'It's not Interflora!': Retired cop's fury after on-duty officers 'deliver birthday flowers' to neighbour
20.04.2022 - 14:19
/ manchestereveningnews.co.uk
A retired cop submitted a formal complaint to Greater Manchester Police to report uniformed officers delivering birthday flowers to a neighbour.
Two uniformed officers turned up at the address in Lowton, near Leigh, in a GMP liveried BMW X3 and delivered flowers to a neighbour, a GMP call-handler, according to the retired officer. He lodged a formal complaint alleging it was an inappropriate use of stretched police resources, he said.
The retired cop, who the M.E.N. has agreed not to name, said that in a response to the complaint, a sergeant told him the flowers were delivered by on-duty road policing unit cops based ten-miles away in Eccles and were to celebrate the birthday of a civilian colleague.
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The sergeant is said to have told the retired officer the complaint would not be forwarded to the Professional Standards Branch of GMP for a formal investigation.
The flowers were delivered to an address in Springmount, Lowton, just after 2.30pm on Saturday March 19. The retired officer, who also lives in Springmount, said he was shocked at what he saw.
He told the M.E.N: "Two uniformed officers arrived and stopped outside the home of a neighbour, a non-emergency call-taker. She came out of the house and approached the nearside passenger window. It was her birthday the day before. Both the officers remained in the vehicle. They were in conversation and smiling and chatting for about 20 minutes.
"Just before they left, the officer in the front passenger seat handed her a bouquet of flowers. She blew them kisses and they left.
"I rang GMP and made a formal complaint. It was a totally inappropriate use of resources as