It was a week before Claude finally settled down to further writing and on doing so it had only now returned to his mind that he had omitted the next two visits to the district training centre.
The refresher training courses were the intermediate being about a year after the initial course and the final on approaching the end of the two-year probationary period.
There was of course an examination at the end of each course and a report sent to each Chief Constable as to how their recruit(s) had faired.
How much more pleasant it was on these two courses than the initial course. The Home Office had an arrangement with the Royal Air Force for the police to use facilities at Royal Air Force base Leighton. It was a trek either by road or rail to travel from Copton to North Yorkshire.
The establishment was so much different than the police training centre, there was no marching, just lessons on law. There was no boxing of blankets, beds were just made normally. In the dining room was the biggest difference. Recruits dined with Royal Air Force personnel in a very nice dining room. There was music and no ringing of the bells to start and finish the dining session. Claude was unable to believe when an officer visited their table whilst they were eating to ask “Any Complaints.”
Once the course had been done life was back to normal for Claude at Broughton Police Station.
Resuming, he thought, after all these years his ability with a keyboard was still restricted to the first finger of each hand. All those years ago the office typewriter was a tool of necessity yet no one ever instructed him or anyone else as far as he knew of how to use one. There was no opportunity to improve, say, taking a course at a local education establishment even if one was prepared to pay. Working three shifts it was not possible to attend regularly because of the shift patterns. Taking work time off was a phrase not in the force vocabulary. To quote the American President who, when meeting a delegation of American Indians complaining about their life on a reservation he advised them “endeavour to persevere.”
There had been a rule three typing mistakes and the page had to be retyped. The typewriter came with other necessities a piece of carbon paper to put between the two sheets, everything was required in duplicate. A small piece of white paper to insert between the sheets if using a rubber to ensure the second page was not all smudged. Later, a new invention arrived in the form of a white fluid to paint over the errors known at that time as idiot’s ink.
There was a further trial and tribulation the often-long task of typing up reports required one to remain in the office to carry out the function. This entailed seeking permission from the sergeant. Claude recalled how one day soon after he first commenced duty he had sought such consent and was told come in at 1 45pm, that being 15 minutes before he finished his tour of duty. The real message in that was “Do it in your own time.”
It had been a giggle at Broughton Police station that Superintendent Bannerman was himself a touch typist, in other words he could type with all fingers as a professional typist does. A skill he seemingly acquired in Her Majesty’s Forces and brought with him to the police force. This, it was said is how he was able to type such bigger and better memos covering such a vast range of subjects.
Doing things in ones own time was an accepted practice in the police service. If one transgressed, failing to comply with an instruction such as leaving a cycle at the police station whilst off duty or not discovering a “Break” a burglary of a town premises. The transgressor would be called immediately to explain the reason, even from bed and of course without any compensation and certainly no apology. On the contrary the officer may well find himself the subject of one sanction or another.
In those days the utmost priority was to have officers patrolling the streets mostly on foot save for the patrol cars a separate entity from the town beat officers. Any and all visiting senior officers arriving and seeing an officer in the office would immediately stop and say, “What are you doing in?”
The explanation once given it then depended if the visitor simply walked on or gave an instruction to “Get down the town.” If two officers were found in the police station no matter what the reason the reply would be, “One in one out.”
It would be only moments before the sergeant arrived obviously he just had a telling off himself, to ensure if not already done the officers would be sent out post haste.
Officers were expected to get to know people and Claude was often asked if he new certain classes of people, the doctors, head masters of schools, post master, bank managers, magistrates, the coroner, the mayor and councillors and of course not last in fact foremost local criminals.
To acquire this and other local knowledge was a necessity when liasing with the leading citizens of any town or village over matters. Providing a service to any member of the public who sought advice, the police officer was expected to know the answer for directions or other matters required by the enquirer and by senior officers. When officers retired it was often mentioned, “What a loss of local knowledge.”
Gaining this knowledge required the officer to spend his time on patrol and absorb the things he saw and heard asking questions and making a mental note of the information gained. This should not be confused with standing around gossiping neither was it permitted to become over familiar with residents as Claude was to soon find out to his cost.
During one hot summer whilst Claude was on night patrol he was checking the local toilets. The reason was to check for anyone sleeping out and if found they were checked out to ascertain if they were wanted either on a warrant or had been otherwise circulated. It was also to check if they had previous convictions. If the following day there were any reports of crime, the officers at that time would check the persons seen at night book and then follow it up to ascertain if the person checked had been involved. Once checked it was necessary to walk to the nearest public telephone and having contacted the station duty officer he would check out the details with the Criminal Records office at New Scotland Yard. It was hoped that if the check proved positive the person was still to hand.
