Re: Policing in the 1970’s

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Re: Policing in the 1970’s

My mate died a couple of years ago, he was only in his early 50's, the church was packed, cops on one side and villains on the other, one chap asked if they'd come to gloat, one rather upset criminal replied no they hadn't, they'd come to pay their respects, apparently he was well known for giving offenders a thump and sending them on their way, it was old school and they respected him for that.

Re: Policing in the 1970’s

Anyone remember when courts had warrant officers? They always seemed to be the officers close to retirement, out of condition physically, and content to spend as little time working as possible. Sorry if that’s harsh or unfair.

However, they used to go out to arrest offenders who had warrants out for generally minor offences, such as non payment of fines, etc. One day one of these warrant officers arrived back with a prisoner he’d just arrested but it was ill-timed as it was lunch break.

“I’m not booking him in now” said the disgruntled officer, “I’ll do it after lunch.”

And with that, they all sat down for their obligatory lunchtime card school. About half a dozen officers... plus the bemused chap who’d just been arrested and who was warned, “Right, whatever you win mate, isn’t going in your pocket. You can use it to pay off some of the fine!”

I’ve no idea how much of his debt he cleared!!

Re: Policing in the 1970’s

Thats brilliant mate.
I remember a story told to me by a surveyor, they'd just finished the Preston bypass (forerunner of the M6) and he was walking along the shelf dragging a chain, they used to measure in chains, which iirc was 22yards. Anyway this cop car appears with 2 young cops in, keen new motorway police, and take him in, it all gets bottomed out at the nick, but the custody sgt (CS) gets all the grief. A week later he's back, this time counting the trees and once again he gets lifted, this time it's two other young cops, they're well chuffed they've made the arrest and promptly take him in, the CS takes one look at him and bawls the young coppers out, "I don't care what he was doing, put him back where you got him from, and if you see him again close your eyes" he told the bemused young officers.

Re: Policing in the 1970’s

I recall a notoriously violent young woman, everyone was incredibly wary of her because she was so volatile and would lash out at the merest innocent comment. One day, she was placed at the back of the court whilst awaiting her hearing and everyone was treading on eggshells around her to try and ensure all remained calm. She was wearing a hat that looked like a flat cap.

Suddenly, a fresh-faced young PC walked in, saw her sitting there and trying to impose a bit of authority, he leaned towards her as he walked past and said quietly “take your hat off, sir”

Cue pandemonium!!

Re: Policing in the 1970’s

All the lads used to meet up on a Wednesday lunchtime at a pub in the centre of town, if you weren't on shift, or going on that night that is. Well, one day something kicked off in the local mags (magistrates court) which was literally a 2 minute walk from the pub, one of the lads on shift knew I was on an 'off' period, and that I'd be in the pub, so he rang me and asked me to send the cavalry.we all downed our pints and ran en masse to the mags, it all went suddenly quiet when about 20 of us burst in, followed by a load of our 'on duty' colleagues, there was loads of us. lol

Re: Policing in the 1970’s

It certainly was a different world.

The police have, no doubt, changed enormously but so has society in general.

Many people, probably not the older ones like us, but many others seem to have no respect for the police or, for that matter, anyone else. Why? Well, I'd say 'social engineers' or perhaps we should call them 'do-gooders'.

New rules, regulations and laws have been created which, generally, provide far more freedoms for us all. Unfortunately, those freedoms have also been passed on to the criminals and ne'er do wells.

The evidence of this is there for all to see. How many times to we hear of 'suspended sentences' and 'spared jail'. Whether this is due to ancient and decrepit judges or government changes in procedure and sentencing rules, I don't know.

Then, I'm sure we all remember, there was the time when Treason May was Home Secretary and, in addition to her other inconceivably stupid decisions, decided that we no longer needed half of our police.

Then, of course, we have the situation that (I think) BLiar may have been responsible for: the changes in police recruitment. For some reason, graduates were seen to be a better proposition than big, tough, sensible and down-to-earth coppers. The difference is tangible. Today's young police are very nice and polite and do their best to talk nicely to criminals. The old-time coppers didn't stand for any nonsense. Spit in their face, for example, and you'd receive a good hiding... er, not that I ever did that personally of course.

Well, we can all see the consequences of those changes over the years. I imagine that the police on the ground are as fed up with things as are the rest of us. The law appears not to support them any more than it supports the law-abiding.

Will things ever change and revert to the best of how things once were? Somehow, I don't think so.

Re: Policing in the 1970’s

You,ve hit the nail on the head there, a lot of my mates tell me that modern policing isn't what they joined up for, an officer in my area ended up in court when he put his police van in the path of an illegal scrambler rider, causing the rider to come off the bike, if he hadn't the bike would have careered into a crowd of pedestrians on a pavement. An armed officer, should he discharge his firearm on a job will immediately be taken off firearms duties pending the outcome of an inquiry, often many months in the future. You get physically and verbally abused, and quite often assaulted, but by far the worst is being spat on, yet the bleeding hearts say spit hoods are degrading to the prisoner!
Not long ago a young female PCSO was being verbally abused down the road from me after she caught a couple of youths tampering with a set of temporary traffic lights, they knew she couldn't do anything, as she was looking at one of them the other one took a nasty tumble, ouch! tbf, I did help it a little.

Re: Policing in the 1970’s

I think the funniest, certainly most memorable, incident I ever saw happened in the magistrates court. I haven’t been here long enough to know whether it might be too sensitive for some so I might have to refrain for now.

Or maybe at least until I am able to exchange Personal Messages!

Re: Policing in the 1970’s

You'll be ok mate, one of my most memorable ones was at the local hospital in the early hours of saturday morning. I was sat in the cctv room killing time when I observed a couple leave A&E and go outside for a smoke, they then disappeared from camera behind a large oil storage tank. About ten minutes later they both re-emerged, she straightening her skirt and he fastening his jeans! Shortly after we got called to a kick off in A&E, it was the same bloke, apparently he was dyingand demanding to be seen straight away, he made a miraculous recovery, and left the hospital after I asked him if he'd enjoyed his 'quickie' behind the oil tank!