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Jacqui Smith's 'Stasi': Now council posts 'Wanted' pictures of litterbugs and keeps them on file
Last updated at 01:24am on 28.08.08
Litterers will be photographed - and if they give a false name, the pictures will be sent to local papers
Town hall snoopers armed with police powers are issuing 'wanted' photographs of suspected litterbugs, it emerged last night.
Litter wardens given police-style accreditation by the Government are using cameras to snap alleged offenders. They are then shamed in local newspapers.
Colchester Borough Council in Essex said it would make it easier to find offenders and make them pay a £75 fine.
It also said the images would be stored to help identify repeat offenders.
Four 'street care officers' can stop members of public, demand personal information, take photographs and issue fines under the Community Safety Accreditation Scheme, details of which were revealed in the Daily Mail.
Hundreds of town hall workers and security guards have been given sweeping powers allowing them to hand out fines for a large number of offences, stop cars and seize alcohol from under-age drinkers.
Privacy campaigners have accused ministers of moving towards a 'Stasi snooper state' - a reference to the notorious former East German secret police.
There are also concerns that the Government is attempting 'policing on the cheap', by allowing civilians to carry out jobs previously reserved for officers.
Simon Reed, of the Police Federation, said: 'This government seems intent on diluting the policing resilience in this country by handing out traditional policing powers to civilian staff.
An article from the Colchester Gazette, which printed a picture of a woman alleged to have littered
'The federation has concern about the presence of an ill-equipped and poorly trained second layer of law enforcement.
'Not only does it cause members of the public confusion over who has what powers, but it undermines the special covenant between the police and the public who rightly expect policing functions to be performed by trained, independent and accountable officers.'
The Colchester scheme was criticised by liberty campaigners.
Phil Booth, of the anti-ID card group NO2ID, said: 'It seems massively disproportionate for people's faces to appear everywhere for littering and for their details to be retained when they have paid their fixed penalty.
'The only time I've seen something similar in the papers is when police are trying to identify a violent offender.'
Even the Local Government Association, which represents councils, said: 'It sounds like one of the harebrained things that councils come up with.'
The Information Commissioner's Office warned there could be 'ramifications for misidentification' - suggesting innocent people whose photographs are published might be able to take legal action.
Home Secretary: Jacqui Smith
Shami Chakrabarti, director of Liberty, said: 'Town hall jobsworths are giving local government a bad name.
'Common sense might suggest providing more bins with ashtrays rather than wanted ads and busybodies with long lenses.'
Colchester gave litter wardens the Home Office-approved powers five years ago. It began taking photos last month.
The team operates from Monday to Saturday and covers the town and nearby villages in a 160-square-mile area.
The first person caught by the scheme was 26-year-old mother-of-one Amy Heaps, of Clacton, whose photograph appeared in the Colchester Gazette on August 7.
She had given a false address when she was accused of dropping a cigarette butt, which she admits. She faces court on charges of littering and wilfully obstructing an officer.
But she said she gave the wrong address because she was 'petrified' by the man who demanded her details.
She added: 'I was shopping in town and put down my cigarette before I went into a store.
'When I came out a young bloke in a polo shirt tugged at my arm and told me I had dropped litter.
'I said I was sorry and offered to pick it up, but he simply produced a ticket and started asking me all sorts of personal questions.
'I was scared and began to panic. I didn't know who he was or whether he was allowed to ask for so much information.
Snap-happy: Warden Simon Lee using his camera in Colchester
'I did give him my name, but I changed the address to the one where my parents used to live.
'I was in tears. Everyone was looking at me and must have thought I was a shoplifter.
'When I heard my photo had appeared all over the newspaper I was horrified.'
Shane Taylor, the litter wardens' team leader, said: 'Dropping litter is a criminal offence and can lead to a fine of up to £2,500.
'We hope that this name-and-shame campaign will act as a strong deterrent.'
Labour councillor Tim Young dismissed concerns about innocent people being accidentally named and shamed.
'We did a risk assessment and decided we wanted to go ahead,' he said.
'The lawyers cleared it and, to be honest, we want to keep Colchester clean and tidy and if that upsets a few libertarians we'll put up with it.