On one occasion Claude was approaching the toilets near the river when he heard singing coming from inside. He crept quietly to the door and on looking inside he saw a youth defacing the toilet wall. It was funny what he had written but the toilet was regularly attacked and subject of constant complaints from the Council. This was an ideal opportunity to show the police were doing something. The youth had written a poem.
“He who writes upon these walls.
Of young girls Fannies.
And old men’s balls.
Think they are bright and full of wit.
But they only shine.
Where others shit.”
The offender was duly reported for summons and later fined, his poetic skills not being appreciated.
In those days the police had close liaisons with various bodies including hospitals, Officers on foot patrol at night often called in for drinks of tea or coffee, a warm and somewhere to make up the pocket book of where one had patrolled and any offence or incidents that had taken place. At the end of each tour of duty the pocket book was left in the officer’s tray. If the book was required and it often was, senior officers would retrieve it and read it, then retain before calling the officer for further explanation. The book was often signed by senior officers. A typical entry for a tour of night duty.
9 45 pm on duty paraded by Sergeant Smith.
10 pm on foot patrol checking property the names of each street would be listed.
10 55 pm keeping point at High Street.
11 05 pm resumed patrol keeping observations for a mini car ABC 123 stolen from Copton. Checking car parks for the vehicle, places visited would be entered.
Details of any offence seen or reported were recorded; they followed a pattern when being written up.
11 45pm High Street saw a Volkswagen ABC 123 displaying an expired Road Fund Licence (details of the licence entered).
If the driver returned the full de
tails were taken and if not in possession of his or her driving documents a form called and HORT.1 was issued and given to the driver for the documents to be produced, being Driving Licence, Certificate of Insurance and later a Test Certificate for the vehicle. To be produced at a Police station designated by the driver within five days. The documents required were given a tick; failure to produce any one or all was an offence in itself.
The next entry would be the interview with the alleged offender; it was the same procedure on every occasion for all offences.
Q: “I was on patrol at this junction when I saw you failing to stop in compliance with the Halt Sign.”
R: “Sorry officer I didn’t see it.”
Q: “You will be reported for failing to conform to the indication given by a Traffic sign. You are not obliged to say anything if you do it may be put into writing and given in evidence.” It was the short caution at that stage.
R: “It’s a fair cop.”
In some cases it was necessary to give an “NIP” a notice of intended prosecution; the wording was “You will be reported for the consideration of the question of prosecuting you for one or more offence of reckless, dangerous or careless driving or failing to conform to the indication given by a traffic sign.”
Although given verbally a written one was also served by postal recorded delivery and it must have been served within 14 days of the offence.
This was normally given when officers visited the scene of road accidents. In those days, all road accidents were investigated thoroughly. Officers attended all road traffic accidents that were reported to the police. On arrival the positions of the vehicles involved were marked in chalk, measurements were taken at the time or later. A plan was drawn marking the positions. Written statements were taken from all drivers and witnesses and a full file submitted in nearly every case.
The quality of written statements of all types, full explicit detail of all the events, conversations to name but some points was a distinct plus when assessing the ability of all officers.
A prosecution followed in most cases, mostly for driving without due care and attention. The officer submitted the file to his sergeant who checked it returning it if insufficient in detail or there were any errors. When it was resubmitted with the listed errors amended or completed the sergeant submitted it and made a recommendation. The Inspector, or above decided to prosecute or not, and if so, he would later present the case himself.
The accused would have a solicitor but the prosecution rarely except in the more serious cases such as road traffic accidents resulting in death, when the charge was “Causing death by dangerous driving.” The cases of a more serious nature and dealt with by the Quarters Sessions or Assize Court, now the Crown Courts. These were put out to a legal firm and eventually dealt with by a Barrister.
The reasons for such a notebook to be kept was in order that supervising officers could pin point what exactly each officer was doing throughout their tour of duty. The notebook was signed during the shift when a supervising officer met a junior rank and by the officers` sergeant between tours of duty. Making notes at the time of or as soon after an incident as possible, the note or pocket book was an original record and was constantly used and referred to in court proceedings or any other matter. Defending solicitors in court during a case often checked the notebook.
Due to the close liaison with hospital staff the police were called to help out especially during the night.
There was a man who constantly visited the casualty department and faked illness. He would arrive, say he felt unwell and then appear to “Pass out.” The duty doctor examined him and although nothing could be found wrong with him he simply refused to leave. Over several months he became well known and was listed as a nuisance. One evening the staff were busy the doctor was required to deal with a patient on the ward. There was no one available to sit with the time waster so the police were called. When Claude and his sergeant arrived the doctor and nursing sister met them. The doctor seemed anxious.
“I have examined this man there is nothing wrong with him, he refuses to get up and go. I am required to deal with a life and death case but we can’t leave him here.”
