Police World Edition 3 2015

IPA News

Turkish Delight IPA Friends Ken Ashburn and David Winnard, together with their wives, visited the Turkish Island of Bozcaada and surprised a local police officer. In May 2015 my wife and I together with IPA friend Ken Ashburn and his wife Eileen were on a cruise in the Eastern Mediterranean when we visited the small Turkish Island of Bozcaada. Within 100 yards of landing we came across the Police Station and we spoke to the officer on duty outside. The officer, Serkan Alasoy, turned out to be an IPA member and he was surprised as we were the first overseas IPA members he had ever met. Bozcaada is not on the normal tourist trail and our cruise ship was the first to visit the island. Serkan, who has been a member of the IPA for 4 years, made us very welcome, and introduced us to his wife and two sons. We all enjoyed the surprise meeting despite the language problems encountered. This shows that in the most unlikely locations we can get the opportunity to meet IPA members to enjoy our common bond.

Good Advice Recently enrolled member Pete Bennett from Truro is a timely reminder to Regions and Branches that a prime time to approach police personnel about IPA membership is prior to their retirement. Speaking about his win of an IPA t-shirt, Pete says, “after a wide variety of roles over nearly 30 years, retirement is now looming fast and I didn’t want to completely lose touch with the policing community. The IPA allows me to retain an overview and also offers a broader perspective of international policing, with opportunities for travel in the UK and abroad.” Pete won the IPA t-shirt in the monthly draw of new members carried out each month. We wish Pete the very best for his forthcoming retirement. If you know someone nearing retirement - encourage them to join under the FREE Enrolment promotion http://www.ipa-uk.org/Join-Us

(left to right) Ken Ashburn, Serkan Alasoy and David Winnard

It appears that Bozcaada has a police establishment of 22 officers to attend to all aspects of policing, not all are IPA members, but we were pleased our chance visit allowed us to meet Serkan and his family. David C Winnard , Blackpool and North Lancashire Branch

Leicestershire return to London Following last year’s visit to the Tower of

PS: During sightseeing before the Tower, we were fortunate enough to find several of the 50 ‘Shaun the Sheep’ models that had been launched only a few days earlier to help raise funds for a children’s charity. The models act as collecting boxes and are part of a trail through the City of London. Later in the year another 70 models will be launched in Bristol.

At 7.30pm our guide, Andy, took about 80 visitors on a one hour tour and told us all the gory, macabre unpleasantries of the Tower over many centuries. Beheadings, putting so-called traitors into Traitor’s Gate to be drowned by the incoming tide. Legend has it that 6 ravens must always be kept at the Tower otherwise the walls will crumble. To be on the safe side 7 are homed there. Their wings are clipped and they have cages to roost in. A warder is paid extra to care for them. About 140 people comprising of 37 families, We witnessed the ceremony which starts at 10pm and lasts 7 minutes. The routine is centuries old and is, as you may think, the locking of the main gates. It is carried out by guards, the same as those outside Buckingham Palace. After that 4 soldiers in combat uniform patrol inside the Tower wall for the night guarding the Crown Jewels, etc. During the evening we warmed up in the Yeoman Warders’ Club where Jasmine served us, without ceremony, real British food of chicken tikka masala and rice (her description) and profiteroles. Jim Johnson , Leicestershire Branch including a doctor and a vicar live in accommodation inside the Tower walls.

London to see the ‘Blood Swept Lands and Sea of Red’ poppy display, Leicestershire Branch returned earlier in the year to witness the Ceremony of the Keys.

French Thanks

IPA Section France say thank you following the tide of solidarity after operation ‘Charlie’ On 7, 8 and 9 January 2015, France witnessed tragic events, during which 3 of our colleagues lost their lives and 5 others were injured. Rose Lourme, President IPA France writes, ‘You have shown support to our colleagues who were deeply traumatised. Three colleagues have lost their lives and their families were thrown into distress and sadness, and you were at the side of those who suffered. We appreciate all these messages of sympathy, and IPA France will forever be grateful to you for all of this.’

© Thomas Owen Jenkins / Shutterstock

POLICE WORLD Vol 60 No. 3, 2015

21