JohnCenaFan28
02-05-2009, 06:27 PM
A police force has banned its officers from drinking Shandy Bass on duty.
Senior officers feared members of the public could get a "whiff of alcohol" from the soft drinks and jump to the wrong conclusion.
Leicestershire Police ordered a complete ban after an internal memo was passed round by the Professional Standards Department.
The memo warned that there was a chance people would get a "whiff of alcohol" despite the beverage containing only 0.5 per cent, and being officially classed as a soft drink.
It said: "There is every likelihood that members of the public who come into contact with a member of staff who has consumed such a drink will smell what they perceive to be alcohol on the officer's breath.
"This would create the wrong impression and is unacceptable."
The order was reportedly issued after a police officer was taken aside by a senior colleague after he enjoyed a can of Shandy Bass with some fish and chips.
Kevan Allcock, secretary of the Leicestershire Police Federation, said the officer initially involved thought he was going to be told "some serious bad news".
Mr Allcock said: "When I first heard about it, I treated it as a joke or at least some kind of over exuberance from a senior officer and then the advice came through from the Professional Standards Department.
"You could drink a bathful of Shandy Bass and you still wouldn't be drunk."
A Leicestershire Police spokeswoman said: "Leicestershire officers have been advised not to consume any beverages that may give the impression they have been drinking alcohol - regardless of its actual alcohol content."
-Nova
Senior officers feared members of the public could get a "whiff of alcohol" from the soft drinks and jump to the wrong conclusion.
Leicestershire Police ordered a complete ban after an internal memo was passed round by the Professional Standards Department.
The memo warned that there was a chance people would get a "whiff of alcohol" despite the beverage containing only 0.5 per cent, and being officially classed as a soft drink.
It said: "There is every likelihood that members of the public who come into contact with a member of staff who has consumed such a drink will smell what they perceive to be alcohol on the officer's breath.
"This would create the wrong impression and is unacceptable."
The order was reportedly issued after a police officer was taken aside by a senior colleague after he enjoyed a can of Shandy Bass with some fish and chips.
Kevan Allcock, secretary of the Leicestershire Police Federation, said the officer initially involved thought he was going to be told "some serious bad news".
Mr Allcock said: "When I first heard about it, I treated it as a joke or at least some kind of over exuberance from a senior officer and then the advice came through from the Professional Standards Department.
"You could drink a bathful of Shandy Bass and you still wouldn't be drunk."
A Leicestershire Police spokeswoman said: "Leicestershire officers have been advised not to consume any beverages that may give the impression they have been drinking alcohol - regardless of its actual alcohol content."
-Nova