'We want a zero-tolerance attitude to litter in Colchester. The answer to this problem is don't drop litter.'
The street care officers gave out 274 fixed penalties in 2007 for offences including littering, dog fouling and fly posting. Of these, 36 went to court.
Fixed penalties can even be given to children as young as ten.
Reader views (34)
What in God's name is happening to England? Us jocks stand up for ourselves, I thought you English had the "bulldog spirit"? Where's your spine?
I assure you if anyone like Simon approached me, he'd be sorry.
- Scott Mitchell, Paisley, Scotland, 29/08/2008 13:19
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Jon, According to my local noddy cops, they have the same powers of arrest as you or I - Citizen's arrest.
Actually, when did you last see a noddy cop doing anything (other than walking about)?
- Dt, Harrow, UK, 29/08/2008 02:30
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"Any diversion will do for this load of perverted scumbags called Labour" - Judith C, have you actually looked at the make-up of Colchester Council: Conservative 27; LibDem: 23; Labour 7; Others: 3. Would Dominic Grieve care to comment?
- Tonyb, Twickenham, UK, 28/08/2008 23:41
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Jacqui Smith and the other Labour Ministers must KNOW that their days are numbered, so WHY do they carry-on passing useless laws that are very restrictive and unpopular ?.
Why don't they take a rest until the next elections ?
- Paul Epps, twickenham, middlesex, 28/08/2008 23:26
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I wish they would come to Holloway and look at the filth and rubbish dropped every day in this area! Anything if it helps clean up the streets, I have never lived in such a filthy city!
- Andy, London N7, 28/08/2008 16:15
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They do not have the power to detain you. In that respect they are a "third tier", since Community Support Officers, or "noddy-cops" can do so.
- Jon, London, 28/08/2008 15:32
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Any diversion will do for this load of perverted scumbags called Labour - whether its hysteria over paedophilia, ethnic minorities, orchestras playing too loudly, trees dropping hurtful leaves on children, smoking, making home-made cakes to sell at local events, flying the flag, putting too much in your bins. It's Cromwell all over again and you know what happened to him. He was dug up, decapitated and his head stuck up on Tower Bridge. So watch out Gordon-useless-fixed grimace-Brown and pathetic zealot Jacqui Smith (hiding her own deficiencies behind her vitriol). You two and your gang of deadbeats and your 'ealth & safety lot are next!
- Judith C, London, 28/08/2008 15:10
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So employees of private firms, who will resemble wheel clampers, can demand that I provide my name and address, and will be able to issue me with legally infocable fines.
If I ignore there request for my name and address, will they attempt to forceably detain me? Will this not count as assault?
This is far worse than anything you could make up. I hope I never have to deal with one of these thugs, because I do not feel I will be able to have a civil conversation with one of them, and I certainly will resist being "assaulted" by one of them, which is what physical restraint amounts to.
- Stephen, London, 28/08/2008 14:26
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Paul, London. I agree with you. Jacqui Smith is thick. New Labour is thick. The most important qualification for a politician is the ability to lie unashamedly, not to be smart. If they were, they would realize that they are leading the country into totalitarianism and that some day, the people will have had enough and chuck them out unceremoniously (to put it mildly). They are ignorant scum who have no concept of history, do not value human freedom (clearly they have had too much of it) and they should not be making laws.
- Roger, paris, 28/08/2008 14:09
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Jaqui Spliff is barking mad,-anyway I'm already prepared for this one,you carry a Gordon Brown Mask around with you at all times and don it whenever necessary.
- Jacob, Canterbury England, 28/08/2008 13:07
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When I have visited England and want to put litter i na bin I can never find one, in the USA we have them every where and therefore no litter. Simple solution. I think your government just spend time thinking up ways to upset everyone, no wonder you all drink, you would have to to put up with that crap.
- Apointofview, MIAMI,USA, 28/08/2008 12:26
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I don't think these heavy-handed tactics are the right way to tackle littering. When I was younger, you were taught not to litter and put stuff in rubbish bins, which at the time were commonplace. These bins were removed to thwart terrorist attacks and from roughly that point littering became much more common and accepted. I suppose introducing more bins and servicing them properly would be too expensive in this cash conscious world?
