Self-Defence for Police – for Us!

Seems that there is always a lot of talk about ‘Arming Police’, CS or Pepper Sprays, Tasers, etc., etc. Must say that defence of Officers has come a long way since my day.

When I was a kid, you either became a good street-fighter, (not, I may add, by today’s extreme definition), or you simply had to be able to run rather fast. Being neither, I fell into that bloody awful category of being ‘fodder’! Wasn’t too bad, and I had the consolation of being a better fighter than many younger blokes, so I had my turn!!! However, I digress.

When I spent some time in the old Swansea Borough Force (about 250 Officers all told) in 1964, having transferred down from the Met, I very quickly spotted that, whereas I was just under 6 feet tall, most of my colleagues were 6’2″ upwards and built like a brick-built s—house! One, in particular, who I had the great pleasure of working with, was a certain Hubert Thomas. Hubert is, put simply, the strongest man I have ever met. I’m reliably told that he came 3rd in the Mr. Universe contest one year, and I can well believe it. (Hubert is still around, living nearby and writing to the Evening Post about anything that annoys him!) One night, I was told to be outside the Embassy Club at turning-out time, to prevent drunken rowdyism. I stood in a doorway opposite the club and kept an eye on the riffraff club-goers leaving. Pretty soon, an argument developed between a bunch of them. Pretty big blokes. Miners, I’d guess. Anyway, before a lead-footed Dickiebo could move, the local police-car – would you believe, a MORRIS MINOR!!! – arrived. Out got Hubert and walked up to the mob. They really didn’t want him involved, and were silly enough to say so! Well, it really is something that I shall always remember. All Hubert did, was to pick-up one rather large erk – by putting his arm around his waist and lifting him onto his hip – and point out to the others the error of their ways, and that they must desist forthwith. Sure did have the desired effect, whereupon Hubert gently returned his ‘capture’ to the ground and normal service was resumed. Such strength, and without any effort at all.

Now, I knew that I was never going to be a Hubert, and running was rather out of the question for an Officer of the Law, so I had to make a tough choice. Leave the Job? Out of the question. This was my entire life. Become a 9-5er? You clearly aren’t paying attention. The Police is my life, not a ruddy office job. Take up weight-lifting? Far too tough and takes too long. Boxing? Nah, I like my features, even if you don’t. So then I got it. Become a Police Marksman, and take-up Kung Fu. So, I did. I became a Marksman and I well remember my Instructor looking at my ‘shoot’ saying, “You can come out with me any bloody time”. Step 1 completed.

I studied Kung Fu under the legendary Baron Omidi for many years before becoming a Black Belt, then Instructor, before finally having my own clubs, where I was Chief Instructor. Step 2 completed.

Now, all of this was because the Police Force did not provide us with the ‘necessary’! We had a truncheon, and a whistle. That’s it. No radio, of course, no Spray, no handcuffs, no Taser, etc. Nowadays, Officers mercifully have most of these, and take them for granted.

My point? Simply this; as technology makes newer defences available, they must be utilised in the defence of our ‘front-line’ troops. i.e. Police Officers, and not left rotting on the shelf whilst our boys are being outgunned. (Figure of speech).

Not all our Officers are Huberts, just as I wasn’t, and our ‘public’, thanks mainly to mass immigration and asylum-seekers, are getting ever more violent. Remember; on the streets, there can only be one guv’nor. Do we want that person to be a Police Officer – or an unmitigated thug?

Answers on a postcard please.

P.S. Sweeney. No I didn’t fight Jackie Chan, but did have a good time with Susie Chan when I was in Hong Kong!