SCANDAL OF BIG BROTHER BRITAIN

Daily Express Monday January 3,2011 By George Whelan
POLICE forces were last night accused of treating millions of innocent people ‘like common criminals’ by secretly storing their data when they report a crime. Forces across England and Wales have amassed a hoard of records on people who dialled 999 or non-emergency numbers to pass on information.
Freedom of Information figures reveal forces which hold records on innocent callers include Lancashire with about 600,000 and North Wales with 302,754.
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Serious violence drops to zero in Llandudno

Serious violence drops to zero during successful operation. Incidents of serious violence late at night in Llandudno were reduced to zero over the weekends during one of the busiest periods of the year thanks to a police initiative. This story via the NWPF website. From mid June until the end of August, High visibility patrols calling in to every pub, club and bar in the town proved to be so successful that local District Inspector Ian Verburg has decided to continue with the work up to and including the Christmas period.
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SCAMERAS a Four-Year Evaluation Report

We are indebted to Eric Bridgstock for this brillaint analysis. Since 2007, He reviewed many of the claims for the road safety benefits of speed cameras and had extensive correspondence with camera partnerships, councils and their representatives, police, PACTS (Robert Gifford), Dr Linda Mountain and many other interested parties (IAM, RoSPA, AA, BRAKE, etc). In summary, He found a community who have convinced themselves that cameras “save lives” and became deeply disturbed by the string of unsupported claims ...
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Speed camera backers make cash from speed cameras

MCN General news By Steve Farrell - 20 September 2010
Organisations campaigning to save speed cameras receive income generated by the devices, MCN can reveal. The Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety, Road Safety GB and the AA issued a joint statement calling for cameras not to be sacrificed in Coalition spending cuts. Now MCN can disclose how each of those organisations receives income generated through camera use. PACTS’ members, who fund the group through subscriptions, include two speed camera makers ..
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Speed Cameras Cause Erratic Driver Behaviour

A Press Release 06 August 2010
New research from car insurer LV reveals that many motorists admit to behaving erratically in front of speed cameras with thousands confessing to slamming on the brakes or looking at their speedometer as soon as a camera comes into view. This erratic behaviour could be leading to the number of accidents which occur around speed cameras with the research showing that at least 28,000 [1] road accidents have been triggered by speed cameras since 2001 as motorists suddenly slow down ahead of them
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Psychopaths

The REALITY of antisocial behaviour AND violent crime in the UK.
When researching the causes of such behaviour we came upon a book entitled ‘Without Conscience’ by Professor Robert D. Hare. This work describes the disturbing world of Psychopaths. Dr Hare catalogues the lifestyles and behaviour arising from the secondary symptoms of the disorder for numerous cases/individuals. He does not really adequately précis the information for the use of those involved in dealing with the consequences of the machinations of psychopaths
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ACPO Summer Drink and Drug Driving Results

Figures released today by the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) show that of the 100,853 people stopped by police and breath tested, 5,652 (5.6 percent) tested positive, or refused or failed a breath test. That compares to 5.8 percent during the same time last year. The campaign runs throughout June. Offending by under 25 year olds incresed from 5.9 percent to 6.4 percent in 2010 – and the over 25 year olds dropped from 5.6 percent in 2009 to 5.3 percent this year.
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What are some of Police officers doing?… REAL COMMUNITY POLICING

Old Colwyn (East) Residents’ Association www.oldcolwyneast.co.uk Minutes of the Open Meeting Wednesday 11th August 2010
Item 6 Local Police Report
PCSO Martyn Lewis was present and gave the following report.
Reference the antisocial behaviour, we have two problem groups and they are known. With regards to the problems two weeks ago, the Sergeant and Inspector have organised extra foot patrols to combat the problem, We are still taking alcohol off these people and asking people to ring the information in.
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North Wales Police Blasted By IPCC

Story via the Police Oracle 08-Jul-10
The Independent Police Complaints Commission independent investigation into North Wales Police’s response to concerns for the welfare of Brita Burns, who was found dead, found both individual and corporate failure, with officers failing in their duties and deficient force procedures and policies. The Coroner's narrative verdict of death by misadventure at the Inquest found that the deceased took an overdose and alcohol to draw attention to herself.
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Police Commissioners

Elected Individuals ‘Will Hire and Fire Chiefs’.This story via The Police Oracle 29-Jun-2010

Home Secretary Theresa May has confirmed the government will begin pushing through legislation to replace police authorities with directly elected individuals later this year.

