Speaking clock costs police £35,000

[muppetman11]

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukp...6903117A000000

The Metropolitan Police spent more than £35,000 on 110,000 calls to the speaking clock over the last two years, figures have shown.
The force, which like all others is facing cuts to its budget, also spent more than £200,000 calling directory enquiries, figures released under the Freedom of Information Act showed.
The force was committed to reducing costs, but there were "evidential and operational reasons" for officers and staff, many of whom had no direct internet access, requiring the exact time and contact details, a spokesman said.
The Met spent a total of £16,879 calling the speaking clock in 2010/11, down from £18,402 the previous year, the figures showed.
At 31p per call, the figures showed the Met's officers and staff made almost 55,000 calls to find out the time last year, down from almost 60,000 calls in 2009/10.
The force also spent £95,313 on directory enquiries in 2010/11, down from £121,501 the previous year.

[Gary L]

The time is available on watches, phones, the clocks inside cars.

Ridiculous how much money they've spent on wanting to know the time.

[Derek]

Originally Posted by Gary L

The time is available on watches, phones, the clocks inside cars.

Ridiculous how much money they've spent on wanting to know the time.

Although when the EXACT time is necessary for a great many things you can either spend a huge amount kitting cops out with expensive watches linked to time signals or accept they will call the speaking clock every so often.

[Gary L]

Are you/they told to use the speaking clock?

[Derek]

Originally Posted by Gary L

Are you/they told to use the speaking clock?

Yes.

[denphone]

Then l see nothing wrong with it because as Derek say how much would it cost to kit out every cop with expensive watches and the answer is a fair bit.

[Gary L]

Do you call the speaking clock if a member of the public asks you for the time. or do you tell them what it says on your watch?

---------- Post added at 20:04 ---------- Previous post was at 20:02 ----------

Originally Posted by denphone

Then l see nothing wrong with it because as Derek say how much would it cost to kit out every cop with expensive watches and the answer is a fair bit.

Excuses, excuses, excuses

someone suggested they get one policeman to sit in an office with one of them such watches, and they call him on their free minutes for the time.

[martyh]

can someone explain why the police need to what the time is EXACTLY and why the time on a normal watch/computer/mobile phone or any other time keeping device that surrounds us in our everyday life is not good enough

[danielf]

You've got to laugh at some of these FOI requests. Just because it's a big number doesn't mean it isn't justified. But no: £35,000 over 2 years, in a force of nearly 35,000 officers. That translates to roughly 50p or 2 calls to the speaking clock per officer per year. That's got to be fishy...

---------- Post added at 20:17 ---------- Previous post was at 20:15 ----------

Originally Posted by martyh

can someone explain why the police need to what the time is EXACTLY and why the time on a normal watch/computer/mobile phone or any other time keeping device that surrounds us in our everyday life is not good enough

From the link:

"There are clearly evidential and operational reasons for officers and staff requiring the exact time and contact details. Whilst officers will usually phone in for assistance, there will be occasions where other means for finding out contact information quickly are used."

The speaking clock is never wrong I suppose? If they get the time wrong, it may hinder prosecution/trial later on. Also, if they use the speaking clock they can't be accused of using an improperly calibrated device.

[Gary L]

Originally Posted by martyh

can someone explain why the police need to what the time is EXACTLY and why the time on a normal watch/computer/mobile phone or any other time keeping device that surrounds us in our everyday life is not good enough

I think some of them do. they're the ones who say at approximately such and such a time, such and such happened. in the media coverages you see on TV.

[Derek]

Originally Posted by Gary L

Do you call the speaking clock if a member of the public asks you for the time. or do you tell them what it says on your watch?

Very few members of the public need the exact time, if anyone asks me I use my watch. My work watch happens to be a g-shock with radio control so it is exact.

Originally Posted by martyh

can someone explain why the police need to what the time is EXACTLY and why the time on a normal watch/computer/mobile phone or any other time keeping device that surrounds us in our everyday life is not good enough

They are all slightly out. If you need to show someone was at a certain place at a certain time and CCTV of the locus is at the wrong time then calling the speaking clock allows you to show there is a discrepancy.

It just cuts down on potential avenues of attack for the defence.

[martyh]

Originally Posted by danielf

From the link:



The speaking clock is never wrong I suppose?

doesn't actually answer the question though does it ,it gives no clue as to why the police need to phone up the clock when they have a perfectly serviceable mobile phone strapped to their belt or are sitting in front of a computer which is in sync with a atomic clock .Lets face it if they are phoning the clock then they must be either on a phone in the office or on a phone on the beat

[Gary L]

Originally Posted by danielf

Also, if they use the speaking clock they can't be accused of using an improperly calibrated device.

Like in I observed the accused steal the clock at 19:14 hours, and when his solicitor says was that from your wristwatch and not from the speaking clock?

bit like speeding and the gun's not being calibrated really.

---------- Post added at 20:24 ---------- Previous post was at 20:23 ----------

Originally Posted by Derek

Very few members of the public need the exact time, if anyone asks me I use my watch. My work watch happens to be a g-shock with radio control so it is exact.

You obviously get paid too much. but that's another thread

[martyh]

Originally Posted by Derek

Very few members of the public need the exact time, if anyone asks me I use my watch. My work watch happens to be a g-shock with radio control so it is exact.



They are all slightly out. If you need to show someone was at a certain place at a certain time and CCTV of the locus is at the wrong time then calling the speaking clock allows you to show there is a discrepancy.

It just cuts down on potential avenues of attack for the defence.

thank you derek that answer that then .Seems perfectly reasonable to me now it has been explained ,begs the question why the article didn't just say that

[Derek]

Originally Posted by martyh

doesn't actually answer the question though does it ,it gives no clue as to why the police need to phone up the clock when they have a perfectly serviceable mobile phone strapped to their belt or are sitting in front of a computer which is in sync with a atomic clock .Lets face it if they are phoning the clock then they must be either on a phone in the office or on a phone on the beat

Prove the mobile or computer was in sync at the time, sometimes years in the past.

It's a bit of a waste but to avoid a slippery defence agent trying to muddy the waters it's worthwhile.