Ex-police talking about policing in the 70's and 80's
Discussion
Which ones of the following would you believe and which would you dismiss as folklore? They all seem pretty astonishing to me.
1. A constable who had been in the area for only a couple of weeks out on foot patrol and finding himself completely lost and in his own words, "going round in circles". In despair and without the aid of mobiles/SatNav of course, he had to resort to going into a telephone box and making a shame-faced call in to seek directions for a return to the nick. Having explained his location he was told, "if you look to your left, can you see a building with a bread sign on top, just to the left of that there should be a single storey building next to an office-block ... look up to the 3rd floor and you'll see a window with half your shift colleague waving at you...!"
2. I've heard stories of coppers back in the 1980's who would compete to see how far they could get away from their designated patch in a single shift. There is an infamous tale where I work of a couple of beat officers who returned to the nick one day with a photograph of themselves and the job car in front of the Eiffel Tower.
3. I could definitely verify a story of two paired-up officers who, on consecutive night-shifts, competed to see which pair could get from West London to Brighton pier and back in the quickest time!
4. A keen but nervous group of four fresh-out-of-training-school probationer constables on attachment to the nick, being sent to the magistrates court to observe proceedings and being sat at the side of the court for the whole morning and told not to leave. At the end of the morning, the chairman of the bench went over to address them and give them some pearls of wisdom. He went on, and on, and on ... totally unaware that one of the lads had been frantically trying to contain his bursting bladder for the previous hour. I'm not that at first, he even noticed the frothing puddle silently forming all round the mortified young constable's shoes and socks!
5. Having your socks checked before a shift. You always knew when someone had bought a six-pack (different meaning back then) because they'd have three days of black towelling socks, then the grey pair followed by the light blue pair and finally, if brave enough, the white socks. I also remember doing my training back then and the (former Chief Superintendent) trainer used to go round the class before lessons with a ruler, checking the guys' sideburns and whether they'd shaved properly and clipped a straight and neat line around their hair.
1. A constable who had been in the area for only a couple of weeks out on foot patrol and finding himself completely lost and in his own words, "going round in circles". In despair and without the aid of mobiles/SatNav of course, he had to resort to going into a telephone box and making a shame-faced call in to seek directions for a return to the nick. Having explained his location he was told, "if you look to your left, can you see a building with a bread sign on top, just to the left of that there should be a single storey building next to an office-block ... look up to the 3rd floor and you'll see a window with half your shift colleague waving at you...!"
2. I've heard stories of coppers back in the 1980's who would compete to see how far they could get away from their designated patch in a single shift. There is an infamous tale where I work of a couple of beat officers who returned to the nick one day with a photograph of themselves and the job car in front of the Eiffel Tower.
3. I could definitely verify a story of two paired-up officers who, on consecutive night-shifts, competed to see which pair could get from West London to Brighton pier and back in the quickest time!
4. A keen but nervous group of four fresh-out-of-training-school probationer constables on attachment to the nick, being sent to the magistrates court to observe proceedings and being sat at the side of the court for the whole morning and told not to leave. At the end of the morning, the chairman of the bench went over to address them and give them some pearls of wisdom. He went on, and on, and on ... totally unaware that one of the lads had been frantically trying to contain his bursting bladder for the previous hour. I'm not that at first, he even noticed the frothing puddle silently forming all round the mortified young constable's shoes and socks!
5. Having your socks checked before a shift. You always knew when someone had bought a six-pack (different meaning back then) because they'd have three days of black towelling socks, then the grey pair followed by the light blue pair and finally, if brave enough, the white socks. I also remember doing my training back then and the (former Chief Superintendent) trainer used to go round the class before lessons with a ruler, checking the guys' sideburns and whether they'd shaved properly and clipped a straight and neat line around their hair.
smootch said:
4. A keen but nervous group of four fresh-out-of-training-school probationer constables on attachment to the nick, being sent to the magistrates court to observe proceedings and being sat at the side of the court for the whole morning and told not to leave. At the end of the morning, the chairman of the bench went over to address them and give them some pearls of wisdom. He went on, and on, and on ... totally unaware that one of the lads had been frantically trying to contain his bursting bladder for the previous hour. I'm not that at first, he even noticed the frothing puddle silently forming all round the mortified young constable's shoes and socks!
Ahh, Mr watersports / boot / shoe / liquid / police-fetish man. How are you? I see you cunningly placed one of you fantasies within further examples to mask the fact. I don't judge, but there must be a website out there to deal with these needs.
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
t.
Personally I still believe in my theory about PCSO's (one I'd suspect our old Community Beat SGT would like ).
PCSO out to patrol a route- one has details of outward route ,and other selects landmarks to plot a return route. Two needed.
PCSO out to collect evidence/interview /collect evidence. Three needed. Two to get there and back, other to collect etc.
