Wednesday, 29 January 2014

DAILY MAIL website at 2310 GMT London Wednesday 29 january 2014. One commenter posts online about Tower Hamlets: " I have the misfortune of living in the rotten borough of Tower Hamlets. This is nothing, the shenanigans that go on in the town hall would make a banana republic look respectable."


'999, we have a dog poo': Council jobsworth threatens 'non-compliant' woman with arrest over dog mess... that was nothing to do with her pet

  • Tower Hamlets Enforcement Officer accused Amber Langtry, 35, of leaving her dog's remains in Victoria Park, East London
  • Miss Langtry denied the allegation but offered to pick it up if the park attendant could take her to it
  • Accusing her of 'non-compliance', he called in police 'back-up' to the scene
A council worker called for police 'back-up' after he found a dog poo in a park.
The Tower Hamlets Enforcement Officer accused Amber Langtry, 35, of not clearing up after her German Shepherd in Victoria Park, East London, as she was walking her friend.
Miss Langtry denied the allegation, trying to explain that her dog had not been in the area where the attendant found the faeces, but still offered to pick it up to end the confrontation.
Scroll down for video
Amber Langtry was shocked when this council worker accused her of leaving her dog's poo in Victoria Park
Amber Langtry was shocked when this council worker accused her of leaving her dog's poo in Victoria Park
He threatened to arrest Miss Langtry and called for police 'back-up' as she challenged him to show her the poo
He threatened to arrest Miss Langtry and called for police 'back-up' as she challenged him to show her the poo
Miss Langtry here is pictured with her German Shepherd, Olive
Miss Langtry here is pictured with her German Shepherd, Olive
The council worker issued her with a ticket, which could result in a court hearing and a £1,000 fine, and called officers to the park on New Year's Day accusing her of 'non-compliance'.
Miss Langtry told the Evening Standard that she and her friend, who recorded the incident, had cleaned up their dogs’ mess earlier in the walk. 
She also said the park attendant refused to show them the poo she was being challenged over.
 
In the ten-minute video the officer is heard accusing the woman of ‘non-compliance’ and calling officers to the scene.
He described Miss Langtry’s friend, who was recording him with her iPhone, as ‘aggressive’.
At one point, she is heard on the video saying: 'He can't even show us the poo - it's ridiculous!'
The council worker issued her with a ticket, which could result in a court hearing and a £1,000 fine
The council worker issued her with a ticket, which could result in a court hearing and a £1,000 fine
Miss Langtry was told by Tower Hamlets council, in a five-page letter, that it will not be continuing prosecution
Miss Langtry was told by Tower Hamlets council, in a five-page letter, that it will not be continuing prosecution
Miss Langtry told the paper: ‘I remember thinking, “This is ridiculous. Why does he need police back-up for a five-foot-four woman looking for a dog poo?”’
‘When the police got here they were as bemused as I was, and they didn't have a problem with me or my dog.'
After half an hour, Miss Langtry was shown the poo, which she maintains was not left by her dog. 
She told Mail Online: 'As I am a reasonable person, and would never leave a dog faeces behind, I picked it up in a poo bag and popped it in a nearby bin.' 
She was told by Tower Hamlets council, in a five-page letter, that it will not be continuing prosecution, but that the officer has the power to deal with an offence ‘of failing to remove dog faces [sic]’.
The Enforcement Officer accused Miss Langtry's friend, who recorded the incident, of being 'aggressive'
The Enforcement Officer accused Miss Langtry's friend, who recorded the incident, of being 'aggressive'
Waiting: After around nine minutes of recording, the park attendant speaks to police officers who are on their way to Victoria Park, East London, on New Year's Day
Waiting: After around nine minutes of recording, the park attendant speaks to police officers who are on their way to Victoria Park, East London, on New Year's Day
Miss Langtry said that while the video is 'funny' to watch now, it was 'scary, intimidating and confusing at the time'.
The Metropolitan Police told the paper that no ‘allegation of crime’ was made to officers. 
A council spokesperson said: 'The council has a long standing policy of tackling the issue of dog fouling. The council can confirm an incident took place on Wednesday, 1 January, where a Tower Hamlets Enforcement Officer (THEO) asked a dog owner to clean up after their dog.
'When the dog owner refused to give their name as the THEO requested, the THEO then called for appropriate back up after explaining the situation fully to the dog owner. 
'We take dog fouling seriously in this borough as it is a concern for residents which is why the council took this course of action.'
Miss Langtry is pictured here with her German Shepherd, Olive, in Victoria Park
Miss Langtry is pictured here with her German Shepherd, Olive, in Victoria Park
In the video, the officer is heard accusing the woman of 'non-compliance' and calling police to the scene
In the video, the officer is heard accusing the woman of 'non-compliance' and calling police to the scene
The comments below have been moderated in advance.
Wouldn't a more apt title be 'Poo Patrol"?
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Another gem for Littlejohn,you couldn't make it up.This country has become a laughing stock with all the PC crap,god help us all
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Why is the nincompoop, (appropriate ending to that word) called an "Officer"? Looks to me like a Jobsworth with no brain on a mission. G Bartholomew East Sussex
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Is it a job requirement to be an absoloute plank?
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It seems the council have decided to extend their money making schemes beyond bus lane enforcement and parking tickets, to dog walkers. If this catches on we'll have dog foul enforcement cameras installed in our local parks, issuing £70 fines automatically to any pet owner suspected of not cleaning up after their pets!!!!
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ANOTHER JOBS WORTH BY THE LOOKS OF IT. THERE IS REAL CRIME GOING ON OUT THERE ,SOME ONE SHOULD REMIND HIM OF THAT.
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I have the misfortune of living in the rotten borough of Tower Hamlets. This is nothing, the shenanigans that go on in the town hall would make a banana republic look respectable.
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buffoon
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Dog worth
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refuse to pay the fine, insist on a jury trial and get your defence team to ask them to provide the specimen of evidence along with DNA testing that proves it came from her dog.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2548013/999-dog-poo-Council-jobsworth-threatens-non-compliant-woman-arrest-dog-mess-pet.html#ixzz2rpduYkYO
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