Police removing ID when attending incidents

S Rhosier made this Freedom of Information request to Suffolk Constabulary This request has been closed to new correspondence. Contact us if you think it should be reopened.

The request was partially successful.

Suffolk Constabulary

With reference to:
https://youtu.be/457q8nZ584Q

Please respond to the following:

1. A police sergeant (PS 1774 Murray) is present and wearing his force identification or collar number. A PC is also present but has removed his epaulette with his collar number so cannot be identified. Please advise what Home Office instruction/policy/procedure permits any police officer to remove any form of identification when in uniform and during working hours.

2. The sergeant present (PS 1774 Murray) objected to being filmed by the saboteurs present who were not arrested but did not object to being filmed by the two hunt supporters who filmed the entire incident. Please advise what Home Office instruction/policy/procedure permits any police officer to object to being filmed when attending an incident and to selectively object to being filmed when attending an incident.

3. The sergeant present (PS 1774 Murray) did not have grounds to make an arrest for 'aggravated trespass' as no member of the hunt riders was present or within a reasonable radius at the time of the two hunt saboteurs' arrests.

According to the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994:
(1)A person commits the offence of aggravated trespass if he trespasses on land [F1in the open air] and, in relation to any lawful activity which persons are engaging in or are about to engage in on that or adjoining land [F2in the open air], does there anything which is intended by him to have the effect—
(a)of intimidating those persons or any of them so as to deter them or any of them from engaging in that activity,
(b)of obstructing that activity, or
(c)of disrupting that activity.

A hunt would have to prove that their activity at the time was lawful and this did not happen as the hunt was not recorded as present on the video. The only justification provided by PS 1774 Murray was that he had been watching historic hunt saboteur videos which may or may not have included activity by the two saboteurs arrested.

Please advise what Home Office instruction/policy/procedure permits any police officer to make an arrest on the basis of watching historic videos which may or may not have included activity by the two saboteurs arrested instead of on the basis of actions taken by alleged offenders at an actual incident.

S Rhosier

Freedom Of Information (Suffolk), Suffolk Constabulary

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The Freedom of Information Team
Norfolk and Suffolk Constabularies
Police Headquarters
Martlesham Heath, Ipswich, Suffolk
IP5 3QS
[Suffolk Constabulary request email]

Freedom Of Information (Suffolk), Suffolk Constabulary

2 Attachments

6 December 2019

 

Dear S Rhosier,     

        

Our Ref: FOI 004044-19

 

Please find PDF documents attached in response to your request for
information from Suffolk Constabulary.

 

This is to inform you that all information relating to your request has
been collated my response is attached.  This request is now complete and
shall be closed immediately.

 

Should any further information be requested regarding this topic, a
separate request will need to be submitted.

 

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your interest in
Suffolk Constabulary.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

 

 

Clair Pack

Freedom of Information Decision Maker (Suffolk)

 

Norfolk and Suffolk Constabularies

Police Headquarters

Portal Avenue, Martlesham Heath, Ipswich

Suffolk, IP5 3QS

01473 613888 Ext 3919

[1]www.suffolk.police.uk

[2]www.norfolk.police.uk

 

[3]cid:image003.png@01D3E6C0.982AFDE0

 

 

References

Visible links
1. https://imsva91-ctp.trendmicro.com:443/w...
2. https://imsva91-ctp.trendmicro.com:443/w...

S Rhosier (Account suspended) left an annotation ()

“To arrest you the police need reasonable grounds to suspect you’re involved in a crime for which your arrest is necessary.

The police have powers to arrest you anywhere and at any time, including on the street, at home or at work.”

These powers are clearly open to abuse in the hands of police officers who have their own agenda. Recent FOI responses have proved that all UK police forces ignore the implications and corrosive impact of refusing to make membership of or affiliation with foxhunts a declarable association. This is neither openness nor transparency.

I draw one conclusion from this - that ALL forces turn a blind eye despite knowing that pro-hunt officers infiltrate rural crime teams to disguise the problem and effectively condone blatant lawbreaking.

S Rhosier (Account suspended) left an annotation ()

I link this response to the joint activities of Vote-OK and the Countryside Alliance.