Norm v Staffordshire's Finest

[Arthur]

As we well know Ellis and his merry men are and are hell bent on shafting our club.

 

Yesterday was nothing but embarrassing for Staffordshire's finest.

[Lornelounger]

As posted on the other thread, I despair at the shocking waste of money and police time on this - like another poster, I witnessed the police twerps on High Lane waving traffic through as if her Majesty's motorcade itself was imminent. Why? It was a sub 5K crowd moving away from the ground in exactly the same way we have always done down the years - and we certainly didn't some twonk in a helmet reminding us what to do at traffic lights.

I can only explain it by assuming that some of those on overtime felt the need to justify their existence on the day. They certainly weren't needed at the match. If they fancied some overtime, perhaps they should volunteer to do a few beats on foot around our fair city in places where they would be of more use. Tesco's need people to help pack the bags at the tills as - intelligence tells me it sometimes kicks off in there when the three for two offers are sold out… There was also a fist fight at our local Darby and Joan when Doris sneezed and lost her dentures recently, and Mavis trod on them by accident - perhaps plod could send a riot van around? Their intelligence is surely up to it….

[Bert Llewellyn]

Can I suggest that anyone who is a tax payer in SOT contacts Mr Ellis and questions the decisions made? Having worked with locally elected officials I know that if they receive no letters, emails etc. then they claim it isn't an issue. On the other hand, if they do you are entitled to follow up the initial contact asking for a response

 

Just an idea.

[Vital Spark]

This fiasco was not the fault of the officers on duty, they were just doing their job, and if that was on overtime rates, then good luck to them. The blame, once again, lies squarely at the door of Mr Ellis, his senior staff and his flawed "Intel" team.

[Aussie Rules]

This is what I posted in Memphis' topic thread:

 

"I'm trying to get my head around this overkill policing issue in and around Vale Park.

 

The last 'Australian Rules' football game I attended at the Subiaco Oval, Western Australia there was a near capacity crowd of 43,000.

 

There were police inside the stadium but their visible profile was low key, and with the stadium's CCTV and match stewards, the later having substantial authority to maintain order, ensured a great day out for everyone - more so for those of us on the winning side

 

Outside the stadium, both before and after the game and in and around Subiaco and suburbs, the police profile was very visible providing, in my opinion, quality traffic and pedestrian control.

 

Maybe Mr Ellis could pick-up a few tips from our local 'Boys in Blue'?"

[DaneValiant]

Somebody said on the other thread that there was about 70 police standing with their arms folded/having a snooze yesterday - 1 for every 67 fans. So for a Stoke home game with 27000 fans, there should be about 400 police there. And I bet there isn't. Which means lieutenant Frank Drebin is taking the absolute ****

[rsb]

Did you notice the stewards near the end of the game went and stud in front of the railway paddock but none where in front of the Doncaster fans was the info about the vale fans and not about the Doncaster fans but made to look so.

[valeblue]

Shocking waste of police time , don't blame the Bobbies there , but it's come from higher up , shocking management, they should at least come out and apologise or justify the big police presence, bet they won't!

[Fosse69]

Was there a crucial error in the "intelligence"? Did it say some high profile teams wear red stripes but neglected to say vertical, whereas Donny use horizontal, they must have been expecting the Blunts.

[Jacko51]

Did anyone film or photograph the officers and vehicles at the various locations?

 

Has anyone contacted rovers to ask who said what to whom?

 

I dont think this is an argument smurf can win with bullish bluster... disprove the statements, contradict their "intelligence" with documentary evidence, make them justify the manpower and resources used, shine the light on them.

 

Agreed. If you want to contact Matthew Ellis, there is a form to do so on the PCC website. Here's the link: http://www.staffordshire-pcc.gov.uk/contact/

 

I have already done so and here is my message:

 

Dear Mr Ellis

 

I am becoming increasingly concerned with the apparent lack of intelligence and common sense on display in the policing of Port Vale home games. After the fiasco of the game against Wolves a couple of seasons ago, I had hoped that the Police would have learned a few lessons about the management of football crowds in Burslem. Sadly, this does not appear to be the case.

 

Last season’s match between Port Vale and Doncaster saw what can only be described as a ludicrous example of over-policing. The use of 69 assorted Police personnel and 16 police vehicles to manage an away following of 700 odd was extreme. The fact that half of these resources were deployed in Burslem town centre and consequently, were financed by the tax payer, was a ridiculous waste of resources.

 

Yesterday, against the same opponents, we witnessed a similar example of extreme overkill. The number of officers on duty seemed totally out of proportion to the needs of policing an away following of 357. Did the Police Intelligence Unit expect a much larger following? If so, how is their intelligence gathered that it can be so out of sync with reality? We also had the erection of the Great Wall of Burslem across the club car park, the purpose of which appears to be to confine the away supporters to a specific area to avoid trouble. Yet Doncaster fans were walking freely around the ground, visiting the club shop, crossing to the Co-op car park, walking into Burslem and in doing so, coming into regular contact with home supporters. I was astonished to find that no riot occurred in these circumstances! That Doncaster fans were, quite rightly in my opinion, allowed to travel freely in this way yet home supporters were denied access to their own social club is nothing more than complete stupidity. I would be interested to know what impact that decision had on the income of the social club.

