Sergeant Thought He Knew The Law... Then Got Exposed

[00:00:00]How's that a What was in the scene?

[00:00:01]Well, I find it very offensive. Okay.

[00:00:03]>> I'm just here asking you to leave the police premises.

[00:00:05]>> You realize You realize You realize This time just at the local police station in Kempston.

[00:00:13]Which I think it's just an area on the outskirts of the main city of Bedford.

[00:00:20]So, we're just going to have a look around the station here.

[00:00:33]Main entrance to the operational on Halsey Road.

[00:00:39]That's just the car park now here at the moment.

[00:00:44]Not a lot to see.

[00:00:49]Private vehicles.

[00:00:53]Got a defibrillator.

[00:00:57]Comes with instructions on how to use it.

[00:01:00]Which is good.

[00:01:02]Other than that, we got a phone if you need police assistance there.

[00:01:13]Yeah, good man. How are you?

[00:01:15]Good. Good.

[00:01:19]Other than that, Unison office.

[00:01:24]It's a gate which uh looks like it's open. And you can't really see many vehicles or anything but the marked ones. You know, the one that was just sticking out of the garage a bit down there. That's about it really.

[00:01:35]Yeah, so that's the front of the building.

[00:01:41]>> We're in Kempston today observing the local police station.

[00:01:45]Public filming audits often begin in accessible areas such as car parks to examine how officers respond to lawful recording in publicly accessible spaces.

[00:01:52]And in general terms, members of the public may have implied access to areas like front entrances unless clear restrictions are communicated. The key question here is how officers respond when a camera is present and whether station policy is distinguished from actual legal authority.

[00:02:08]>> It's an interesting bit all the blinds are closed on the bottom windows, which is good. I'll see if they've got personal data and stuff in there.

[00:02:15]Nobody can see it as they're going past, which is top notch.

[00:02:19]All right.

[00:02:21]I think that chap he might be an officer on his lunch, hence why he's waiting around.

[00:02:24]Checking what I'm up to.

[00:02:27]All right.

[00:02:29]Little pigeon roost. Hello.

[00:02:31]>> Can I help you, sir?

[00:02:32]>> No, I'm good, cheers.

[00:02:32]>> Are you?

[00:02:33]>> Yeah, yeah.

[00:02:33]>> Okay, sure. Can I Can I ask what you're videoing then? Cuz it's the police building.

[00:02:36]>> What does it look like I'm videoing?

[00:02:38]>> Sorry?

[00:02:38]>> What does it look like I'm videoing? Are you a police officer?

[00:02:40]>> I am, indeed.

[00:02:41]>> Have you got your warrant card on you, sir? He's He's addressing a member of public as a police officer. Can you come off the phone, please? It's very rude and unprofessional.

[00:02:47]5359, Detective Sergeant. Yes, okay. Well, yeah, as I said, you're addressing a member of the public. It's very rude to be on your phone, very unprofessional.

[00:02:55]>> But this is a This is a Detective Inspector that's on the phone.

[00:02:57]>> Okay.

[00:02:58]>> And I'm just questioning what you're doing here for security of this building.

[00:03:01]>> Well, I'm doing a personal project.

[00:03:03]>> Are you? Okay, lovely car.

[00:03:04]>> Can you not step towards me, mate?

[00:03:05]>> Can I ask you to leave these premises?

[00:03:06]>> Can you not step towards me? That's very rude.

[00:03:08]>> premises, please.

[00:03:09]>> Why Why do I need to leave these premises? It's a publicly accessible area.

[00:03:11]>> This isn't, actually.

[00:03:12]>> Of course it is.

[00:03:13]>> car park for police officers. This isn't an active police station.

[00:03:15]>> doesn't say that anywhere. Please It says no private vehicles beyond this point. But private vehicles can be here.

[00:03:21]>> For the people that work here. These are their private vehicles.

[00:03:23]>> How is it? All right, okay. Interesting.

[00:03:25]That's right. I'll just uh make sure that the number plates are all legal.

[00:03:28]>> Yep, they are.