In 80's we had two beat PC, with car. One would get out and perform beat duties, with other in car waiting /listening for a reactive response/ or to react to any reaction to beat officer's walk. Things that were noted, were held back for the officers night patrols. We ( local Neighbourhood Watch) were notified & asked to check out for activities on a property where a large quantity of stolen cycles were found. Sadly- we only have Safer Neighbourhood teams ,with beat blokes a thing of the past. In the past, we had designated houses, where a PC could turn up to use the loo /have a brew and a donut and pass on information.
PCSO out to patrol a route- one has details of outward route ,and other selects landmarks to plot a return route. Two needed.
PCSO out to collect evidence/interview /collect evidence. Three needed. Two to get there and back, other to collect etc.
In 80's we had two beat PC, with car. One would get out and perform beat duties, with other in car waiting /listening for a reactive response/ or to react to any reaction to beat officer's walk. Things that were noted, were held back for the officers night patrols. We ( local Neighbourhood Watch) were notified & asked to check out for activities on a property where a large quantity of stolen cycles were found. Sadly- we only have Safer Neighbourhood teams ,with beat blokes a thing of the past. In the past, we had designated houses, where a PC could turn up to use the loo /have a brew and a donut and pass on information.
Quoted for posterity.
smootch said:
Which ones of the following would you believe and which would you dismiss as folklore? They all seem pretty astonishing to me.
1. A constable who had been in the area for only a couple of weeks out on foot patrol and finding himself completely lost and in his own words, "going round in circles". In despair and without the aid of mobiles/SatNav of course, he had to resort to going into a telephone box and making a shame-faced call in to seek directions for a return to the nick. Having explained his location he was told, "if you look to your left, can you see a building with a bread sign on top, just to the left of that there should be a single storey building next to an office-block ... look up to the 3rd floor and you'll see a window with half your shift colleague waving at you...!"
2. I've heard stories of coppers back in the 1980's who would compete to see how far they could get away from their designated patch in a single shift. There is an infamous tale where I work of a couple of beat officers who returned to the nick one day with a photograph of themselves and the job car in front of the Eiffel Tower.
3. I could definitely verify a story of two paired-up officers who, on consecutive night-shifts, competed to see which pair could get from West London to Brighton pier and back in the quickest time!
4. A keen but nervous group of four fresh-out-of-training-school probationer constables on attachment to the nick, being sent to the magistrates court to observe proceedings and being sat at the side of the court for the whole morning and told not to leave. At the end of the morning, the chairman of the bench went over to address them and give them some pearls of wisdom. He went on, and on, and on ... totally unaware that one of the lads had been frantically trying to contain his bursting bladder for the previous hour. I'm not that at first, he even noticed the frothing puddle silently forming all round the mortified young constable's shoes and socks!
5. Having your socks checked before a shift. You always knew when someone had bought a six-pack (different meaning back then) because they'd have three days of black towelling socks, then the grey pair followed by the light blue pair and finally, if brave enough, the white socks. I also remember doing my training back then and the (former Chief Superintendent) trainer used to go round the class before lessons with a ruler, checking the guys' sideburns and whether they'd shaved properly and clipped a straight and neat line around their hair.
1. A constable who had been in the area for only a couple of weeks out on foot patrol and finding himself completely lost and in his own words, "going round in circles". In despair and without the aid of mobiles/SatNav of course, he had to resort to going into a telephone box and making a shame-faced call in to seek directions for a return to the nick. Having explained his location he was told, "if you look to your left, can you see a building with a bread sign on top, just to the left of that there should be a single storey building next to an office-block ... look up to the 3rd floor and you'll see a window with half your shift colleague waving at you...!"
2. I've heard stories of coppers back in the 1980's who would compete to see how far they could get away from their designated patch in a single shift. There is an infamous tale where I work of a couple of beat officers who returned to the nick one day with a photograph of themselves and the job car in front of the Eiffel Tower.
3. I could definitely verify a story of two paired-up officers who, on consecutive night-shifts, competed to see which pair could get from West London to Brighton pier and back in the quickest time!
4. A keen but nervous group of four fresh-out-of-training-school probationer constables on attachment to the nick, being sent to the magistrates court to observe proceedings and being sat at the side of the court for the whole morning and told not to leave. At the end of the morning, the chairman of the bench went over to address them and give them some pearls of wisdom. He went on, and on, and on ... totally unaware that one of the lads had been frantically trying to contain his bursting bladder for the previous hour. I'm not that at first, he even noticed the frothing puddle silently forming all round the mortified young constable's shoes and socks!