- Matthew, london, 28/08/2008 10:37
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Five thousand uniformed sock puppets of the new world order cannot control sixty million Britons if those Britons will not co-operate (Apologies to Mr Ghandi). Don't give them permission to bully you.
- Neil, london uk, Airstrip ONE ., 28/08/2008 09:59
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Kewl, I've been trying to get my picture in my local paper for years with no avail, can't wait to meet these litter wardens and pose for them!
- Raminder Bhalla, Northolt, 28/08/2008 08:45
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I suppose there is a very faint possibility that something positive could come out of this pathetic "initiative" - surely something has got to alert the Great British public to the fact that their liberties are being stolen (not too strong a word, I believe) and that it has been going on for some time, and just maybe this most recent outrage will do it.
I commend people to read I Fought The Law by Dan Kieran for a better understanding of how our rights and liberties are being taken from us.
I would also commend people to ostracise the petty-minded snoopers who acquire this accreditation - they are no better than the collaborators of WW2.
Furthermore, I fail to see how a photograph can be considered as evidence of an alleged offence unless it captures the offence being committed. To say, "this is a photograph of someone who dropped litter" must, surely, in law be inadmissible unless it shows the person wilfully dropping litter. Whatever happened to "innocent until proven guilty"? Or did that go out of style when the beginnings of a police-state came into vogue in this country?
As was suggested in an earlier comment, "Rise up, take back YOUR country". Now really is the time for us to stand up for what is ours before everything that was ours is taken.
- Brian, Dorking, Surrey, 27/08/2008 23:52
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I am always baffled to see people dropping litter in the street, but one has to admit, there isn't that many facilities to get rid of rubbish. Most of these people are teenager getting rid of their take away, or beer cans. So what does one can do with them, walk them home and wait for the parents to be fined?
I also remind me of a panorama program showing, that most security companies are run by ex-convict or criminals of some sort. They abused their power in clamping cars, intimidated people, harassed pregnant women, and blacked mail people in releasing their vehicle.
I can now see the same happening, for big bonuses.
I am now very scared, as I have previously received parking fine, while paying for parking. But the guys on the beat, falsified his/her report, and her words had more weight than mine, so I had to pay or go to court, which is expensive and very stressful with little hope of success, as I cannot prove that my vehicle wasn't there 5 minutes after I left the parking space.
Now considering the amount of litter in the street, what will stop one of these new warden, to say, I am the one that through that rubbish in the street. Next I will be fined, because I didn't pick-up the litter.
We all know these people like their bonuses like anybody else, and have a tendency to exploit the generosity of any council. It is like giving them a blank cheque every day.
These country is going back to its roots, Facism....
- Lauren, London Uk, 27/08/2008 22:24
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I can't believe that,
1) you've publisned a post from Singapore
2) none of the posters have understood that there's never been a Labour majority in Colchester Council.
3) someone really thinks that there are Ministers who had heard of Gordon Brown before they read "1984"!
- Alan Griffiths, Forest Gate, London, 27/08/2008 21:33
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We all moan that not enough is being don about disorder. Now people moan when something positive and proactive is being done. This isn't communism, this isn't a totalitarian state. This is just stamping out anti-social-behaviour. If you don't like it, perhaps you are a likely target?
- Martin H. Watson, Teddington, 27/08/2008 12:19
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George Orwell's 1984. Brown has given a copy to every minister.
- Frank, Home Counties, England., 27/08/2008 11:37
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The foregoing posts suggest there is a real possibility at last that we the people can dispose of the puppet politicians and restore our freedoms. It may be messy but it is absolutely essential if we are to avoid a totalitarian state of absolute control and zero freedom. We MUST resist this.
- Neil, london uk, Airstrip ONE ., 27/08/2008 11:25
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I've been saying for years that we are becoming a communist state just as it was in East Germany, and Russia under Stalin. They did it the same way, by making people so frightened of everything. They also introduced the act of spying, not only by the authorities, but also family members and friends telling on each other. This resulted in the Gulags and millions being executed. England now has a really bad atmosphere compared to continental Europe and its our politicians that are to blame.
