Policeman 'caught napping on the job' in marked car hidden behind trees down quiet country track
And it was even thinner this week after a member of public spotted what they claim was a sleeping policeman.
The individual, who asked not to be named, noticed a marked patrol car 'hidden' behind some trees at the end of a long country track off an A-road in Norfolk and went to investigate because they were concerned.
But they were shocked to find what appeared to be the long arm of the snore.
The man said: 'I found the police officer with his seat reclined, sound asleep. He was caught red-handed having a snooze. His mouth was ajar and he looked like he was catching flies.
'He woke up and wound down his window. He said 'Is this your land?' and I said 'Is this your land, sir?', at which point he snarled at me.
'I returned to my vehicle. He looked panicked while I watched his vehicle. I could tell he was watching me like a hawk. It felt like we were having a staring match.
'He then went to the back of his vehicle and was bizarrely putting on a coughing fit and retching.
'Let's see how the cops explain it but he looked perfectly fine to me.'
The member of public, who offered paracetamol to the officer but said he claimed to have had some already, added: 'He then drove round to my car, stopped and said 'See ya'.
'He then drove down the lane and turned to head to Great Yarmouth.'
The car, which had its flashing sidelights on, was parked down a track off Acle New Road, known locally as the Acle Straight, between Acle and Great Yarmouth, on Tuesday at 3.45pm.
The man added: 'I'm very familiar with the area. It's quite an obscure and difficult place to access from the road.'
The road is a notorious blackspot for road accidents, with a number of fatalities occurring there.
It is reputedly haunted, with drivers reporting they have performed emergency stops after seeing a man walking into the middle of the road or a horse and cart crossing in front of oncoming traffic.
Local band The Darkness's song Stuck in a Rut references the road as an escape route from their hometown of Lowestoft.
Overall crime in Norfolk fell by 2.9 per cent in 2024, according to the Office for National Statistics, with a total of 59,456 offences recorded.
But there were increases in drugs offences, possession of weapons, robbery, sexual offences, residential and non-residential burglary, theft, and miscellaneous crimes against society. Shoplifting soared by 26.8 per cent.
Earlier this year, the county's chief constable, Paul Sanford, warned that highly skilled and experienced staff might have to be replaced with trainee officers to save money as the force was facing a £4m funding gap for 2025-2026.
The officer could face disciplinary action if found to have been taking 40 winks instead of being on patrol, keeping the public safe.
A Norfolk Police spokeswoman said: 'We have been made aware of photographs taken of an officer whilst on duty that appear to show him sleeping in a police car.
'The matter has been referred to the Professional Standards Department and we are carrying out an investigation of the circumstances.'
In February this year, Staffordshire Police said they were investigating after a video posted on Facebook appeared to show two police officers asleep on the job.
The vehicle was pictured in Fenton, Stoke-on-Trent, and was stationary at a junction with the car lights and dashboard lit up.
Officers have also been found snoozing in cars in Cambridge and Skye Bridge in the Scottish Highlands.
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