Police Memories

by Bill Williams

  They entered the room all became silent until one of the sergeants called “Stand to attention”

  The Inspector then spoke, “Welcome 385 course, I am Inspector Ray Perry, these officers are Sergeants Rob Olden and Harry Davies we are your course instructors.”

  “To you, I am Inspector Parry they are Sergeant Olden and Sergeant Davies, they are not Sarge they are Sergeant.”

  The room door opened once again, the Inspector stopped speaking as the man who had just carried out the parade inspection arrived, he had a crown on his tunic shoulder tops. He walked in, stopped looked around the room and spoke.

  “I am Chief Superintendent Ian France; I am the Commandant of this establishment. In amongst my many duties I will carry out inspections of selected officers each morning. I have a deputy Commandant Superintendent Charlesworth he is currently away on leave, he will deputise for me as and when required. I run a tight ship, attention to detail and discipline is what keeps the police force ticking and so it will here. I wish you a good day.”

  He turned and left the room.

  He had only just departed in fact no words had been spoken when there was another appearance. On this occasion it was the sergeant who had also just been on the parade, he was still in possession of his “stick.”

  When he arrived, the three course instructors turned and left without speaking. Claude suspected they had done so for a reason, he was correct.

  The arriving sergeant was tall at least six feet in height, well built but not in any way obese. He carried his immaculate uniform very well. He removed his cap and its slashed peak from his head putting it down on the table. His face could now be clearly seen. It was square, slightly ruddy in complexion and he looked a stern and severe man.

  He was totally and immaculately turned out. Clean-shaven, his uniform was different than any other. Although in the police black it was obviously a very good quality surge. His trousers had an equally immaculate crease and also did his tunic at the sleeves. His boots were shining like a mirrors, completely, not just the toe cap, his cap now on the table had a peak equally shining not a finger mark was visible upon it.

  He spoke, his words were to remain with Claude not only for the whole of his police service but even until today he thought as he hesitated from typing.

  “I am Sergeant Ray Thomas I was a drill sergeant in the Grenadier Guards I am now your drill sergeant and I also have other duties connected with this aspect.”

  The room was silent, not sound or movement.

  “I am here to smarten you up for one thing. I am here to install discipline into you for another. I am here to give you a sense of humour. Police officers need a sense of humour, believe me when I have finished with you lot you will laugh at anything.”

  There was no laughing, at that moment thought Claude, not a sign of it more like dread of what might follow.

  “I am here,” continued Sergeant Thomas to smarten you up, here are my rules.

  “Your uniforms will be immaculate.”

  “When and if you get leave I do not want you coming back here after week end leave with seminal stains on your trousers.”

  “You will have a crease in your trousers so sharp I could easily shave with it.”

  “Your boots will shine like glass.”

  “You hair will be so short that it will stick outside your head like pimples. I have a rule what is under your helmet belongs to you, what shows below your helmet belongs to me. Those ladies here your hair if not cut will be so arranged as to be completely concealed under your hat.”

  “With this clean smart and tidy attitude all male officers will on rota have a haircut once every two weeks by appointment. A Barber arrives here nightly. All officers will, voluntarily of course make an appointment and see the Barber at a time on the designated time and day.”

  “Whilst you are here you will be instructed in marching, various marches at various speeds and step lengths, not necessarily how you will walk your beats at the regulation pace of one point three miles per hour. This will give you a smart and adhering appearance when performing your duties.”

  “Now, this pace stick, for those who do not know the relevance of a pace stick I will enlighten you.”

  He then opened the stick to demonstrate and shouted, “This stick varies in width to give the differing steps in the different marches, example, slow and quick step. I will educate you in the various marches and steps by marching at your side. You will note the stick opens to permit this, you may well now imagine there are various movements I can make with this stick, believe me I know them all.”

  “I bid you good day until we meet again” he put on his cap and was gone.

  As he left, the course officers returned directing all present to follow them to “The class room.”

  They arrived in a few minutes as the classrooms were just over the road from the main building.

  The classroom was a building identical to all the others, single floor, built of brick with windows along the side. The whole complex appeared to have been built for military use at the time of World War Two.

  On entering the room it was no different than any school for children, neat lines and rows of desks, though larger in size. The class was seated in no particular order.

  Once seated the Instructor asked each individual their name when given a note was made of it on what Claude later saw was a seat plan.

  The class were then given yet another set of rules or instructions whichever way one received them. A notice on the front black board gave the rota for that week. It was as Claude recalled, as follows.

  Breakfast 8 am .

  Muster parade 8 30 am.

  9 am lesson.

  10 am lesson 2.

  11 am Drill.

  12 noon physical training

  1 pm lunch.

  2 pm lesson 3.

  3 pm to 5 pm Practical demonstrations.

