A bizarre row has erupted after a police officer instructed an NHS worker to clean up his dog’s wee.
Steve Schuurman was walking his saluki dog Margot through Bournemouth Square in Dorset, when she lifted up her leg to relieve herself.
As the 56-year-old walked off, he claimed an “aggressive” female member of Dorset Police who was in the square shouted at him “clear your f*****g dog p**s.”
After challenging her, he claimed a council community safety patrol officer threatened to have him arrested if he did not move on.
Steve said he was walking Margot, his saluki when the incident happened
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He told The Telegraph: “They had a stall [in the Square] with a police van and my dog Margot did a pee. As I moved on, I heard this woman with red hair shouting ‘clear up your f*****g dog p***’. I looked over and she got really aggressive, so I started to walk away.
“There must have been six or seven people in her team but none of them supported me. Within 30 seconds, she was waving her hands around and putting her hands on her hips, saying ‘it was disgusting.’
“These two [community safety accreditation scheme officers] came up and I said I want an apology, and one said ‘you can’t demand an apology.’
“This other guy said ‘you need to move, if not you will be arrested’. I was so upset.
“Yes, the dog has done a pee, but if she did a poo I would have picked it up. I thought if I don’t move away, and I’m a good person, I will lose my temper. There’s a point with anybody. I’m so upset about what happened. I’ve never encountered such hostility before. It was shocking and so perplexing.”
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Steve Schuurman said he was shouted at for his dog Margot (file
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Dorset Police and Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council had a stall and police van in the seaside town centre as part of a “day of action”.
It comes after a number of high-profile crimes, including a fatal stabbing, took place in the area, as well as shoplifting.
Steve said he has reported the incident to the Dorset Police Complaints Department, who are “looking into the full circumstances.”
BCP Council defended its officers, saying they responded in a “polite and calm manner.”
A spokesperson said: “Our CSAS officers were only involved in this incident in an effort to de-escalate the situation and seek a resolution for the gentleman involved. They acted with politeness and a calm manner throughout.
“None of our staff members nearby heard the police staff member swear, as is alleged.”
A Dorset Police spokesperson said: “All relevant lines of proportionate enquiry will be assessed to establish exactly what happened and it would be inappropriate to comment further at this time.”