The coppers at MAN must have had a pretty good idea there was nothing amiss here but as soon as the pax went to them they had no choice but to follow up the complaint? Coppers being coppers they assume everyone is guilty so they let the thing sort of develop to see what happens. Nature of the beast?
Big egoes too and they sure do like to get off on the power trip thing especially the British ones at airports armed up to the teeth and in their paramilitary gear. Definitely a case of my one is bigger than yours!