North Yorkshire Police has defended its decision to stop providing Remembrance Day traffic management.
Thirty-two smaller Remembrance Day parades in the county will be affected annually from this year.
They include the one organised by Knaresborough Royal British Legion, whose vice-chair David Houlgate warned this week it could prevent the town’s annual parade going ahead.
Assistant chief constable Elliot Foskett said it was a “difficult but lawful decision”, adding:
“Under the Traffic Management Act 2004, which placed the responsibility on the local authority and event organisers, the larger Remembrance Day events in our area have utilised traffic management companies to ensure public safety.
“However, for many years, North Yorkshire Police has continued to provide a traffic management function to the smaller Remembrance Day events.”
ACC Foskett said the force was acting on legislation as well as guidance from the National Police Chiefs’ Council and the College of Policing that policing should not take responsibility for closing roads or managing traffic, other than in an emergency.
He added:
“This is to make sure police resources remain focused on tackling crime and anti-social behaviour.
“With immediate effect, North Yorkshire Police has repositioned to fully comply and will not be undertaking routine traffic management for any Remembrance Day events in 2023 and in subsequent years.”
Read more:
- Local Remembrance Sunday parades under threat after police withdraw traffic help
- Andrew Jones MP urges police to continue Remembrance Day traffic management
ACC Foskett said police were “working closely with North Yorkshire Council and City of York Council to assist the affected event organisers to put in place the necessary arrangements in time for November, including obtaining a Temporary Traffic Regulation Order”.
The senior police officer, who is also a forces veteran, added:
“The upset caused by this change is fully understandable, but it is categorically wrong to suggest North Yorkshire Police no longer supports Remembrance Day.
“We simply could not continue to act outside of the legislation and national police guidance.”
He said officers would still lay wreaths at services and were “proud to pay our respects as we have throughout our history”.
Harrogate and Knaresborough Conservative MP Andrew Jones said he was “surprised and disappointed” by the decision and has called for a rethink.
North Yorkshire police officer touched breasts of woman he met on dutyA former North Yorkshire Police officer touched the breasts of a vulnerable woman he met on duty and discussed the possibility of forging a relationship with her.
PC Chris Bolton also exchanged sexual images with the woman, a misconduct hearing heard.
The hearing heard that PC Bolton interacted with the woman, known as Ms A, between August 13, 2020 and November 24, 2020,
He was also found to have dishonestly re-scored a risk assessment relating to Ms A on or around August 23.
The hearing took place at North Yorkshire Police headquarters in Northallerton last week. The panel concluded that the allegations had been proved and amounted to gross misconduct.
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It found PC Bolton breached standards for discreditable conduct, authority, respect and courtesy, honesty and integrity and duties and responsibilities.
The panel concluded that, had Mr Bolton still been serving with North Yorkshire Police, he would have been dismissed.
It also ruled he will be placed on the College of Policing barred and advisory list.
Individuals remain on the list indefinitely, unless they win an appeal against their dismissal or make a successful review application, where they would have to provide clear evidence as to why they were now suitable to re-join policing.
North Yorkshire Police declined to reply to a question from the Stray Ferret asking where PC Bolton was based.