The doctor then got a needle and poked it into the hoaxer and to Claude’s surprise he never flinched, even after several jabs.
“The doctor then said, “He is the best hoaxer I ever dealt with, now look,” he then begged the man “Please go there is nothing wrong with you.”
The man did not react.
The Sergeant said, “Well doctor he looks pretty dead to me are you sure you have it right.” He then winked at the doctor and said” Leave it with us doctor I think he is dead. Sister could you send the porter here?”
She nodded in the affirmative and they both left and it was not long before the porter arrived and the sergeant whispered to him, he smiled and walked off returning in a few minutes.
The sergeant and Claude picked up the hoaxer and lifted him onto a trolley and with the help of the porter the man was wheeled away. Doors were opened and closed and in moments the porter and both officers were outside having a quiet smoke. It was only a minute or so before shouts and banging could be heard. They left it a while but eventually returned and on opening the doors they had closed. The man arose from where he was lying climbed down and bolted across the hospital car park and out into the town. The porter closed the fridge and mortuary doors. There were no further reports of the hoaxer ever visiting the hospital again.
One Saturday night, it was always a Saturday night when things were busy; always out of hours no one available when some unusual incident would occur. A call was received from Broughton hospital requesting the police attend in a case of neglect to a child. It was unusual for when Claude was told of the case together with his sergeant he was surprised to see the superintendent already at the hospital. Arriving at the casualty department being so late at night the remainder of the hospital had locked doors. The doctor arrived and announced a child had been brought in as a casualty and required immediate life saving treatment.
The parents had refused to sign a form for the child to receive the treatment. The police had been called to prevent a breach of the peace. Claude sat and viewed this unusual case with interest. The proceedings were transferred to a committee meeting room and Claude noted those present.
They were the parents of the child, the doctor, night sister, and a lady who identified herself as a social worker from the council and a man who was known to Claude as a Magistrate.
The doctor gave the medical facts and ended by saying if the child did not receive the treatment and immediately it would probably die.
The parents made their case of their religious objections. The superintendent stood and said he felt if the child died there might well be a prima facia case of criminal neglect against the parents. The social worker agreed and said she was prepared to accept the child into the care of the local authority.
The magistrate then committed the child into that care. The social worker then signed the hospital consent form and the treatment was carried out. There was no disturbance and the child lived. The police had nothing further to do with the matter.
A further six months passed Claude attended his final refresher course, again no different from the previous one save that one spent all ones time reading but didn’t have to work full night shifts.
Claude was on foot patrol one Friday afternoon when he met one of the local fire Service officers. In the course of conversation Claude was asked if he played dominoes. He did and said so and was invited to a local pub to play in a domino match. He arrived at the pub and played the match, the evening went without incident. Claude was to find out that his decision would have consequences for him.
The following Monday morning working the 6am to 2pm shift, he took his meal break at 9 15 am. He returned from his lodgings at 10 am as normal. He was about to resume patrol when the phone in the enquiry office rang. The office constable answered and then looked at
Claude; he put down the handset and said the Super wants you.”
Claude’s hastily went upstairs finding the sergeant standing waiting at the top of the stairs. They both went inside the Supers office.
Claude stood to attention as always. The Superintendent looked up and said, “It has been brought to my attention that last Friday evening you played in a domino match in a local pub?”
“Yes sir,” replied Claude.
“This is getting too familiar with the public and must never happen again, do you understand?”
“Yes sir,” replied Claude.
The sergeant nudged him, he turned and left nothing more was said, then.
The following week Claude was told he had an appointment to see the Chief Constable it was for his final interview marking the end of his two years probation. Nothing had been said as to the contents of his reports throughout the previous two years; he was therefore attending the meeting in ignorance of what his assessments had been. The meeting would decide if he would be confirmed in office and of course keep his job. Come the day another officer was attending and so gave Claude a lift in his vehicle.
Claude was called first. The Chief Constable and the Assistant Chief Constable were seated at a desk. Claude stood to attention as they looked through his file. “I see looking at your file you have recently been admonished by your Superintendent. No mention was made but Claude knew it was the domino game. There was more hesitation and finally the Chief looked up and said, “Well, we hesitate but will take a chance and confirm you, but you will be watched.” You can go.”
Claude left the room and his colleague entered and closed the door. He was not more than a few minutes. On the return journey, his told Claude he was no longer a police officer, though nothing further was said.
The news of the officer’s departure spread around the police station and eventually Claude learned the rumour was he had been seen visiting the home of a rural police station whilst the officer was absent on duty. The now ex colleague had been having a dalliance with the officer’s wife, in addition he had got into some debt and someone had made a complaint, his police days were finished as quickly as that.
Police Memories Page 25