  The instructor then informed the class the lectures would be on law and varied within two groups, being traffic and criminal. For each section within each group there was what he called definitions.

  These were in reality made up of the points of law to prove for each offence. These would be required to be learned word perfect. Each morning the first lesson would be ad hoc testing of the points set to remember from the previous day and at the end of each week a written test to cover that week.

  Claude as he hesitated from typing and thought back some fifty years or more, he could still recall at least some, he would try, yes, he thought, Theft.

  “A person is guilty of theft if he dishonestly appropriates then takes and carries away property belonging to another with intent to permanently depriving the other of it. Permanently depriving the other of will be committed if he treats the thing as his own to dispose of regardless of the others right.”

  Smiling now he would try another, stealing by finding he thought, “If at the time of the finding, the finder believed that by taking any reasonable steps the true and rightful owner could be traced and reasonable steps would be considered as reporting the finding to the police or placing and advert in a newspaper and others similar.”

  A book entitled Moriatys Police law was handed to each officer; this would later be referred to as, “The Coppers Bible.”

  On completion of this introduction the first lesson began.

  The procedure then continued through the day until 5pm when Claude found himself arriving at his billet with the other 18 class members the two female officers were billeted well away on the other side of “The Camp.”

  Arriving in the building there was about to be another shock, a loud voice and the entrance door opened. A uniformed Inspector and the Drill Sergeant appeared. The “Drill man,” shouted another instruction.

  “This hut, attention.”

  All stood upright and still, the two men entered walked along the corridor and systematically entered and looked around each room. They then carried out the following action, save in the room of Ron the ex veteran
.

  The Sergeant said to Claude, “This room is a mess what is it.”

  Claude replied, “A mess sergeant.”

  The Drill Sergeant retorted, loud and clearly into Claude’s ear,

  “Answer, sir, officer on parade,” he blasted.

  The Inspecting officers looked around the rooms any item left out, books, items of clothing whatever, it was picked up and thrown into the metal bin provided, it would appear for the purpose. The bed and specifically the boxed sheets were then picked up and tossed into the air; finally the suitcases were picked and thrown on top of the bed.

  When completed amidst the silent hut came the message for all to hear and understand if one wanted a quiet life.

  “Keep your room tidy, put everything away, suitcases under the bed, blankets and sheets folded properly and then boxed.”

  “Whilst you are at breakfast each morning your room will be inspected and if you don’t comply, you will find your room like it is now. Further you will be given additional duties such as washing the toilets or cleaning my boots or pace stick,” said, “Mr Drill.”

  They turned and left banging the door as they did so. What a lesson thought Claude, but more important, how to achieve the required standard.

  There was a look around and then a mob rush to Ron seeking to know “how to do it.”

  The evening was then taken up by Ron going from room to room giving repeated demonstrations how to fold a blanket and sheet and the final boxing.

  What time was left until lights out at 11pm was taken up by studying those definitions and law subjects covered during that day?

  The next morning and every morning Monday to Friday would now be to the set pattern, rise, wash, change, breakfast parade then lessons, lunch and lessons until 5pm then finish, there was always an exception.

  When the second morning arrived and the first lesson arrived all were seated when the instructor arrived with the call, stand. All stood until told, “Ok sit down.”

  The instructor opened his file looked up and then chose his victims asking questions from the previous day assuming the student had spent the whole of his or her off time revising. “Right Friendly, stand, now and recite the definition of theft.”

  All students were referred to in classroom by surname only occasionally it was by collar number simply, you 377. Whereas, the reply to an Instructor was Sir, to Inspectors and above and Sergeant to those officers with stripes upon their arms. No instructor was of the rank below Sergeant for obvious reasons, I am greater than you.”

  The question being answered in part there was then often the call.

  “Stop, you Smith, continue.”

  So it went round the class ad hoc until the whole thing was recited and clearly there was indication the point had been learned by all.

  On completion of this, the subject of the lecture in this case theft or stealing as it is now referred to was then discussed in depth. Examples were given to differentiate theft from burglary a more serious offence of stealing from within a property.

  A person enters a house or building and removes property therefore; stealing or causes damage is guilty of burglary punishment, 10 years imprisonment.

  A person walking down the road sees an item on the inside of a window ledge reaches inside with only a hand and takes the items is guilty of Burglary, his hand being part of him in law means he entered, therefore he commits burglary, same punishment

  The same person uses or threatens to use violence or puts the occupants in fear commits the more serious offence of Aggravated Burglary punishment, 14 years imprisonment

  Finally a person walking along a road sees an item outside a property or in a public place steals it, is guilty of theft, punishment five years imprisonment.

  Accompanied with the law on the investigation of theft and other crime there are powers of arrest, some empowered any person to arrest others confined only to the police. It was also necessary to learn these powers word perfect.

