A police force that arrested parents who made “disparaging” about their daughter’s school, has been criticised by its own police chief.
Maxie Allen and Rosalind Levine claim they were arrested by six Hertfordshire Constabulary officers in front of their young daughter and detained in a cell for 11 hours after criticising Cowley Hill Primary School in Borehamwood in a WhatsApp group.
The couple were questioned on suspicion of harassment, malicious communications and causing a nuisance on school property before the force dropped the charges following a five-week probe.
Jonathan Ash-Edwards, the Police and Crime Commissioner for Hertfordshire, said the force should never have been involved in the first place.
“There has clearly been a fundamental breakdown in relationships between a school and parents that shouldn’t have become a police matter,” he said in a statement today.
The PCC said he would look into mediation services in Hertfordshire to help “amicably resolve” disputes without police involvement.
He said that members of the public should be “able to express their views” without “worrying they’ll get a knock at the door from the police.”
Mr Ash Edwards added: “Following The Times’ story, I have been in contact with the Chief Constable to ask for an explanation. The Chief Constable is undertaking a rapid and thorough review in order to provide that. I will be discussing his findings at my Accountability & Performance Meeting on Tuesday, which is webcast to the public for transparency. “
𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐞 & 𝐂𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭
— Jonathan Ash-Edwards (@JAshEdwards) March 29, 2025
There has clearly been a fundamental breakdown in relationships between a school and parents that shouldn’t have become a police matter. I will look… pic.twitter.com/btkEtitFuP
Herts police has defended its actions over responding to allegations of “harassment and malicious communications”.
A complaint was put forward to the Professional Standards Department but the police action was deemed appropriate.
Mr Allen and Ms Levine, who also have a younger daughter called Francesca, had already been banned from Cowley Hill Primary School. They said this came after making comments in a WhatsApp group that staff felt amounted to “casting aspersions” on the chair of governors.
Mr Allen, 50, a producer for Times Radio, said he and his partner had been blocked from attending the parents’ evening for their nine-year-old daughter Sascha and also prohibited from attending her Christmas play. The youngster suffers with epilepsy and is neurodivergent and registered disabled.
“We’d never used abusive or threatening language, even in private, and always followed due process. Yet we have never even been told what these communications were that were supposedly criminal, which is completely Kafkaesque,” Mr Allen said.
The couple said they had not been on the school's premises since July, the allegations were never explained, and that the police failed to explain how their actions justified such a response.
A spokesperson for Cowley Hill Primary School told The Times: “We sought advice from the police following a high volume of direct correspondence and public social media posts from two parents, as this was becoming upsetting for staff, parents and governors.
“We’re always happy for parents to raise concerns, but we do ask that they do this in a suitable way, and in line with the school’s published complaints procedure.”
Hertfordshire Constabulary told the Standard: “Following reports of harassment and malicious communications, which are criminal offences, a man and a woman from Borehamwood, both aged in their 40s, were arrested on Wednesday 29 January.
“The arrests were necessary to fully investigate the allegations as is routine in these types of matters. Following further investigations, officers deemed that no further action should be taken due to insufficient evidence. In relation to the police visit on 20 December, a complaint was submitted which was reviewed by our Professional Standards Department. It was deemed that the service provided by officers was appropriate.”
Hertfordshire Constabulary has been approached by The Standard for further comment.
