A police officer who told a
10-year-old girl drawing a chalk hopscotch grid on a pavement was criminal
damage is to apologise to her.
Kent's Assistant Chief Constable Paul Brandon said the officer's response was
wrong, over-zealous and disappointing.
Lilly Allen, of Ramsgate, said she was scared when the officer said she could not "draw on the floor" outside her home in Ramsgate. Her father, Bob Allen, lodged an official complaint with the force. Mr Brandon said he genuinely believed the officer
thought he was doing the right thing but he would be visiting the family to
apologise.
He said Lilly had been distressed by the incident and the officer's use of
the phrase criminal damage would "clearly have frightened the young girl". "The officer saw what was taking place and in essence really only just wanted
to say 'don't do it', that was the intention," he said.
He said the use of the phrase criminal damage was inappropriate but there had
been problems with graffiti in the area, not relating to young children, which
officers did tend to deal with. "He did what he thought was right. The way he approached it was wrong and I
fully acknowledge that," Mr Brandon said.
Previously.
5 comments:
"draw on the floor"
Even the polis are at it! Ground. When you're outside it's called the "ground". Chris McGovern needs to stop trying to persecute heavy metal fans and instead make sure the police learn how to use English correctly.
Hahaha, I thought of you when I posted this! :)
It rips my knitting! ;o)
Hee hee! :)
This is so stupid! They don't even say the policeman should have said nothing at all, rather than saying that he was inappropriate. It's hopscotch, for heaven's sake!
Post a Comment