  The law in detail on a particular subject consisting of the above points was then passed on by the instructor to the class. The general law, the points to prove and the powers of arrest available were transmitted and notes made by the student. It was then for the student in their own time, normally each evening and all week-end to read up and learn all the information in what was called “Parrot fashion,” or word perfect, tests were carried out to ensure this was achieved.

  Claude recalled approaching the end of that first day how his life had changed since leaving home the day before. The day was not over.

  The evening meal arrived and was in the exact format of the first two save that the moaner neither moaned nor left his meal for fear of the consequences.

  The working day done it was time to change into civilian clothes then make ones way the recreation room. Arriving there Claude approached the bar and soon realised there was no intoxicating liquor on sale simply pints and half pint of various soft drinks with the added pleasure of ice. The conversation was universal, what had happened during the day in and around the centre.

  On leaving the recreation room on mass at the given hour just before 10 pm there was another new event, restriction, rule, call it what you may.

  Arriving outside, the narrow service roads were not well illuminated but were sufficient to find ones way. As the students walked onward on mass there appeared in the darkness, figures standing at the roadside. When these figures were approached and passed their identities were recognised.

  They were instructors on sentry duty to ensure no male dared cross to the right hand side of the road and thus venture to the banned female side of the camp. It went without saying of course there could be no suggestion of any liaison between the sexes during the weeks of the course.

  There was always an exception and on the rare occasion, staff made sure it leaked that those responsible had been caught and immediately returned to their force, immediate dismissal followed such action.

  The format of that first day from waking, eating and duties was rigidly the same for the whole period the only variation being the type of law or incident being demonstrated.

  Claude stopped typing looked at the clock, my heavens he thought it is nearly 6pm he had been typing for nearly fours way over his normal stipulated time of two hours. He yawned and stretched, closed down and put away his machine. Walked to the bathroom undressed and showered. He then put on a tracksuit bottom and “T” shirt and was ready for the next foray, the evening meal at The Homestead.

  He knocked on the doors of both Joe and Angelina but received no reply and so walked alone into the dining area.

  Enroute he passed the main reception and saw Matron Raving not in uniform but in a dark suit, folder in hand speaking with her assistant.

  He was early; the dinning room door was closed although there was activity within the room. This reminded him of the local council library in which he spent much time. They operated restricted hours but when this was forgotten by a would be user a visit revealed the doors locked, all the internal lights switched on, the staff all present but the room empty of readers, how that saved money he never resolved.

  He decided to take a seat but could only find a stool more than likely onto which the feet of some aged soul would be raised and laid.

  He looked around the group there were six ladies and two gentlemen. They were in easy chairs, which were positioned in an “L” shape. He saw Miss Ling kneeling at the front of one chair she was attending to a lady who was holding out her hand. Miss Ling was gently giving her some attention to her hands, and then someone called.

  “Miss Ling, would you please come to the work station?”

  She stopped what she was doing and did as requested at a brisk tempo.

  Seated next to this lady was a man who appeared to be fairing worse. He was positioned in the chair in a semi prone position half lying, half sitting. His mouth was wide open but his eyes half closed. He appeared not to be compos mentis.

  Miss Ling returned and on this
occasion was carrying a plastic bottle with what appeared to be a long wide red straw protruding from the top of it. She spoke to the man who failed to react. She inserted the straw like device into his mouth and he then commenced to suck.

  There was another man sitting at the far end of the one arm of the seats he was holding a newspaper but after some time he simply stared and turned no pages Claude assumed he was daydreaming.

  On the arm of the “L” shape nearest Claude were seated four ladies aged Claude thought from 75 years of age upwards.

  They were considerably livelier.

  One called, “Hello, are you Claude the Policeman?”

  Before he could answer a member of staff arrived she was wearing a blue uniform top. Claude had not seen her before he assumed she was performing relief duties.

  On arrival she sat adjacent to the lady on the end of that arm and about two feet away from Claude.

  “Hello Olive,” she said to the aged lady who until her arrival had appeared jolly and had been smiling at Claude but her smiling was no more.

  “I believe you wanted to speak with the Matron,” said the lady in blue.

  “Yes I do,” replied the old lady and the tone of her voice indicated,” she was a little upset.

  “I am the Matron,” said Miss new comer “What do you want to see me for?”

  Claude was so near that he couldn’t avoid hearing the conversation for that matter so were the other three alert ladies in the group. His attention was also drawn to the fact that unless there had been either a massive transformation in Matron Raving or she had flown the nest so to speak, this lady was definitely not Matron.

  “I want to move blocks,” said the old lady, presumably a client, as she appeared to believe she had a choice of residence within the building.

  “Why ever do you wish to do that?” Replied the lady in blue.

  “Well said the now distraught client, “I have been having too many accidents.”