Our thanks to db for this BBC piece. The start of it:
Four cars have been seized by police as part of an operation to stop male drivers catcalling female joggers in Bradford.
The JogOn initiative, which includes the city council, West Yorkshire Police and other bodies, has also seen five fines handed out as well as a host of traffic offence reports.
The scheme, which includes undercover female police officers posing as runners, has also provided active bystander training to 600 people.
Ch Insp Beth Pagnillo said: “I hope that by calling out this behaviour it shows that we are taking the issue seriously and makes men think twice about making these types of comments.”
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Justice for Men & Boys 
Thank goodness Bradford Police have nothing else to do. Crime news from the Bradford Telegraph and Argus (thetelegraphandargus.co.uk) So its female officers can don lycra and go for a jog.
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The significance of the impounded cars suddenly struck me. The men have not committed an offence, because there is no such offence and trying to arrest for a public order offense would not work because as yet such things would not meet the criteria “threatening”. So taking the Cars and no doubt requiring a fee for their return (or discovering a balding tyre or defective light) punishes without needing an arrest and magistrate. In other words we are in the realm of “non crime hate incidents” whereby the Police are acting beyond the law.
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Thanks Nigel. Also some interesting comments on this story from “voice of ignorance”.
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Its a bit baffling because Bradford police’s comments suggest that they do not understand the law and that they are abusing their powers.
The first obvious thing is that the man who the police incredulously reported thought that calling out to a female runner is not harassment was absolutely right. Harassment in law is a SERIES of actions that make someone feel humiliated, distressed or threatened. We can lament that a law should criminalise actions based on the subjective feelings of someone rather than some objective standard but the fact remains that it requires a series of actions not a single incident.
The second issue is what powers did the police use to seize the cars? Even if the police went over them with a fine toothcomb and discovered some defects all they can do is issue a defect rectification notice with 14 days to comply.
As a male runner have been subject to public banter which I took in the spirit it was intended as positive humorous human interaction. I wouldn’t want the police involved unless I was actually threatened. I am sure none of the women were, because if they were this would surely have been mentioned. Do we want to consider every interaction between a man and a woman potentially threatening or should they be considered on the basis of what is actually said?
The police are throwing a lot of resources at social engineering rather than seeking to prevent crime of punish those who break it. Overall its absolutely shocking that the police should be seeking to suppress legal behavior.
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Thanks voi, good points!
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looking at other reports it is pretty clear that what happened is that the motorists are stopped and though no doubt scolded about their unacceptable behaviour are actually “got” for just such things as lapsed insurance, defective lights, no Mot etc. So what is being done is the creation of a publicity campaign pretending their is a law, when in fact their isn’t. The men may well get fined or car taken of the road but not for comments to runners.
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