Do you have any idea as to what used to be considered a ‘Good Arrest’?
No?
OK. Well, let me tell you.
In my day, all Met Police Constables with less than 2 years service, were obliged to atend ‘Instruction Class’ every month. Various things were learned and we were ‘tested’ on a different subject each month. Part of our class-instruction included a section where we discussed local issues, including such things as ‘Wanted‘ people, and ‘Good Arrests’, etc. The ‘Good Arrests’ were read out and the arresting officer, if present, was ….well…..sort of applauded. Not really applauded but….well, y’know. Made to feel good! Sort of..superior! I got a couple of these and I would like you to know of the wisdom of experienced coppers, who always said that good arrests always came about when the officer was skiving! To show you what I mean;
Un jour, in 1959, Dickiebo was Late Turn (1400 - 2200) at West End Central Station in the West End. Actually, ’twas in Savile Row. I was posted to the U.S. Embassy, in Grosvenor Square, with one of my mates. This was a very boring duty as it meant having to stand in one place for the entire time, and having to answer all the never-ending stream of questions that silly American tourists always seem to have.
Like, ‘Can you tell me where the US Visa Office is’, when we’re standing outside their bloody embassy. Why ask me? It was only opposite, anyway.
And, ‘Don’t you carry a gun, officer?’ Yea! Guess where it’s hidden.
Anyway, that’s why this particular duty was not all that popular, so we would grab any chance that presented itself, to disappear for a while. A colleague would ‘relieve’ us for our meal break and, if we were lucky, sometimes for a cuppa and a ‘drag’ at the halfway marks.
So it was that we were relieved for a cuppa, at about 8pm. This time is very relevant. (Do you know why?) We made our way to the nick and, as we were approaching New Bond Street, I saw this erk, standing in an empty alleyway, at the side of the shops. As I say, he was quite clearly an erk, so I ‘pulled’ him. He was Laszlo. A refugee from the 1956 Hungarian Uprising. Searched him and, guess what? Yea, yea. HBI. (House Breaking Implements). ‘In’ he went, and dickiebo explained to the Duty Officer (Inspector) the circumstances of the foul deed. The Inspector immediately looked up at the clock, which was showing a few minutes after 8pm., and queried the ‘time of arrest’. Why? Well, because it is (or, at least, was) an offence to ‘Possess HBI by night’ (after 8pm!!!), whereas before 8pm, it was only an offence to ‘Possess HBI with intent to commit felony’. Needed to be proved. Skiving off for a cuppa = Good Arrest!
Strangely enough, a colleague had a good arrest just a few yards further up Bond Street, when he went into a courtyard behind the shops, to have a puff. Whilst he was there, in walked a villain, and climbed up onto the roof of the shops. When he eventually came down, he was met by a goodly Reception Committee. Skiving = Good Arrest.
Another good ‘un was when I was on a local Drug Squad. (Local Drug Squads were uniformed officers, brought out in plain-clothes to deal with street-level drugs offences, as opposed to the main Scotland Yard based Drug Squad, who were CID officers, and dealt with major drugs offences).
My partner and I were using my car. It was one of those old 3-speed, sit-up-and-beg Ford Populars. On this day, we had drawn a blank, so about 11.30pm we went to Mr Wong’s, in King Street, Hammersmith, to have ’supper’. Mr Wong was an old friend and loved ‘trying out’ my Cantonese. He had (still has, I think) a first-class chinese restaurant with a fish & chip shop adjacent. He was just closing, so we got fish & chips to take away. We then went and sat in my car, which was parked at the end of Goldhawk Road, to scoff. There was nobody about, and the weather was dire. I saw this erk (a different one!!!) coming towards us, and he had our attention as we ate, as he was the only person in the street. I saw him look into the window of a Gents Outfitters, then look up and down the street. My alarm-bells started ringing, and I told my oppo to watch. Sure enough, he stands back, raises his foot, and smashes it into the large plate-glass window. Laugh? I nearly choked on my chips. The glass bent like a bow, and didn’t break. I grabbed my oppo to stop him from getting out of the car, and told him to wait until chummy actually broke the window. Harsh? Not really. One must have ‘credible evidence to support a charge’. I didn’t make the rules. Anyway, ’twas not to be. A couple of frantic kicks later, he hobbled off, nursing a damaged ankle. That had to be enough evidence, I’m afraid. Once again; Skiving = Good Arrest.
So. If you ever hear of a copper boasting about a particular good arrest, spare a thought as to just what he was doing at the time! Cos, now you know!
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Posted by dickiebo
