man arrested for taking photo of a police officer

A man was arrested after he took a photo of a police officer reversing the wrong way up a one-way Street. The photograph taker was arrested for being drunk, assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest. He was then locked up for five hours before being released on bail.

Mr Carter, of Bedminster, Bristol, said: “I was nearly knocked down there once so when the police van went the wrong way I sort of said, ‘Hey mate. No entry’. But he just shouted out of the window, ‘F*** off — this is police business’.

“It was very frightening. All I had done was photograph these police officers doing something illegal, but I was the one who ended up being arrested.”

The police officer was on his way to the chip shop to look at CCTV footage of an offence that had happened earlier.

Mr Carter was never charged as all offences were dropped. He complained about his wrongful arrest and he received an apology at a disciplinary hearing from the arresting officer.

Now Rob Beckley, Deputy Chief Constable of Avon and Somerset Police, has written to Mr Carter saying: “I would like to add my apologies.

“We expect the highest standards and PC Farooq fell below what was required. His colleagues feel he let us down and he has learnt a difficult lesson.

“He realises his actions were totally unacceptable and he could and should have apologised to you much earlier.

“I will be meeting him in the next few weeks and will reinforce our expectations of his behaviour.”