Annual Police Terror-Lancashire

The Annual Police Terror hits Lancashire earlier, and with a greater degree of belligerence, than anything I have witnessed elsewhere in the country. Barely does the first loony council announce it will not have lights because it doesn't want to be accused of darkism than out come the roadblocks and breathalysers at 9-00am, trying to catch office workers still full of beer fom the night before's Christmas party.

Lancashire is tuly God's county, but it does contain nuts, one particularly big nut is the loony Chief Constable. That is bad, but the Assistant Chief Constable, Andy Cooke, is clearly an electrode short of a full torture device. Here is today's lunatic Lancashire Constabulary 'look at us we're loonies' offering:

Criminals from Liverpool and Manchester have been warned by police in Lancashire: "Stay out of our county."
From today police are stopping and quizzing motorists on routes from Merseyside and Greater Manchester into Lancashire.

They are "locking down" roads as part of an operation to thwart travellers who commit robberies and burglaries in the county.

Offenders will be stopped at Lancashire's borders using all available resources, including firearms officers, motorway officers, dog patrols and the Air Support Unit.

Officers will also be using specialist Automatic Number Plate Recognition equipment to identify stolen vehicles and will also be on the look out for known criminals. The first operation is taking place today from 8am until midnight.

Lancashire's Assistant Chief Constable Andy Cooke said: "We have an excellent working relationship with our colleagues in Merseyside Police and GMP.

"However, many of our armed robberies are carried out by criminals based in Greater Manchester and Merseyside and our message to them is simple – if you want to come to Lancashire to commit robberies and burglaries and to steal high powered vehicles, don't bother because we will catch you."

Listen to Assistant Chief Constable Andy Cooke talking about the police operation by clicking on the green play button above

The operation has had a mixed reaction from people in Manchester and Liverpool.

Businessman Frank McKenna, a Liverpudlian who lives in Lancashire but works in Liverpool, said: "It's a daft idea.

"It's a ridiculous notion to suggest people from Manchester and Liverpool are coming in on the rob.

"But I'm more offended the police think they've got these sort of resources to waste and that it's reasonable to stop and interrogate innocent members of public going about their business.

"It's another indication of the erosion of our civil liberties."

Coun Warren Bradley, Liverpool City Council leader, said: "If there is any evidence about criminals travelling to an area to commit crime – wherever they are coming from – the police should take action.

"However, we hope that this will not stigmatise the vast majority of law-abiding Liverpool people as they go about their legitimate business."

Phil Burke, of Manchester's pub and club network, said he supported the move.

He said: "If people have nothing to hide it shouldn't be an issue stopping for a couple of minutes to give details to the police."

In the past year there have been 10 cash-in-transit robberies – most linked to villains from outside the county.

Officers will be handing out information to drivers to explain what the operation is about and how they can help keep Lancashire safe.

Comedian, actor and radio presenter Justin Moorhouse, a proud Mancunian, said: "I had better not drive a car with Coronation Street up the side and a picture of George Best.

"It means if you are going to go burgling go in a stolen car not your own, then they can't trace your numberplate.

"The next time I drive into Lancashire I better make sure my numberplate is registered to somewhere posh like Royal Leamington Spa."

Joking aside this is yet another sinister move towards a full blown police state. Last year Mrs B had the police trying to nab her, but to no avail. They do put the lie to this 'Serving the Community' they like to put down the side of their cars though, 'Oppressing the Innocent' might be more accurate.

Article from the Lancashire Evening Post. Thanks to Ian PJ for drawing it to my attention via Twitter.