A SUSSEX Police sergeant lied about his identity over the phone to an environmental campaigner and falsely claimed to be a member of the press calling from a local radio station.
That’s the shocking revelation made by a local newsletter that has been exposing increasing police harassment of local protesters trying to save ancient woodland from developers.
Publishing the statement from the Worthing woman, a Green Party activist, in its November 2002 issue, The Porkbolter stated: "We have documented in past issues how police have constantly harassed and intimidated locals opposed to the Titnore Lane housing development in West Durrington.
"But this instance of bad behaviour by the Bullies in Blue is the worst yet. They did not even have the spurious pretext of a 'potentially troublesome' event to fall back on this time - all they were worried about was the handing in of a petition to the Mayor of Worthing by Green MEP Dr Caroline Lucas at the Town Hall - a completely harmless media-orientated event.
"Are we now to understand that raising petitions to the council on issues of local importance makes you a suspected criminal or terrorist? Can we take seriously police claims to be undermanned and overstretched when they can devote so much time and effort to political vendettas against people whose views they and their masters do not approve of?"

The woman's statement runs as follows:
"I agreed to be the telephone contact for John Clark (who was out at work and unobtainable during the day) on a press release informing media that the Petition against the West Durrington Development would be presented by Dr Lucas on 19 September to the Mayor of Worthing. I would take contact details of calls and pass them on to him for actioning later.
I received a phone call from PC Mark Stevens on 01243 843586 asking to speak to John Clark. I explained the position and told him he would ring him back later. However, he was unsatisfied with this and told me I had been identified as a POW ‘organiser’ and would be expected to liaise with the Police over POW activities as they needed a contact - also that I was associated with a press release threatening ‘civil unrest’. I insisted I didn’t consider myself to be an ‘organiser’ and after further discussion he agreed, albeit reluctantly, to make an entry on police records to this effect. Having assured him that the Petition presentation would be peaceful and good natured - probably not very well attended as most people would be at work - I was led to believe there would be no further contact.
However, on the morning of 18 September I received a phone call from someone identifying himself only as "press". When asked who he worked for, he replied "Spirit Radio in Portsmouth" [PORKBOLTER NOTE: It’s actually based in Chichester] and gave his name as Kevin Jenkins. He started asking questions about John Clark and then myself, but I told him I had already spoken twice that morning to Phillip at Spirit FM who had arranged an interview direct with Caroline Lucas and couldn’t understand why he was duplicating this information. He seemed surprised, said he would talk to Phillip and rung off. As he sounded very odd and I was uneasy about the call, I rang 1471 and discovered he was calling from 01903 264747 - not from Portsmouth as he had said.
Half an hour later he was on my doorstep, introducing himself as Sergeant Kevin Jenkins, Community Safety Unit, Highdown Division, Sussex Police. I told him I was most concerned that he had impersonated a member of the press and lied to me during our telephone conversation and that he hadn’t behaved professionally in keeping with his position as a police officer - he had really let himself down. I also told him he was setting a terrible example to my two children who were within earshot.
He offered no apology or explanation for his deception. I pointed out that police priorities seemed somewhat skewed - he had managed to trace my address through my telephone number on the police computer as a matter of the utmost urgency and felt it vital to visit me immediately, when the response to a recent burglary at my home was to send a fingerprint officer round two weeks after the event, who apologised for the delay (lack of manpower and resources) and admitted his visit was a complete waste of time owing to the time lapse.
As a ‘victim of crime’ I asked him to explain this discrepancy, but he was completely disinterested, didn’t wish to discuss the burglary but only my involvement as a POW ‘organiser’. He cited the fact that there was a notice on the noticeboard in my front garden giving details of Dr Lucas’s visit to Worthing and the fact that I had collected signatures on the petition (as had dozens of other people) as irrefutable proof of my ‘organisational involvement’ and announced I would now be expected to attend future meetings with Worthing Police as contact for POW, which I declined. I told him my association with POW was linked to Green Party opposition to the environmental destruction of the Titnore area which was common knowledge, and that information about POW events came from the website which he was welcome to visit, and again insisted that I was not an ‘organiser’. After the ‘discussion’ had continued for a while, I told him I expected him to behave honestly in future and he replied "tell that to all the dishonest people in your organisation" in a very heated manner before leaving my front garden, as I had requested. I have been asked to pass on his contact number so that organisers can identify themselves - 01243 843592/07785 314833 or e-mail:  highdown.csu@sussex.police.uk
Incidentally, my 20 year old son recognised Sergeant Jenkins immediately as the policeman who approached himself and two friends sitting quietly on the beach about to enjoy an early evening drink in the sunshine a while ago. He demanded to see proof of their ages - only the girl could do this although the other lad was obviously at least his 21 years, and he proceeded to pour away my son’s full can of beer and a full bottle of wine which his friends were about to share, onto the pebbles, apparently enjoying himself enormously. I am told the policeman with him said nothing and appeared very uncomfortable."

NOTES:

1. POW! is Protect Our Woodland, a local group set up to oppose the planned housing estate at West Durrington. It has a website at www.worthinga27.freeserve.co.uk and can be contacted at  pow@worthinga27.freeserve.co.uk

2. The Porkbolter's website is at www.eco-action.org/porkbolter