Inspector Llewellyn,
Heddlu Gwent Police
Police Headquarters
Croesyceiliog
Cwmbran
NP44 2XJ

19th Jan 2002

Dear Inspector Llewellyn,

Thank you for your letter of 16 January.

I am sorry that I feel I must write to you once again as I do not believe the substantive issue has been addressed.

In PC Herdman's initial statement he said he was on "motor patrol duty". Subsequently, in your letter of 20 December you claim that the vehicle was not on patrol. Yet in your latest letter to me (q.v.) you say "PC Herdman was on duty and on patrol at the time".

While I acknowledge your statement that "when a police officer is driving a police vehicle under any circumstances for any purpose he is always 'on duty' and 'on patrol' ", I should be grateful for confirmation of the status of this statement. Further, perhaps you could give me some clarification of the actual status of PC Herdman at the time of the motoring offence.

You recognise that "he [PC Herdman] was returning the vehicle from an exercise and had no unused videotape available". However, whatever the reality, your claim - logically - should be that the vehicle was on active duty. That being the case, your Force procedure (which you outline in your letter of 20 December) requires that "the [ProVida] equipment should be switched on when the vehicle is being used".

You will see therefore that I believe the officer in question has not followed the correct procedure or there is some disingenuous behavior.

I would be interested to have your further consideration and thoughts on the matter.

Yours sincerely