Change in police numbers.

[Derek Smith]

I wish pay had been based on the number of Crown Court full witness orders. In my last two years in the job I had 135.

In the old days I used to get a bit wound up. We had to prosecute our own offences then. I was pysically sick a few times, and all my jobs were dead straight. Later on I calmed down a bit. When I was in the ID unit and going to CC once a week on average I got a bit keyed up again as my evidence never got the person convicted but it could get them off if I blew it. An incident room, all the staff having done their best, and I could let them all down. I used to throw my weight around a bit and wouldn't take the slightest show of disrespect from defence briefs, or prosecution either.

CPS tried to pull a job and I argued from the basis of the fact that he didn't know what he was talking about with regards ID procedures, which the defence had challenged. He eventually saw things my way, or at least agreed that the case go ahead. As a parting shot he said: Do you realise that defence councils regard you as difficult to deal with.

I felt then that I'd cracked it.

So despite working 9-5 I found the ID inspector post the most difficult and stressful of any of those I'd done before. I was on call 24/7, had to do all my own research there being no central repositiroy of ID cases. I had on average just under three rape IDs a week, once three in one day. On top of that there were lots of other sex crimes, and even for the victims of simple assaults it was the most upsettig experience of their lives.

So 9-5, Monday to Friday. How much was I worth? More than a DI, less than and FLO? It is difficult, isn't it.