Newham Law Enforcement (Illegally Stopping on Pedestrian Crossing)

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• published: 10 Feb 2014
• views: 3512

***This clip shows Newham Law Enforcement committing a road traffic offence within the vicinity of Maryland Station, Stratford, London on 10/02/2014*** Newham Law Enforcement is a body of council officers that wear uniforms that are nearly identical to the police and patrol Newham with no powers of arrest. This clip shows them parking on a 'pedestrian crossing', which is an endorsable offence under the Zebra, Pelican and Puffin Crossings Regulations and General Directions 1997. It is a matter that is dealt with under criminal law and this is different from a 'parking ticket', which is a civil penalty. My attention was initially drawn to them when I heard what turned out to be a bus beeping its horn at a vehicle, when I was nearby. The bus had difficulty turning round the roundabout, as it was obstructed by the council vehicle. This happened at around, or just before, 10.50am on Monday 10th February 2014. (In the video I said that it was Monday the 9th February, when in fact it was Monday the 10th. Nonetheless, I am posting the video shortly after the incident on Monday the 10th February, which reinforces that it happened on the day of posting). I was shocked that they were causing an obstruction and endangering pedestrians. It is a busy, dual lane crossing that links Forest Lane, Leytonstone Road at Maryland Point, metres away from Maryland Station. I witnessed the obstruction and then made my way to the location. The Newham Law Enforcement vehicle was still parked on the zig zags when I arrived and an Officer was finishing talking to two people. I politely challenged the driver and he could not really account for why he was parking there. He eventually drove off, which in my mind indicates guilty knowledge and shows that he knew that he should not be parking there. He had been stopped there for ***several minutes*** before I filmed. I politely challenged his colleague, who was out of the vehicle, and he could not, in my view, give a satisfactory account of why the vehicle was parked there. He had an opportunity to provide a context, but he didn't. If he had given a reason that was 'morally acceptable' by my own subjective standards (despite the fact that an offence had been committed), then I wouldn't have posted the video. I have never posted a video like this before and I often have critical views when I see people who can act in a belligerent manner and then post clips of their interactions with 'officials' online. I hope that my interaction does not come across like that. I did my best to challenge them in a constructive manner and to give them an opportunity to respond. I filmed them because I felt that it was in the public interest to do so and I have posted it online for the same reason. I only challenged them because I feel, morally, that there is only a limited scope for council officers to break road traffic laws; and, legally, even less so. They were endangering pedestrians and obstructing the highway for several minutes. The vehicle could have parked up just a few metres up the road and the driver could have returned to the scene to support his colleague. What is of particular concern is that they can look like police (especially when wearing their chequered hats) and many passers-by would attribute any unprofessional behaviour that they display to the Metropolitan Police. This is not fair to the public nor the Met. The Met have never faced such a crisis of confidence and it is unhelpful to have council officers patrolling the streets whereby their behaviour gets attributed to the police. Newham Police do a terrific job in difficult and challenging circumstances. The public should be able to easily differentiate between a police officer and a council 'warden'. In fact, I am sure that my mum or dad would assume that they are 'police' and that is the litmus test in my mind. As you can see from the following pictures, Newham Law Enforcement look very similar to the police: http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jF--mw_KRdc/UJ-6skZ-BkI/AAAAAAAAAwQ/JvYM6oQL1iE/s1600/ITV%2BLondon%2BTonight%2B08%2BNov%2B2012%2B001.jpg http://www.newham.gov.uk/Pages/Services/Community-safety.aspx http://www.blowe.org.uk/2012/08/how-is-this-not-impersonating-police.html?m=1 At least the council enforcement officers in neighbouring Tower Hamlets ('THEOs') wear a uniform where everyone can easily identify them as council wardens.