Reporter of the Year – East of England,
Hold the Front Page/EDF, 2007
FROST author Rodney Wingfield says he is killing off the character – played on TV by David Jason – over a row with Essex Police. Here Mr Wingfield tells Stephen Neale the details of his complaint and we also look into the problems currently being experienced by some police officers in the service.
•EXCLUSIVE•
ESSEX, UK, September 22. 2006 — Fictional detective Jack Frost will be killed off by his creator because of a row with Essex Police.
FROST: David Jason's famous character
Playwright Rodney Wingfield has vowed to ditch the world-famous character, after Chief Constable Roger Baker failed to answer his letter of complaint.
Mr Wingfield, who lives in Basildon, Essex, wrote after his nephew was arrested and locked up overnight in March for a crime he did not commit.
The row coincides with claims from within the force that unrealistic arrest rates are forcing innocent and minor offenders into custody.
‘horror stories’
Mr Wingfield said: “I have always been pro-police, but the actions of Essex Police, and the many horror stories told to me about them, make it impossible for me to write any more pro-police Jack Frost novels.
“The book I am currently working on, A Killing Frost, will be my last.”
Essex Police refused to comment on the details of Mr Wingfield’s complaint, but insisted there were no plans to relax the arrest targets.
A spokesman claimed that Mr Wingfield had been sent a nine-page response on July 30, although Mr Baker had not replied personally.
More than 1,600 posts have been logged on an Internet forum thread entitled ‘Essex Police – What a Mess’ debating the force’s status since the chief constable arrived in July 2005.
Numerous postings on website www.policeoracle.com support the chief constable, but many are critical. The level of discontent among the police rank and file is unclear.
The Essex Police Federation has organised an ‘open meeting’ on Monday, October 30, where officers will have the chance to put their concerns to Mr Baker in person. Although some say they will not attend because of their fears of retribution, federation leaders will allow questions to be put via staff association representatives.
A senior federation officer, who asked not to be named, said: “We need as many officers to come along as possible.
“We are being told that these complaints are just the tip of the iceberg. But there’s no way of knowing until people turn up to the meeting.”
Mr Baker refused to be interviewed over the allegations.
Inspector Jack Frost is best known as the character portrayed by David Jason on ITV’s ‘A Touch of Frost’. The show is watched by millions of viewers all around the world.
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