 

Can I point out that I attended every Port Vale game both home and away last season and I never witnessed the excessive policing that I saw on show a Vale Park yesterday. Indeed, when Vale took nigh on 1,000 fans to Notts County, I was hard pushed to see a police officer anywhere in the ground.

 

Can I suggest that either you or the Chief Constable offers to attend a meeting of the Port Vale Supporters Club in the near future so that the issues can be discussed by both parties and some degree of understanding can be achieved by both sides.

[For Us All]

Agreed. If you want to contact Matthew Ellis, there is a form to do so on the PCC website. Here's the link: http://www.staffordshire-pcc.gov.uk/contact/

 

I have already done so and here is my message:

 

Dear Mr Ellis

 

I am becoming increasingly concerned with the apparent lack of intelligence and common sense on display in the policing of Port Vale home games. After the fiasco of the game against Wolves a couple of seasons ago, I had hoped that the Police would have learned a few lessons about the management of football crowds in Burslem. Sadly, this does not appear to be the case.

 

Last season’s match between Port Vale and Doncaster saw what can only be described as a ludicrous example of over-policing. The use of 69 assorted Police personnel and 16 police vehicles to manage an away following of 700 odd was extreme. The fact that half of these resources were deployed in Burslem town centre and consequently, were financed by the tax payer, was a ridiculous waste of resources.

 

Yesterday, against the same opponents, we witnessed a similar example of extreme overkill. The number of officers on duty seemed totally out of proportion to the needs of policing an away following of 357. Did the Police Intelligence Unit expect a much larger following? If so, how is their intelligence gathered that it can be so out of sync with reality? We also had the erection of the Great Wall of Burslem across the club car park, the purpose of which appears to be to confine the away supporters to a specific area to avoid trouble. Yet Doncaster fans were walking freely around the ground, visiting the club shop, crossing to the Co-op car park, walking into Burslem and in doing so, coming into regular contact with home supporters. I was astonished to find that no riot occurred in these circumstances! That Doncaster fans were, quite rightly in my opinion, allowed to travel freely in this way yet home supporters were denied access to their own social club is nothing more than complete stupidity. I would be interested to know what impact that decision had on the income of the social club.

 

Can I point out that I attended every Port Vale game both home and away last season and I never witnessed the excessive policing that I saw on show a Vale Park yesterday. Indeed, when Vale took nigh on 1,000 fans to Notts County, I was hard pushed to see a police officer anywhere in the ground.

 

Can I suggest that either you or the Chief Constable offers to attend a meeting of the Port Vale Supporters Club in the near future so that the issues can be discussed by both parties and some degree of understanding can be achieved by both sides.

 

Fantastic email,more fans need to back this up.

[melv]

Agreed. If you want to contact Matthew Ellis, there is a form to do so on the PCC website. Here's the link: http://www.staffordshire-pcc.gov.uk/contact/

 

I have already done so and here is my message:

 

Dear Mr Ellis

 

I am becoming increasingly concerned with the apparent lack of intelligence and common sense on display in the policing of Port Vale home games. After the fiasco of the game against Wolves a couple of seasons ago, I had hoped that the Police would have learned a few lessons about the management of football crowds in Burslem. Sadly, this does not appear to be the case.

 

Last season’s match between Port Vale and Doncaster saw what can only be described as a ludicrous example of over-policing. The use of 69 assorted Police personnel and 16 police vehicles to manage an away following of 700 odd was extreme. The fact that half of these resources were deployed in Burslem town centre and consequently, were financed by the tax payer, was a ridiculous waste of resources.

 

Yesterday, against the same opponents, we witnessed a similar example of extreme overkill. The number of officers on duty seemed totally out of proportion to the needs of policing an away following of 357. Did the Police Intelligence Unit expect a much larger following? If so, how is their intelligence gathered that it can be so out of sync with reality? We also had the erection of the Great Wall of Burslem across the club car park, the purpose of which appears to be to confine the away supporters to a specific area to avoid trouble. Yet Doncaster fans were walking freely around the ground, visiting the club shop, crossing to the Co-op car park, walking into Burslem and in doing so, coming into regular contact with home supporters. I was astonished to find that no riot occurred in these circumstances! That Doncaster fans were, quite rightly in my opinion, allowed to travel freely in this way yet home supporters were denied access to their own social club is nothing more than complete stupidity. I would be interested to know what impact that decision had on the income of the social club.

 

Can I point out that I attended every Port Vale game both home and away last season and I never witnessed the excessive policing that I saw on show a Vale Park yesterday. Indeed, when Vale took nigh on 1,000 fans to Notts County, I was hard pushed to see a police officer anywhere in the ground.

 

Can I suggest that either you or the Chief Constable offers to attend a meeting of the Port Vale Supporters Club in the near future so that the issues can be discussed by both parties and some degree of understanding can be achieved by both sides.

 

10 / 10

[Guppy 4 England]

I saw more police today than games against Chesterfield and shrewsbury games noted for trouble. Embarrassing.

 

Don't pay them smurf. Robbing gits.

[valetillidye]

Nice on jean, if anyone is interested mr Ellis has taken to Twitter over the matter

[Guppy 4 England]

I seem to recall against Chesterfield the other season that the police were fighting with the Vale fans and not one away fan was to be seen. Seeing as they blocked off Hamil road and forced fans into the town centre, it all seemed to kick off when a woman was pushed to the floor by a copper and some blokes battered him for it.