On Sunday 17th January I rode along the cycle path from Conwy over to West Shore, going around the Orme then returning back towards Conwy. I was coming through the car park in West Shore where I saw a heavily built police officer known to me as PC1892 Mark Rhodes who was issuing a ticket to somebody sitting in a car, I’m sure it was COVID-19 related. Rhodes was wearing a mask and PC 2965 Martin Taylor was sitting in the police van at the top of the car park.
I carried on past them heading towards home when the same vehicle, with the same two officers passed me as I was pedalling up the hill adjacent to Llandudno hospital. When I came on to Deganwy Rd, just coming in to Deganwy there is a car park on the right-hand side leading down to the beach. The same police vehicle (reg CX66 BHD) time approximately 11:15am was parked up obstructing the cycle path and the view of any traffic to anyone leaving the car park. The two cheeky officers had got out, gone down to the car park to see if there was anyone down there breaching COVID-19 rules and yet they have committed an offence themselves.
There were other people along the cycle path who also said what a stupid place to park, the police were also making it difficult for anyone pushing a wheelchair or pram to get past, I waited for a bit as I wanted to give these two officers advice about their poor parking, but no one came so I went on my way.
On Thursday 21st of January I called 101 at 9:15am and reported the poor parking, as usual the call handler went straight to the police’ defence saying he may have been on a job, I explained you were not there I was, I got an event number which was Z009525 and a Sergeant did call me back his name was Mike Malone, he asked would I send him the pictures, I asked for his mobile number he said “I haven’t got one as I’m working from home”; they don’t seem to like giving out their telephone numbers anymore, all police officers are issued with mobile phones so I emailed the photos to him instead.
I called 101 on Saturday the 23rd January to ask why no one had been in touch, the lady I spoke to said we have not received the photos I told her they have been sent from my end and I have the time and date, she was quite abrupt on the phone refusing to give me her name or the duty Sergeants name, she eventually gave me her number of 93899 so I asked to speak to her supervisor. Gareth eventually called me back and said he would give her a word of advice as she should have given me her Sergeants name and number and her first name.
Eventually Sergeant 2538 Jones called me on Sunday the 24th, he had read the full facts of my complaints and said both officers are off for a week now so I can’t speak to them just yet, but I will speak to them when they come back, then I’ll call you; he did ask me what I would like as the outcome, I said we will see what they have to say when you have spoken to them.
2538 Jones called me back after he had spoken to the officers and PSD (Professional Standards Department), he said he had given them words of advice about their parking and to be more mindful in future, what is annoying is other people get tickets for parking like this.
I also told the Sergeant that it had been brought to my attention that 1892 Rhodes whilst doing shift work when on nights he was sleeping in the police van at Llandudno police station; again, this is the public’s money being wasted, he should be serving the public and doing his night shift and not sleeping on the job.
Finally, because the police tried to say they didn’t receive my emails, I sent DC 2313 Don Kenyon the photos from my phone for him to forward to PSD.
Mark Rhodes should know better not to block the cycle path as he is familiar with the area as he only lives in Llanrhos.
JFT96 -YNWA
Sergeant Martin Dunn punched the 5-month-old Springer Spaniel called Frank, several times in his garden.