[00:03:29]>> Yeah, are you sure about that? Cuz I see a lot around police stations that aren't. Yeah.

[00:03:32]>> Thank you, sir.

[00:03:33]>> No worries, DS. Yeah, I'm leaving.

[00:03:35]>> Professional standards typically require officers to clearly identify themselves when engaging with members of the public. In this instance, the interaction begins with a plainclothes detective sergeant still on a personal phone call, which the auditor frames as inconsistent with expected professionalism.

[00:03:50]The tone of the encounter shifts quickly once the camera is noticed, moving from a casual interaction into a request for the auditor to leave, raising questions about how de-escalation is being handled.

[00:04:08]We'll see.

[00:04:09]>> So, I'm going to ask you again to leave.

[00:04:10]>> I am leaving.

[00:04:11]>> Thank you.

[00:04:12]>> I'm leaving. There's no speed limit on leaving, is there? There's no speed limit. I can go I can go as I'm leaving.

[00:04:17]I can go as slow as I like. I'm going I'm leaving. I'm going backwards, aren't I?

[00:04:23]>> Thank you. Come on, you can try me as much as you like.

[00:04:26]>> Yeah.

[00:04:28]So, we've got DS bully boy.

[00:04:30]>> [sighs] >> So, if you want to cause a public scene then that's this is a whole different ballgame, isn't it?

[00:04:37]>> How am I causing a public scene? Calling you a bully boy?

[00:04:39]>> Yeah.

[00:04:40]>> How's that a causing a scene?

[00:04:41]>> Well, I find it very offensive.

[00:04:43]>> Okay.

[00:04:43]>> I'm just here asking you to leave the police premises.

[00:04:46]>> You realize you realize you realize the uh strand of a public order offensive insulting was removed it was too subjective. So, it would have to be threatening or abusing in language or displays of behavior. So, good luck with that one for starters. I can call you a bully boy and call you a pig if I want to.

[00:05:02]>> No, you can't.

[00:05:02]>> Yes, I can.

[00:05:03]>> No, you can't.

[00:05:03]>> Yes, I absolutely can. You need to go read up on the POA.

[00:05:07]>> Can you um get some uniform down here, boss?

[00:05:10]>> So, DS needs some PCs to back him up.

[00:05:18]>> The discussion turns to whether the language used meets the threshold of a public order offense.

[00:05:23]While the term in question may be unprofessional, the legal standard generally requires behavior to be threatening, abusive, or likely to cause harassment or alarm rather than simply being insulting. The officer's response escalates the situation by requesting additional support rather than attempting to de-escalate the verbal exchange, shifting the interaction toward a more formal police response.

[00:05:43]>> You can get some uniforms down here.

[00:05:46]Needs some PC backup.

[00:06:05]Once I get a little calm back.

[00:06:29]So, whilst we're waiting on a backup, I'm going to get my body cam clipped on because I can see this uh going for a search with the way the S is acting.

[00:06:45]So, I get my body cam set up.

[00:06:52]Just in case.

[00:06:55]Hopefully my beard's not obstructing the lens.

[00:07:06]>> Stop and search powers generally require reasonable grounds to suspect involvement in criminal activity, depending on the legal framework being relied upon.

[00:07:14]Anticipating possible escalation, the auditor activates his own recording equipment to document the interaction.

[00:07:20]This creates an objective record of events, particularly in the event that the situation develops into a detention or search under applicable policing powers.

[00:07:29]>> Public pavement.

[00:07:30]I'm off their property.

[00:07:49]>> Ah, this is a shame after, you know, such a good interaction that we had at the headquarters.

[00:08:38]Uh whilst we wait around for these uniforms, we're going to head round to the vehicle gate which I saw on the side of the building.

[00:08:52]Here we go.

[00:08:52]>> Filming from public land is generally lawful, and the auditor moves to the pavement to remove any question of trespass. He complies with the request to move, but tension remains as backup is called.

[00:09:02]The key question now is whether further officers will enforce the sergeant's position or reassess the situation.

