Police pose for selfies with boy racer pests
Police officers called to deal with boy racers who are terrifying elderly residents posed for "selfies" with them instead, it has been claimed.
Up to 35 boy racers a night are gathering in Welshpool town centre and "terrorising" local residents.
But when police were called to deal with them at 3am, the officers shook hands with the culprits and posed for the selfie photos which were later uploaded to social media site Facebook.
The claim was made by town councillor Estelle Blievas at a meeting the town council held with Dyfed-Powys Police and Crime Commissioner Christopher Salmon last night. The pictures have since been removed from the internet, Councillor Blievas said, but she demanded an explanation as to why officers posed for pictures.
She said: "I am a former teacher and if you reprimanded a pupil you did not shake their hand and pose for a photograph, you told them off. I am told by a resident who called the police at about 3am the other day that when the officers arrived they spoke to the boy racers and then the boys got their phones out.
"They asked the officers to pose in photographs with them, shaking hands and the officers did it. They were then uploaded to Facebook and sadly they were taken down before I could obtain a copy to bring and show everyone here tonight. It is not good enough, something needs to be done about the perceived relationship between police and offenders in the town."
Mr Salmon said he would look into the issue and will be providing a written report to the town council.
The boy racer problem sees each one race a circuit around the town from Berriew Street car park, past the Raven and back down the town to the car park, Councillor Phil Pritchard said.
He added: "They need moving on, they are terrorising and terrifying the residents around there and I live in one of the bungalows close by myself. There is sheltered housing on either side of the car park they use and the way they treat local residents is shameful."
Mr Salmon said he would speak to officers and chief constable about the problem. He said: "I will speak to the Chief Constable Simon Prince and make him and the local team aware of these concerns and address them accordingly."