5. Having your socks checked before a shift. You always knew when someone had bought a six-pack (different meaning back then) because they'd have three days of black towelling socks, then the grey pair followed by the light blue pair and finally, if brave enough, the white socks. I also remember doing my training back then and the (former Chief Superintendent) trainer used to go round the class before lessons with a ruler, checking the guys' sideburns and whether they'd shaved properly and clipped a straight and neat line around their hair.
- 1 sounds perfectly feasible to me, day 1 working for the Investigation Division of H.M.Customs & Excise I walked up and down New Fetter lane in London looking for my new office. In the end I stopped at a tk (phone box) to 10/9 (phone) the office. My new boss answered, so I coughed (admitted) my plight and he asked where I was.
"Ok, turn around. Look up. See that guy with a beard waving ? Thats me".
Arse. Not a great start to my 15 year career.
[quote=Who me ?]Personally I still believe in my theory about PCSO's (one I'd suspect our old Community Beat SGT would like ).
PCSO out to patrol a route- one has details of outward route ,and other selects landmarks to plot a return route. Two needed.
PCSO out to collect evidence/interview /collect evidence. Three needed. Two to get there and back, other to collect etc.
In 80's we had two beat PC, with car. One would get out and perform beat duties, with other in car waiting /listening for a reactive response/ or to react to any reaction to beat officer's walk. Things that were noted, were held back for the officers night patrols. We ( local Neighbourhood Watch) were notified & asked to check out for activities on a property where a large quantity of stolen cycles were found. Sadly- we only have Safer Neighbourhood teams ,with beat blokes a thing of the past. In the past, we had designated houses, where a PC could turn up to use the loo /have a brew and a donut and pass on information.
[/quote]
I'm afraid I'd be forced to disprove your theory of PCSOs. I go out single-crewed 90% of the time. I can even collect evidence/CCTV by myself...
The rare times I do go out double-crewed, we plan a route that's most likely to get us into trouble- not difficult in a big city.
We don't do triple-crewed, it looks awkward and walking 3 abreast gets difficult when the pavement gets narrow...
Ironically, your 'thing of the past' beat officers idea is actually exactly what we do (and our PC beat officer colleagues, strangely). We collect intel, disseminate it to our SNT (who aren't crap), work with the beat officers and engagement officers and even within the mighty hallows of TPT. We listen to what goes on from the neighbourhoods we work with, and keep tabs on those we want to look out for.
However, there are crap people in all sorts of positions. I know some excellent PCSOs, and some terrible ones who are seemingly Superglued to the station floor and, as such, find it impossible to go out & do their job. Or they'll only go out if there's a marked police vehicle they can steal for whatever trivial reason- a light shower, maybe, or some vague job that's a bit too far to walk to. There are excellent PCs, who integrate with us and do their jobs well, and some who are so set in their ways/prejudices/idiotic viewpoints that they make granite look tricky and unstable. Two sides to every coin, annoyingly.
PCSO out to patrol a route- one has details of outward route ,and other selects landmarks to plot a return route. Two needed.
PCSO out to collect evidence/interview /collect evidence. Three needed. Two to get there and back, other to collect etc.
In 80's we had two beat PC, with car. One would get out and perform beat duties, with other in car waiting /listening for a reactive response/ or to react to any reaction to beat officer's walk. Things that were noted, were held back for the officers night patrols. We ( local Neighbourhood Watch) were notified & asked to check out for activities on a property where a large quantity of stolen cycles were found. Sadly- we only have Safer Neighbourhood teams ,with beat blokes a thing of the past. In the past, we had designated houses, where a PC could turn up to use the loo /have a brew and a donut and pass on information.
[/quote]
I'm afraid I'd be forced to disprove your theory of PCSOs. I go out single-crewed 90% of the time. I can even collect evidence/CCTV by myself...
The rare times I do go out double-crewed, we plan a route that's most likely to get us into trouble- not difficult in a big city. We don't do triple-crewed, it looks awkward and walking 3 abreast gets difficult when the pavement gets narrow...
Ironically, your 'thing of the past' beat officers idea is actually exactly what we do (and our PC beat officer colleagues, strangely). We collect intel, disseminate it to our SNT (who aren't crap), work with the beat officers and engagement officers and even within the mighty hallows of TPT. We listen to what goes on from the neighbourhoods we work with, and keep tabs on those we want to look out for.
However, there are crap people in all sorts of positions. I know some excellent PCSOs, and some terrible ones who are seemingly Superglued to the station floor and, as such, find it impossible to go out & do their job. Or they'll only go out if there's a marked police vehicle they can steal for whatever trivial reason- a light shower, maybe, or some vague job that's a bit too far to walk to. There are excellent PCs, who integrate with us and do their jobs well, and some who are so set in their ways/prejudices/idiotic viewpoints that they make granite look tricky and unstable. Two sides to every coin, annoyingly.
Forums | Speed, Plod & the Law | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff