East Lancashire Police use patrol vehicles as taxi on night out

Two Police Officers from Eastern Division Police Force in Lancashire have been disciplined after an official patrol car was used as a taxi by police officers on a night out.

The incident happened after a leaving party for two road traffic sergeants, Sgt Stuart Isherwood and Sgt Keith Jackson, held at the BAE Systems Canberra Club, Samlesbury.

It was reported that at around 10:45pm, on Friday, the 2nd of February 2007, a group of police officers who were attending the event tried in vain to get a taxi to take them to a house in Blackburn.

After finding no taxis were available, a fellow Police Officer was called and an unmarked police vehicle, driven by a uniformed policeman picked them up at around 11:30pm, and took the Police Officers to a house in Blackburn.

Only two officers have been disciplined, the Police Officer who made the call, and the Police Officer who authorised the call out, the others involved have not been disciplined.

One retired senior East Lancashire police officer said: "This sort of thing used to go on 20-25 years ago and senior officers would have turned a blind eye. But times have changed and the police are far more accountable."

Steve Edwards, chair of the Lancashire branch of the Police Federation said: “If any disciplinary issues involve our members we will support them.”, surprisingly enough.

The party had earlier provoked a row, after it was revealed all the traffic police in Blackburn, Hyndburn and the Ribble Valley were off duty on the Friday night to attend.