How do you stop the Police breaking the law?

So this happened.

Roxburgh Road, Cambridge. Now. Pavement blocked @cambscc @CambsCops pic.twitter.com/6kgoU622F6

— Cab Davidson (@gnomeicide) November 1, 2017

So when I walked past the cop car, with the parked cars protruding from the bays behind it, you couldn't walk down the pavement. That isn't ok - there's plenty of room to park on the road, even if there's an emergency to attend. In fact that'd be quicker - park on the road, dash off to whatever policing stuff they had to do.

This is the web-chat of trying to report it:

Operator : Hello, you are now chatting with a Police Control Room Operator, how may we help you today?

CAB_Davidson : Police car and Taxi are parked on the pavement in Roxburgh Road, Cambridge. Pavement is blocked, its impassable. Especially a problem for anyone in a wheelchair or pushing a pram.

CAB_Davidson : Image here.

CAB_Davidson : :link:https://twitter.com/gnomeicide/status/925726707574824960

CAB_Davidson : I'd like to report this, I'd like the officers responsible to be told that this isn't ok, and I'd like the taxi owner to be talked to. Its not picking up or dropping off, its parked.

CAB_Davidson : Hello? Are you there?

CAB_Davidson : HELLO?

CAB_Davidson : IS THERE ANYBODY THERE?

Operator : Hello my apologies, this is a very busy time being the emergency services. Bare with me and I will look into this for you.

Operator : I am looking at this photo you can't tell how wide the road is.

Operator : police attend to incidents of crime and emergencies I am sorry but we will not ask them to move their vehicle.

CAB_Davidson : It doesn't matter how wide the road is - its a normally suburban back street. The pavement is -entirely- blocked, andthat is illegal.

CAB_Davidson : In an emergency it would be quicker to park on the road than on the pavement. I require an incident number for this illegal police parking.

Operator : we do not think about parking when attend emergencies.

Operator : what you are suggesting is unreasonable

CAB_Davidson : There is no flashing light, there is no evidence of an emergency, what I am suggesting is not unreasonable, it is compliant with the law.

CAB_Davidson : YOU are excusing police officers breaking the law. Can I have your badge number please?

CAB_Davidson : And I need that incident number.

Operator : no I will not be raising an incident number.

CAB_Davidson : I want your badge number and to speak to your superior now please.

Operator : I can look into why the officer is there but I can't advise you.

CAB_Davidson : Badge number now please.

Operator : its not dangerous its down a residential street they are attending an incident.

CAB_Davidson : You have refused to give me an incident number for a police car parked dangerously and illegally blocking the whole path. I want your badge number to complain about that.

CAB_Davidson : It is dangerous if you're a pedestrian and have to walk in the road, and there is no evidence that there is an 'incident'.

CAB_Davidson : Badge number please.

Operator : one moment please

CAB_Davidson : How long does it take to type a badge number? I'm raising a complaint that you're a police officer or staff member refusing to accept a report of someone breaking the law. I need your number.

Operator : I have consulted with my superior, given you the correct advice. Police officers are not going to think about where they are parking when their are life and death situations to attend which is none of your concern.

Operator : this chat is recorded so my details should be seen

CAB_Davidson : There are -two- illegally parked vehicles. You're refusing to accept a report about -either-.

Operator : ok **** i cannot see what I am displayed as.

CAB_Davidson : Your only visible detail is 'operator'. You are avoiding giving me your number because you don't want a complaint.

CAB_Davidson : It would be -faster- to park on the road, not blocking the pavement, if attending any incident. The police officer has -chosen- to break the law. For the last time of asking will you give me an incident number and follow up please?

Operator : I am happy to give out my details but I am ensuring that I give you the correct details first with regards police cars parking which is what I did talking to my superior then I got back to you

CAB_Davidson : I'll be filing a complaint. Good day.

Operator : Ok that is your opinion which is fine but there is nothing more to say on this matter. It is an emergency vehicle would you say the same about an Ambulance that parked to save someones life?

Operator : and it was a matter of urgency. They would not think about where they are parking

CAB_Davidson : It takes -more- time and effort to safely mount the pavement than park on the road. You're speaking nonsense. I am terminating this discussion and will initiate a complaint

Look, you don't get a free pass to act like a douche because you're the Police. It might indeed be an emergency - but even if it is you STILL need not to endanger people by making them walk in the road, unless you absolutely must. Here you didn't have to, you chose to. And then you chose to make getting you to take that seriously into a fight.

I put it to you, Cambridgeshire Constabulary, that you can't be trusted to police our roads because you're among our most prolific offenders. Every time I see a parked police car, its parked illegally. And on each occasion it would be safer and faster to park on the road - your officers choose to entirely block pavements rather than risk the slightest inconvenience to motorists. How do you expect to have any credibility as a police authority when you're abusers of the law yourselves?