Page 165 - Once a copper 10 03 2020

I had always demonstrated a passion and
an aptitude for the analytical side of the
job. Every chance I got, I would wander
into the CID office at Kingstanding, to share
snippets of information or to earwig on
strategies and tactics the D’s (Detectives)
were discussing about lock-ups they were
planning. This was the job I wanted and I
couldn’t hide my enthusiasm. In the police,
‘who you knew’ was almost as important as
‘what you knew’ and I wanted to know Figure 76 Evidence of Fact
and be known by the chaps doing the work
I wanted to do. As my visits to the CID office increased over the summer, I
made a point of planting the seeds of my aspirations with the DC’s and the
DS whenever I could. I wanted an attachment to the CID more than anything
as this was the first step to securing my goal of becoming a Detective.

CID attachments were a rarity. One CID aide vacancy would arise at
Erdington and another at Kingstanding every six months as this was the
duration of an attachment. Successful applicants would be ‘attached’ to
one of the CID offices for six months, during which time, their performance
would be the deciding factor. If they saw potential in an aide, the senior CID
management would look to keep them in the fold.

1985 been crammed with variety I felt I needed now to focus my sights on my
goal. My chance came when my CID supporters at Kingstanding tipped me
off that a CID Aide vacancy was about to come up at Erdington and I should
get my report in quickly. I spoke with Sergeant Trevor Lane, who agreed the
time was right, he felt I was ready and would endorse my application from
the uniform side. By now, the middle of September, calm had been restored
after the Handsworth riots and it felt right for me to apply.

A couple of weeks later, I got the exciting news that I had been selected to
attend a CID interview board at Queens Road Police Station with the
Detective Superintendent Jim Kelly and DCI Gordon Heatley. A six-month
attachment to the CID was a privileged opportunity, so was treated with the
due diligence by the Senior Officers who naturally wanted to select a
candidate that would roll their sleeves up and might one day earn the rank
of Detective.

My interview was to take place on Friday 27 September 1985 and every
th
spare moment in the lead up weeks was spent swotting and asking loads of
questions of my CID contacts.

The day of my board arrived and I nervously turned up early. DCI Heatley Page165
passed me in the corridor at Queens Road and calmed my nerves. He told