West Midlands PCC Bob Jones: My officers would have been right to arrest Luis Suarez
Police and crime commissioner for the West Midlands Bob Jones says his officers would have been justified to arrest Luis Suarez had the striker's bite taken place on the streets of the Midlands.
Mr Jones was speaking after the Uruguayan and Liverpool star was banned for four months from football and given a nine match international ban by FIFA yesterday.
Television replays showed Suarez sinking his teeth into the left shoulder of Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini as the pair tussled during Tuesday's World Cup clash.
Mr Jones said that he would have supported an arrest for Suarez's actions, a third time he has bitten a player, had it taken place in Britain.
Mr Jones said: "There have been examples in Britain where action has been taken by police for incidents which have happened on a football pitch.
"And had this happened here and witnessed by an officer then they would have been justified to have used the necessary powers."
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"Obviously it would depend on the circumstances because seeing an officer arrest your star striker could lead to disturbances in the crowd and it is then for police to use their discretion and sensitivity either speaking to the referee at half-time of full-time.
"Had this taken place in public and witnessed by an officer then they would have been perfectly legitimate to have used their powers to arrest him. That's on or off a pitch."
FIFA also fined Suarez £65,000 with his punishment including a stadium ban from Uruguay games.
It also means the striker, who picked-up the PFA player of the year and the Football Writers' Association player of year for last season, wouldn't be available for selection for Liverpool until November.
It wouldn't be the first time police officials from the West Midlands have had their say over footballers' conduct.
In 2011, the then Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson hit back at Supt Mark Payne when he claimed Wayne Rooney would be arrested had his 'ridiculous aggression' on the pitch played out on the streets of Wolverhampton.
Supt Payne was speaking after the United and England striker was hit with a two-match ban for a four-letter outburst to TV cameras after scoring against West Ham United.
Sir Alex questioned the police chief's comments by asking: "Have you ever seen Wolverhampton on a Saturday night? Do police ever arrest anyone for swearing on a Saturday night? Dearie me. That is a good one."
See also:
Wayne Rooney would have been arrested here - top officer
