An assistant chief of police has been forced to defend his force’s tactics after six police cars and 12 officers were dispatched to an operation in which a person was ticketed for a misplaced number plate.
Former union official Glen Dyson, 66, of Lowton, Warrington, Cheshire, was stunned to discover that the license plate he had had for 12 years was illegal, even though he had a speeding ticket in the past.
Officials failed to warn motorist Glen of trouble and were shocked when his wife was given a ticket for the ‘wrong number plate on their BMW’.
Glen had previously had a speeding ticket on the same blue convertible, and the prosecutor’s letter, complete with number plate details, landed on his mat at home.
The scene ahead included six police cars and 12 officers picking up drivers for minor traffic problems – something he said resembled a “major crime incident.”
But Greater Manchester Police have defended the number of police cars and officers sent to the crime scene when Glen was detained on Thursday 28 July for being part of Operation Avro, which “uses specialist resources from the whole force”.
Former union official Glen Dyson, 66, of Lowton, Warrington, Cheshire, was stunned to discover that the license plate he had had for 12 years was illegal. His arrest and fine by Greater Manchester Police was part of Operation Avro, which involved six police cars and 12 officers pulling drivers over minor traffic problems – what he said resembled a ‘major crime incident’
Glen said: ‘If you look at the pictures taken here in Leigh around Spinning Jenny Way, you would expect there to be a major crime incident going on.
“No, it isn’t, it’s a dozen plus officers pulling motorists for minor traffic problems and they’ve tied up six police cars to do this.
My car has had that number plate for 12 years. I’ve had a speeding ticket and been the first at the scene of an accident to talk to three police officers and it’s never been flagged as illegal.
“We have all kinds of incidents, outside office hours, where you just can’t get a police officer to save your life.
‘Last year our local pub had an altercation and the police were called – they didn’t come.
“Now in broad daylight, when burglars are on the prowl, they all sit together in one place to stop motorists.
‘Is that really a sensible deployment of police personnel? I’m not so sure it is.
‘We have a £100 fine for a minor offense – in the past a sensible police officer may have advised you to have the number plate changed but that said I have letters from the police about the car and no mention of the license plate as a problem.
Glen said, ‘If you look at the photos taken here in Leigh around Spinning Jenny Way, you’d expect there to be a major crime incident going on.’ Pictured, where Glen Dyson was stopped at Spinning Jenny Way in Leigh
“In this day and age, you’d hope they’d have better things to do with rising crime as the cost of living increases.
“In the end it’s a ticket and we won’t dispute it. We are law-abiding drivers, fully taxed, insured and with an MOT, but we have been fined.
“It’s not even something I would expect from the police officers involved when serious incidents happen everywhere.”
The couple’s license plate reads G D07SON and is apparently misplaced. The Dysons plan to pay the fine, but want to question the level of policing that are in fact minor driving issues.
Glen’s wife Karen, a retired real estate agent, said: ‘It was after that that I was trembling at what had happened.
The couple’s license plate reads G D07SON (pictured) and is apparently misplaced. The Dysons plan to pay the fine but want to question the level of policing on what are essentially small car shops.
“I had no idea I had done anything wrong and we’ve had that registration on vehicles for 12 years. The policeman asked if I was Mrs Dobson, it was very strange.
‘You have to question the decision-making process whereby a dozen police officers or more motorists can just stop in the middle of the day.
“We have lodged a complaint with the Greater Manchester Police Department about the use of their resources. We will pay the fine if this is a violation.’
GMP Assistant Chief Constable Wasim Chaudhry, said: ‘Greater Manchester Police are taking an increasingly proactive approach to fighting, preventing and reducing crime to make our region as safe as possible for those who live, work and travel in it.
“Operation Avro, which took place in the Wigan and Leigh area on Thursday 28 July 2022, is just one example of that work and uses specialized resources from across the armed forces.
‘This includes, but is certainly not limited to, agents of our Road Police who have more knowledge of the laws and regulations relating to vehicles and therefore have a sharper eye for detecting violations.
“This work may focus on the way vehicles are driven, the condition they are kept in and documentation related to the motorist. Officers are trying to handle situations in the most appropriate way and yesterday nine vehicles were seized and removed from our roads.
Greater Manchester Police have a responsibility to enforce the law. If anyone is unsure of the laws and regulations governing vehicles, they should visit the government website for advice: Displaying Number Plates: Number Plate Rules – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).’