Woman arrested over abusive ambulance parking note
A 26-year-old woman has been arrested after an abusive note was left on an ambulance windscreen.
Announcing an arrest, Staffordshire Police's Chief Inspector John Owen said: "We have arrested a 26 year old female for public order offences."
In the social media post, he added: "Emergency Services must be able to carry out their roles without fear of abuse/intimidation of any kind."
The action followed a plea by West Midlands Ambulance Service staff who reported at the weekend how colleagues had found a hand-written note in which an irate resident said they "couldn't give a shit" if the whole street collapsed.
We have arrested a 26 year old female for public order offences. Emergency Services must be able to carry out their roles without fear of abuse/intimidation of any kind. https://t.co/xHSbdtl54S
-- CI John Owen (@StokePoliceNrth) February 19, 2018
Paramedic mentor Katie Tudor posted a picture of the note on Twitter, copying in the police.
The ambulance had been parked in a residential street, responding to a call, in the Tunstall area of Stoke-on-Trent at the time.
The note read: "If this van is for anyone but Number 14 then you have no right to be parked here.
"I couldn't give a shit if the whole street collasped (sic). Now move your van from outside my house."
So upset to be sent this by one of our crews this morning! Along with this note left on their ? they received a load of verbal abuse!??@OFFICIALWMAS@StaffsPolicepic.twitter.com/c4UYdcjv86
-- Katie Tudor (@wmaskatietudor) February 18, 2018
Ms Tudor, who said the crew in question had also been verbally abused, used Twitter to draw the note to the attention of Staffordshire Police Chief Constable Gareth Morgan.
Reacting to the news of an arrest, she thanked the force and Mr Owen, who is the local policing commander for the Stoke North area.
Social media users had reacted with disbelief and anger at the note, with one official ambulance service Twitter account commenting "#sadtimes".