Despite strong criticism from some senior officers and opposition MPs, May told the APA-ACPO conference in Manchester that a single post would be created in each force and those elected would have the power to hire and fire chief constables.
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Gareth Pritchard appointed ACC

North Wales Police Authority has appointed Gareth Pritchard as its new Assistant Chief Constable.
Gareth, who had been the Temporary Chief Constable for North Wales Police for 9 months, brings to the role a depth of experience gained over 26 years with the Force. From 1998 to 2003 he served as a Chief Inspector and Superintendent in the Operational Support Division where he was responsible for armed response vehicles, firearms team, roads policing. From 2003 to 2008 he was the Divisional Commander for the Western Division.
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Cameras to no longer be used as ‘cash-cow’

MCN By James Sharpe - General news 18 June 2010
New Transport Minister Mike Penning has told MPs that the government will stop handing millions of pounds in grants to local authorities for new speed cameras. The number of speed cameras has trebled over the last 10 years, and raise around £110million a year. However Mr. Penning has warned the local authorities to use other effective means of road safety measures.Local authorities will still be able to install new cameras but only funded from council tax.

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Police overtime has nearly doubled in 10 years

Overtime payments in England and Wales rose by around 90% between 1999 and 2009, hitting £400m last year, according to the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies. The increase came as the number of officers reached an all-time high of 142,151 in 2009: 15,337 higher than a decade ago. Researchers said overall policing costs had also grown by almost 50% over the 10-year period, from £98bn to £14.5bn. There is a wide variation between forces in the size of their overtime bills ....
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The Police watch dog growls

Costs criticism for ex-police chief Richard Brunstrom
Ex-North Wales Police chief Richard Brunstrom has been criticised over costs incurred under his leadership.
It came as North Wales Police Authority (NWPA) backed a decision to scrap the mounted unit at a cost of £132,000. The mounted unit will cost £132,000 to scrap, mainly in rent paid to the National Trust at Erddig.
Chris Drew, NWPA member, said it was estimated around £1m was spent on the section since it was set up in 2007 in line with PPP estimates 4 years ago
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A Message from driving standards agency

A Message from driving standards agency www.dsa.gov.uk/

Remember, the Highway Code is for life - not just for learners. Check out the online version at ….

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Highwaycode/index.htm

Online version
This version has been adapted for online use from the Department for Transport's current printed version of the Highway Code. In any proceedings, whether civil or criminal, only the Department for Transport's current printed version of the Code should be relied upon.

MCN reader's licences prove DVLA wrong

MCN By Steve Farrell - 16 April 2010. MCN readers have come forward to show their licences are identical to one DVLA said was forged because the vehicle symbols were wrong. Marcus Mee, 38, was charged with fraud after producing photocopies of a licence which appeared to prove DVLA had lost record of his motorcycle entitlement. He is one of scores of riders to complain of the DVLA issuing a replacement licence with motorcycle entitlement missing, then denying they ever had it. 20 readers came forward with similar licences ...
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The £800,000 speed camera fiasco

MCN By Steve Farrell - 25 April 2010. High-tech new speed cameras on one of the country’s most popular bike routes are useless due to an apparent oversight. The new cameras are aimed at catching motorcyclists on the A537 Cat and Fiddle road from Macclesfield to Buxton, Derbyshire. They have been installed at five points along the road and riders are timed between them to calculate their average speed. Camera bosses have failed to take into account that between two of the sites there is a shortcut with a higher speed limit.
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The new HMIP report card scheme needs improving

The new report card scheme rolled out by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary needs improving if it is to accurately show how Forces are performing. Peter Fahy – Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police – admitted in an interview that the initiative was “a good attempt” at showing the complexities of policing but he did not believe it showed the public the full picture. He told PoliceOracle.com: “Policing is clearly a very complex business and you have to ask questions about how you report results in a document ..
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New evidence in Jill Dando murder case

Police have found "conclusive" DNA evidence that could catch TV girl Jill Dando's killer - 11 years after she was shot. It has led officers to pinpoint a suspect for the shooting of Crimewatch presenter Jill, 37, in April 1999. Forensic scientists have discovered tiny particles of evidence that could point to the gunman. Barry George, now 50, was convicted of Jill's murder at the Old Bailey in 2001 but was cleared on appeal in 2008. Detectives on the believed she was the victim of an obsessed stalker who had shadowed her ..
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The completion of a major criminal trial without a Jury

April 2010 What a wonderful week for UK Justice. …… a supporter comments
One of the fundamental pillars of our system of Justice is that we have the right to be tried by a jury of our peers (ordinary folks like ourselves). This simple requirement is there as one of the defences against being imprisoned or otherwise punished by the establishment..The reason given for the trial being held without a jury was that the jury members could not be protected from intimidation. So it is only because the Police cannot keep us safe.
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