Police respond to Labour misuse of resources

Following complaints from Liberal Democrats in Redcar constituency, the Acting Chief Constable of Cleveland is to issue guidance to about the importance of not involving police officers in election campaigns.

This follows photographs published on social media of Labour council candidates and the Labour Parliamentary Candidate for Redcar appearing alongside uniformed police officers.

The Acting Chief Constable replied to the complaints, saying that he was “writing to candidates making it clear that they must not use such pictures in their campaign material.”

Labour should know that this is a misuse of public money and should not be putting pressure on the police to pose for their publications. Labour’s candidate Ms Turley shows a lack of mature understanding of the need for our police force to avoid being placed in a position where their integrity may be questioned.

As an agent and candidate at many Parliamentary and Council Elections in the past I was always told that in no circumstances could the local police be seen in photographs with election candidates.

It is only a couple of weeks ago when Ms Turley Tweeted a faked photograph of her Lib Dem opponents.

As a ward councillor concerned about anti-social behaviour problems, which appear to be escalating on the estate currently being re-developed at the junction of Roseberry Road and Mersey Road, I find it extremely annoying when local officers say they are too busy to attend meetings of the Neighbourhood Action Partnerships

These take place in each Council ward and the police often say they are too stretched to attend them all. Yet they can spare time to be seen around and be photographed with Labour candidates seeking election.

A happy smiling group photograph showing the Labour parliamentary candidate for Redcar, Labour council election candidates in Dormanstown and local police officers was published on Facebook along with a caption announcing the selection of Labour's candidates for Dormanstown Ward.