Taxi Driver Online

Birmingham Post

June 21, 2007, Thursday

40,000 pounds cost of keeping taxi drivers within law

West Midlands Police are demanding pounds 40,000 from Birmingham City Council to make sure that taxi and private hire cab drivers stay within the law.

The sum covers the annual cost of retaining Pc Kier Hart, who acts as the council's full-time taxi liaison officer with a remit to clamp down on unlicensed vehicles and make sure motorists do not park in taxi ranks.

Members of the council licensing committee yesterday agreed to cover Pc Hart's wages for a sixth year.

A report by head of licensing Pete Barrow noted: "The police authority has powers to enforce private hire and hackney carriage licensing legislation.

"Due to resource constraints this element of enforcement is not identified as a key priority and in most instances is not recorded as crime or detection of crime in the police Home Office returns."

He said the key priorities were to address illegal use of taxi ranks and deal with unlicensed vehicles picking up passengers.

Mr Barrow added: "Enforcement in these areas is likely to be more effective with a uniformed police officer who will act as a deterrent by their presence, demonstrate official authority and have the power of arrest in extreme circumstances."

Mr Barrow said Pc Hart had been responsible for co-ordinating many stop-checks across the city, enabling council licensing officers to make sure taxi and private hire drivers were complying with the law, and also helped co-ordinate a training programme.

Jacqui Kennedy, assistant director of regulatory services, said: "We are envied by many of our colleagues across the West Midlands. Other councils are trying to replicate the arrangements we have.

"The taxi and private hire trade are fully supportive of every penny we spend on the taxi liaison officer."
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So the police are now a business out to make profit! £40,000 a year for a P.C - someones having a laugh.

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if you cannot be yourself, then who can you be.

That's the salary of a 10 year PC.

The Police authority is under no obligation to supply a full time officer dedicated to the Taxi trade.

It's a bit like when film companys require the Police to close of streets etc etc to facilitate the operation, they have to pay the Police overtime so that the core number are'nt depleted to cover a private venture.

This does'nt detract from the Police responsibility, just a dedicted officer will require funding by those that need him, as in the Birmingham Council lad.

Here in London, the officers that make up the Transport Operational Command Unit are funded directly from the GLA budget, opposed to the Home Office allocation. They are also over and above the Mets manpower allocation, but the Met still has first call on them obviously, otherwise we would end up with Ken's Private Police Force.

TBH I was under the impression that the salary for a ten year officer outside the "Met" was about 30K.

Having said that! why has it got to be an officer at the top end of the scale?

I am thinking that it would not take someone 10 weeks to learn about basic enforcement, and a one/two year copper would be a lot cheaper. I would also say what a terrible waste of resources to put a ten year copper with all the experience that he/she has gained just to sort out taxis.

It is probably the type of job you land up with if you upset someone - like being put out to grass so to speak. I can see its merits but as I say not at the top end of the payment scale.

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if you cannot be yourself, then who can you be.

A 9-5 job concentrating on Taxi's? It would be a lot more popular than you imagine!

The Met's old Taxi enforcement unit which consisted of about 6 Pc's, all had about 28 years in each.

What kind of overall hours do these guys work - is it just 9 to 5

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if you cannot be yourself, then who can you be.