[00:09:08]>> Yeah.

[00:09:12]But yeah, I think uh the DS was correct.

[00:09:14]The number plates do look all kosher so far.

[00:09:21]There is a vanity plate on a Mercedes over there, but it looks legal.

[00:09:24]Spacing looks right, font looks right.

[00:09:26]From what I can see from a distance, it looks like it's got the marks and everything that it needs to have.

[00:09:52]>> It's a little Subaru.

[00:10:23]Little DS, fully boy, oink oink.

[00:10:30]>> Photography in public places generally does not require permission, and the auditor continues documenting the station perimeter from an external position.

[00:10:38]While officers may raise security concerns, observing and recording what is already visible in public view is typically lawful.

[00:10:45]From the auditor's perspective, this type of recording is intended to highlight potential issues or vulnerabilities, which could be seen as contributing to transparency and accountability if received constructively.

[00:10:57]>> Looks like they're being trained on how to use a pressure washer.

[00:11:03]I think he's going to close the garage door by looks of it.

[00:11:07]I know he's showing them a new different hose.

[00:11:13]>> Police training often takes place openly, and in this instance, the uniformed officers appear focused on their duties and equipment.

[00:11:20]Unlike earlier interactions, they show little reaction to the presence of the camera, which is generally consistent with a low conflict de-escalatory approach.

[00:11:28]The contrast highlights how ignoring non-disruptive filming can help maintain a calm environment, though it remains to be seen whether this tone continues throughout the encounter.

[00:11:48]>> Yeah, so got some uh officers in training there.

[00:11:55]>> Hello.

[00:11:57]Hello.

[00:11:58]>> Hi, yeah.

[00:12:01]>> Hello, are you all right?

[00:12:01]>> No, no, you're good, thank you.

[00:12:03]>> Okay.

[00:12:08]>> Yeah, somebody coming over the intercom asking if I need any help.

[00:12:12]Not had that one before.

[00:12:16]>> Communication is used here as a tool to build trust with a polite intercom message checking whether assistance is needed.

[00:12:22]This is presented as a non-confrontational, service-oriented approach that acknowledges the auditor without treating him as a suspect.

[00:12:29]The tone contrasts with earlier interactions, while the auditor remains aware of the possibility of further escalation as he continues observing the situation.

[00:12:39]>> What a run-down sort of place compared to the HQ, unfortunately.

[00:12:44]Just looks dirty and old.

[00:12:51]Okay.

[00:12:52]I think the spacing's wrong on that one.

[00:13:02]So, I don't know what that just picked up.

[00:13:10]Hopefully got some uh marked units in that.

[00:13:24]Got DS bully boys gone.

[00:13:37]>> The discussion centers on proportional use of police resources and whether the response was justified.

[00:13:43]The sergeant's request for uniformed backup is contrasted with the auditor's activity, which is framed as peaceful filming in a public space as time passes without visible escalation. The lack of further response is interpreted as an indication that the situation may not have required the level of intervention initially anticipated.

[00:14:00]>> I just walking past on the way to the coffee shop and uh see some uniforms coming out. They got on their vaping.

[00:14:07]I know police stations are not smoking sites.

[00:14:10]Uh hopefully none of them start smoking.

[00:14:21]Just check that they're vaping only.

[00:14:26]Uh Uh Yeah, they're vaping. Not smoking.

[00:15:00]Uh Uh >> Yeah, so they're not bothered.

[00:15:32]Yeah, I'll have to look into whether they're allowed to vape on site or not.

[00:15:52]I got some vehicles coming out by the looks of it.

[00:16:00]PC down there is waiting for that gate to close before he walks away.

[00:16:08]>> We end on a quieter note, observing officers securing the gate before leaving the scene.

[00:16:13]The key points highlighted include concerns about the initial professionalism of the interaction, differing interpretations of public order principles, and the decision not to further escalate the situation by uniformed officers.

[00:16:24]The conclusion frames the event as an example of why such audits are conducted, while also inviting viewers to reflect on whether the initial decision to call for backup was justified.