An indication of how society is going or overkill?

Stuart · 15-03-2005, 21:47

Just been through a local station. When I got there, I saw the Police. They had two Territorial Support Vans, One car and one Dog unit van.

What were they doing?

Checking Tickets..

Do you reckon that is a worrying indication of the state of society (the area is extremely rough - people are frequently attacked and somebody was killed outside the local 24 hour tesco 6 months ago), or overkill?

15-03-2005, 21:51

Sounds like a poor use of police resourses to me, but then again, checking tickes is a neat money spinner. As opposed to having to spend money detecting crimes etc.

Or maybe I'm just feeling a little cynical today.

15-03-2005, 22:49

It is the dog unit I can't understand - could you see any dogs, Stu?

I just wondered if they had wind of that route being used by a drug courier, for example - floppy eared Spaniel needed

or something more?? - I can't type German Shepherds, without laughing

15-03-2005, 23:14

Did you mean Petrol Station?

If so...

Wonder if this may have anything to do with the reports of the IRA and fuel smuggling... but with a high street company????

Naahhhhh...????

hmm.

Chimaera · 15-03-2005, 23:18

Often get that round here too - the dogs are to catch out any drug users - they are taken to Romford on a Friday night to 'sniff out' the queues of clubbers - you'd be surprised how many of the would be clubbers take one look and go home!

The police often act on information, perhaps they were expecting some troublemakers and thought that by 'checking tickets' they wouldn't look so out of place?

16-03-2005, 02:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by scastle

Just been through a local station. When I got there, I saw the Police. They had two Territorial Support Vans, One car and one Dog unit van.

What were they doing?

Checking Tickets..

Ah, but they were probably actually looking for suspected terrorists...!

Stuart · 16-03-2005, 10:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tuftus

Did you mean Petrol Station?

If so...

Wonder if this may have anything to do with the reports of the IRA and fuel smuggling... but with a high street company????

Naahhhhh...????

hmm.

Nope. Just a train station. I think it is because of possible violence, as the driver of a Docklands Light Railway (bit like the Tube, but overground) train that was at the next station to Lewisham was attacked a few weeks back when he asked a passenger for a ticket.

Not sure why the dog unit was there though, didn't see any dogs. Just loads of Policemen.

16-03-2005, 10:35

I was on a tram which had to switch to a bus replacement service half way through the trip into Manchester last year. The tram staff kept all of us waiting on the bus for 20 minutes while they waited for police to come and deal with one fare dodger. Net result? Waste of police time and lots of angry passengers who weren't happy at being delayed by the bus switch in the first place. I don't understand why the police didn't just tell the tram staff to deal with it themselves.

Paul K · 16-03-2005, 10:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by scastle

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tuftus

Did you mean Petrol Station?

If so...

Wonder if this may have anything to do with the reports of the IRA and fuel smuggling... but with a high street company????

Naahhhhh...????

hmm.

Nope. Just a train station. I think it is because of possible violence, as the driver of a Docklands Light Railway (bit like the Tube, but overground) train that was at the next station to Lewisham was attacked a few weeks back when he asked a passenger for a ticket.

Not sure why the dog unit was there though, didn't see any dogs. Just loads of Policemen.

If the dog unit van was there then a dog was someone near by and lets face it people have a habit of being a bit more co-operative when they have a large German Shepherd trying to rip their arms/ legs off

Mal · 16-03-2005, 11:23

On the tram here in Manchester, there are usually a couple of bobbies with the inspectors. Though they appear to be just for the unco-operative dodger, as they don't get involved with the inspection. But it doesn't go as far as having dogs.

Stuart · 16-03-2005, 13:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mal

On the tram here in Manchester, there are usually a couple of bobbies with the inspectors. Though they appear to be just for the unco-operative dodger, as they don't get involved with the inspection. But it doesn't go as far as having dogs.

Yeah, I would expect a couple of bobbies. Just seemed like overkill to have as many as they did at the station. Having said that, it's entirely possible there was trouble on a train, and the ticket inspectors were just using them because they were there waiting for the train.