- Jackie, Dagenham, 27/08/2008 11:16
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As is usual with opposition spokesmen, Dominic Grieve rails against this policy but doesn't say anything about reversing it. I suspect that research would reveal that more than a few Conservative-controlled police authorities are very happy to use these powers.
- Tonyb, Twickenham, 27/08/2008 10:53
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My heart really sank when I read this article. Giving (selling) quasi police powers to council workers and private companies who purchase the right to fine people and collect personal data based on the broad range of powers stated above is plainly a very bad idea.....and one which is going to be hugely unpopular. Our morally bankrupt government seems not to notice or care that their attacks on civil liberties are undermining support not only for themselves but for the whole political process. Hugely dangerous for the future of democracy in the UK and indeed for the future of the Union itself.
- David, London, 27/08/2008 10:18
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Absolute madness. If you treat people like children then they will act like children and that pretty much sums up this labour government. Assume that everyone is as dumb and will act as badly as the lowest of the low and then legislate accordingly. The majority criminalised and inconvenienced by people not trained or responsible enough for the job.
- Bruce, London, 27/08/2008 09:29
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I've just finished reading this article over breakfast. I'm usually quite eloquent, but anger prevents me from putting a sensible paragraph together.
Will the last person to leave England please switch off the light?
If you don't, doubtless there is a bye-law that will enable this bunch of meddling, interfering buffoons to penalise you in some way. This Country has had it.
- Linda Heath, Gillingham, Kent, 27/08/2008 09:20
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. . . And who exactly is going to efficiently administer ALL of the paperwork associated with the actions carried out by "accredited workers"?
Are we to truly believe that these "accredited workers" will be doing ALL of this "extra work" for FREE?
Also, who will be responsible for the "compliance" and "regulation" of all these new "accredited workers"? As New Labour appear to fail miserably at both "control" aspects will these critical tasks be the responsibility of Jacqui Smith herself?
Finally, is this simply another case of New Labour "talking" before they "think"?
- Fraser, Telford Park, 27/08/2008 09:19
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Jacky Stalin Smith - this is crazy! I wonder how much in bonuses they will make from giving false fines. Great. This country really is going to the dogs.
- Charlie, London, 27/08/2008 09:11
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I can't believe we let women like Jacqui Smith run this country. She's Liberal left wing pc moron; I do generally think she is thick. Just because she can go on TV and tow the party line does not mean she has any common sense. She’s a career politician like most of them in the new labour party; the problem is they just don’t care.
- Paul, London, 27/08/2008 09:11
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Oh dear lord, how can labour consistently fail to understand the British public and get policies so wrong? This is not wanted or needed! How are these people to be held to account? Aren't these jobs supposed to be performed by the PCSO's? Or have they now been moved up to cover all policing whilst well paid full officers are hiding from responsibility somewhere else? Who the hell voted labour, seriously....
- Aesir, London, 27/08/2008 08:51
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Fine by me - since the police don't seem to have been particularly effective at dealing with these minor offences, let's give council officials a chance.
- Hughie, Surrey, UK, 27/08/2008 08:22
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'Don't give them your name, Pike'.....
- Gary, wycombe, 27/08/2008 08:01
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I truly cannot believe the way that the government just blindly plows ahead against the not exactly quiet protests of the people they insist they are serving. They either just don't care what anyone else's opinion is, or they are so arrogant that they will do what they please, as they please, when they please because they "know best what's good for everyone".
I've never been a great fan of socialism, but this current crowd beggars belief!
- Rogan, DFW TX, 27/08/2008 07:17
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Between the criminals and the "law enforcement" crowd, the Common Man has no freedom, no privacy, no escape. Rise up, take back your country!
- Trunk, US, 27/08/2008 04:08
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As usual they will fine and harass the vulnerable of our society not one of these "snoopers" will stand up to the antisocial behaviour of the "Hoodie" brigade or anyone else how really does need to be dealt with, instead they'll pick on OAP's who cant argue or hard working people with genuine excuses. Fine anyone that can pay, ignore the offences of anyone who cant. UK, what a joke , so pleased I left for good.
- Scott Richards, Singapore, 27/08/2008 03:41
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