Page 110 - Once a copper 10 03 2020

Right from my first day, it was clear the beat officers’ department was the
depository for any minor occurrence and incident reported on the sub-
division. I walked in and met my fellow beat officers who were a mixed bunch
in terms of their ages, background, demeanour and ambition. In every team
you will find the rising stars, the reliable methodical type, the plodder and the
workshy dodger and whilst it would be unfair to pin labels to names, this team
was no different.

The first surprise was the humungous volume of paperwork in everyone’s
basket. As I sat sifting through the beat 33 basket, from the out-of-date
unattended items I found, I quickly formed an impression of my predecessor.
However, I looked at this positively, in the belief that this beat needed a good
shock and shake up and I had every intention of delivering it.

Within two weeks I had cleared the backlog of outside force traffic enquiries,
complaints of dangerous dogs, unoccupied premise visits, neighbour
disputes, minor damage reports, football in the street and other anti-social
behaviour complaints. Then there were the court warning notices, service of
summonses and interviews for a plethora of minor matters.

Not exactly what this budding Sherlock Holmes had in mind, but it got me out
and about and in between the trivia, I made a point of introducing myself to
all the local shopkeepers, business folk, local council workers and the Heads
and Teachers at the schools. Just by walking about talking and listening, As I
digested lots of intelligence about who did what, when, and with whom, I
started to hear the same names repeatedly. These were names I would put
to faces and soon I determined they would get to see mine.
No sooner did I start to get stuck in on the patch, I would be diverted back to
the nick to relieve the office man, be sent over to Erdington to make up
numbers on shift or be posted to football match duties. I had to curb any
frustrations as it was all in the line of duty, or so I kept telling myself.

There were arrests for crime in those early months, but I wanted to run before I
had learned to walk. I wanted the more serious stuff now.
Christmas 1983 came and went, and I was pleased to be able to spend some
of it at home without the prospect of night shift over the festive period.

1984 began with a tragedy close to home.

Page110
On Saturday 4 February, I had given up my leave day to work the afternoon
th
parading at Queens Road for the Aston Villa -v- Luton game. For me it was as