Cash, booze and cricket tickets offered to Nottinghamshire police officers

Dozens of unusual gifts have been given to county police officers, according to the force's records.
Doughnuts, booze and even a bag of peat are some of the presents offered to local copsDoughnuts, booze and even a bag of peat are some of the presents offered to local cops
Doughnuts, booze and even a bag of peat are some of the presents offered to local cops

Strict rules govern which items officers can and cannot take, but all offers have to be recorded on a public register, and it shows that alongside the more conventional gifts, some were far from run of the mill.

This time last year, a police officer and a sergeant were offered a wooden pallet each, and accepted them. The log makes clear the pallets were unsolicited.

In March, when a victim of a crime presented the investigating officer with a box of doughnuts, chocolates and a personalised mug, the officer accepted ‘to avoid embarrassment’.

Back in 2018, a member of police staff accepted the gift of a knitted police doll, while another was given a framed police badge.

Even animals are not exempt from having their gifts noted down – a police dog was given dog chews and a bone by a member of the public. Luckily for the dog these gifts were accepted.

Victims of crime, foreign governments and local mosques, synagogues and churches have all made offers of gifts to police constables and senior officers, the log shows.

But perhaps the most unusual present came from the father of a victim of crime in January 2017 – a half-filled carrier bag of Scottish peat was accepted by a constable.

Officers and the chief inspector received several tickets to watch the cricket at Trent Bridge over the summer. These were accepted in order to foster good ‘community relations’.

Officers have also been given and accepted tickets to rugby and football matches.

Several offers of alcohol, and even cash, have been made by members of the public, however these have either been declined or donated to good causes.

Superintendent Leona Scurr, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “Kind gestures of appreciation by members of the public and victims of crime, such as the offers of gifts, are greatly appreciated by our officers but, in line with national guidelines, cannot always be accepted.

“We have a policy in force which provides police officers and staff with an ethical framework in which to determine the boundaries of acceptability around gifts, gratuities and hospitality.”