Britain's Police to launch "dial-a-bobby" scheme

[sunb1ind]

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/ho ... 80516.html

Officers' union calls for halt to 'dial-a-bobby' scheme

A "dial-a-bobby" scheme is to be launched by Jacqui Smith, the Home Secretary, within the next few weeks, allowing people to email or telephone local police directly to report crimes. But the controversial initiative, part of a government drive towards neighbourhood policing, has been criticised by the Police Federation.

"We have reservations about the publication of individual mobile phone numbers," said Alan Gordon, vice-chairman of the Police Federation, last night. "We would prefer the contact to be via local police stations... which would prevent misuse and prank calls."

The Home Secretary has pledged that every community will have a neighbourhood policing team by April this year. But the Police Federation is calling on the Government to abandon its planned roll-out of the scheme "until we are satisfied that the service has the capability to deliver it to a standard that the public deserve without our members paying the price in terms of their welfare and safety."

A Home Office spokesperson defended the plan: "Neighbourhood policing is about ensuring that policing is engaging effectively with people in tackling local policing priorities. Being contactable is a fundamental part of this."

In practice it remains unclear what will be gained by people calling their local bobby. One of the numbers, called by the IoS yesterday, was supposed to be for PCSO Carl Furnish, Adamsdown ward, Cardiff, where one of the neighbourhood schemes is being tested.

It went to a voicemail service that stressed: "This line should not be used for emergencies or to report incidents of an important nature or that require prompt attention."

Moe Syzlak does not approve of "dial a bobby".
http://img502.imageshack.us/img502/7393/moevi3jz2.jpg

[Cheerios]

I read every instance of bobby as Booby.

[Koyuki]

Dial-a-Bobby...lol

you funny englishmen