(UK) Murder inquiry after Pc's death

[jameshr4]

Murder inquiry after Pc's death
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/tyne/4905422.stm

A man is being held on suspicion of murdering a police officer who crashed as he drove to a police station.
Pc Joe Carroll, 46, and a colleague were escorting a man they had arrested on Thursday morning when the car left the A69 near Corbridge, Northumberland.

The marked police car overturned and Pc Carroll died at the scene.

Northumbria Chief Constable Mike Craik paid tribute to Pc Carroll who he said was "the sort of bobby you would all want to have as your local copper".

The 40-year-old suspect, who was under arrest for an unrelated matter when the incident happened, was then re-arrested on suspicion of murder.

The other officer in the car was treated in hospital for minor injuries.

Pc Carroll had been a police officer for nearly 25 years and a community officer in Bellingham for the past 13 years.

Mr Craik said: "Pc Carroll was greatly loved and respected within the community and lived there for more than 20 years.

"He knew everyone and everyone knew him - he was a real old fashioned copper.

"He was also a warm, genuine man, as motivated and committed to the job he was doing in his community as the day he joined us more than 20 years ago.

"He will be greatly missed by all of us and especially his local community who knew and loved him well - it will be a terrible, terrible shock for his local community and colleagues to bear."

Mr Craik said he had visited Mr Carroll's wife, family and colleagues and promised his support during what he said were the "difficult times ahead".

Home Secretary Charles Clarke also expressed his sadness at Mr Carroll's death.

He said: "I pay tribute to the continued dedication of our police in their work to uphold the law and protect the public in often very challenging circumstances."

[Geezah]

Did I read that right,

A man is being held on suspicion of murdering a police officer who crashed as he drove to a police station.
Pc Joe Carroll, 46, and a colleague were escorting a man they had arrested on Thursday morning when the car left the A69 near Corbridge, Northumberland.

Did the guy that was under arrest for an unrelated matter, did he cause the Police Car to crash??
And if he didn't, is it legal to turn around and charge the guy with murder when all he was dong was being escorted to the Police Station?

RIP

[jameshr4]

It appears that the prisoner was arrested for a domestic incident and then played up on the way to the Police Station this caused the car to crash. What he actually did is unknown at this stage.

[Neoboy]

Got to be more than that, maybe he was trying to take over the wheel or something similar?

[jameshr4]

You will probably find that the car didnt have a cage between the front and back. (Most forces don't including the one I serve in) When prisoners struggle its easy for them to kick the driver, if they have been handcuffed to the front and placed behind the driver they could strangle the driver(This shouldnt happen as you should never put the prisoner behind the driver). This can cause the driver to loose control with fatal consequenses. It has happened where I work a prisoner played up head butted the officer next to him and kicked the driver, luckily they hit a parked car and there were no serious injuries. It is a regular problem especially if you haven't gotten prison vans like the Met.

[Neoboy]

Which is what I find strange, surely it can't be that hard to just place a cage in cars after all that's where you are gonna put someone if you arrest them. Maybe this can be a wake up call for the forces to start putting up the cages on the back of the cars or is there some big thing I miss about why there aren't any cages.

[jameshr4]

I'm sure cost is an issue, but this maybe a wake up call we will have to wait and see.

[Geezah]

I almost forgot what Panda's were like, not that I've ever been in one. I've become too used to the the Crown Victoria's and the Impala's the LE use around this way with the cage isolating the back seat/prisoner from the driver.

Well, it that's what happened, I would personally like to see the guy fry, but seeing as it's Bliar's Britian, fat chance that will ever happen.

Before anyone says it, I know it wouldn't happen under a Tory Guberment either.

[sir-chimp]

You will probably find that the car didnt have a cage between the front and back. (Most forces don't including the one I serve in) When prisoners struggle its easy for them to kick the driver, if they have been handcuffed to the front and placed behind the driver they could strangle the driver(This shouldnt happen as you should never put the prisoner behind the driver). This can cause the driver to loose control with fatal consequenses. It has happened where I work a prisoner played up head butted the officer next to him and kicked the driver, luckily they hit a parked car and there were no serious injuries. It is a regular problem especially if you haven't gotten prison vans like the Met.


So why don't they put cages in the cars, if this is a common problem? Why aren't your unions screaming like hell for this? Or do you guys not have Unions?

[EsoognomEhT]

Obviously the death of a copper is always bad, but this only made local news (look north etc)
it's not a national issue so don't expect much fuss etc to be made :/


Do we not have unions? errr mate we pretty much invented them ;)

[sir-chimp]

thats great

so whats the story with lack of cages?

[EsoognomEhT]

Because we're not all animals? p-)

[jameshr4]

The police don't have a Union as such were not allowed to be memebers of one. We have the Police Federation which is made up of ranks of PC, Sgt and Inspector which is there to support us and fight our corner. Some argue its a toothless tiger but its all we have got and will stick up for us.
Cages haven't been a major issue and still aren't yes people cause trouble and have caused accidents but I've thought about it and I don't know if I would really want one. This is this first death like this maybe a one off, I think it would be better to have a dedicated prisoner van than every panda with cages. we don't have to handcuff every prisoner maybe less than 5% are likely to cause trouble. If someone is calm and compliant why handcuff them there is no need. More serious issues are at the top of the police agenda at the moment including arming officers with taser/firearms police mergers etc.

[sir-chimp]

The police don't have a Union as such were not allowed to be memebers of one. We have the Police Federation which is made up of ranks of PC, Sgt and Inspector which is there to support us and fight our corner. Some argue its a toothless tiger but its all we have got and will stick up for us.
Cages haven't been a major issue and still aren't yes people cause trouble and have caused accidents but I've thought about it and I don't know if I would really want one. This is this first death like this maybe a one off, I think it would be better to have a dedicated prisoner van than every panda with cages. we don't have to handcuff every prisoner maybe less than 5% are likely to cause trouble. If someone is calm and compliant why handcuff them there is no need. More serious issues are at the top of the police agenda at the moment including arming officers with taser/firearms police mergers etc.


Interesting thanks for trying to answer my question.

Not all agencies here use cages, but many do. Some are even equipped with sealed back seats that are hard plastic with rubber floors and drains in the floor so you can hose every thing down. The seats also have no crevice but are one molded piece so no one can put anything in there why they are being transported.

[Para]

I see they have just charged a 40 year old from Sandhurst

[EsoognomEhT]

**** aye, I thought at first you mean the village.

But indeed a Ssgt from Sandhurst