DEVON & CORNWALL POLICE GET IT WRONG

I went out late last night for a drive and on the way back I stopped at the local 24 hour garage. The person in front of me was obviously very, very drunk. I thought he must be in one of taxis but to my horror I saw him get in his own car and start to drive off in a very dangerous manner.

At this stage I'll point out my pet hate has always been drink drivers and while I was in the Special Constabulary I arrested more drink drivers than any other offence.

I phoned 999 on my mobile and followed this car explaining what I had seen and heard in the garage as well as giving an excellent description of him, his manner, his eyes, his speech and his breath. I followed him to his home address and was told if I could stay nearby to point out exactly where he parked up. This I did but at no point did I mention I used to be in the force.

5 minutes later a women at Exeter comms phones me back to say because he's now at his home address now there is nothing they can do.

Nothing you can do huh?

What about section 4, sub sections 6 and 7 of the road traffic act 1988 (c.52) then:

(6) A constable may arrest a person without warrant if he has reasonable cause to suspect that that person is or has been committing an offence under this section.

(7) For the purpose of arresting a person under the power conferred by subsection (6) above, a constable may enter (if need be by force) any place where that person is or where the constable, with reasonable cause, suspects him to be.

They fobbed me off and I'm bloody angry by it. I told the comms operator he smelt strongly of drink. I told them his speech was very slurred. I told them his driving was very erratic.DOES THIS NOT SOUND LIKE REASONABLE GROUNDS?

The manner of this mans driving was dangerous. At one point he was doing 80mph in a 30mph built up area with people about. He was a death waiting to happen but the Police, thinking I didn't know anything about the law said they could do nothing. Does this then mean that I'm allowed to drink a bottle of vodka and even if I'm chased as long as I can make it through my front door I'm safe? I don't think so!

I have always given my collar number when I phoned for the Police and this was one of the first times I haven't but I'm now starting to wonder how many people really do get fobbed off when they phone up in good faith.

I'm sure one day he'll kill himself or others and I know where the blame will lay when it does! If I was still in the force I would demanded to know his address and bloody arrested him myself. Drink drivers are killers and it should not have been treated in such a bad way.

I'm sure many family's who have had relatives killed by drink drivers (I've lost one myself) would be disturbed by this.

Very poor show Devon & Cornwall!