A policeman’s lot

I AM grateful i joined the police service in 1957 rather than today.

the chief constable informed me i did not reach the minimum height of 5ft 10in: i was only 5ft 97/ 8in.

When i told him i was 20, he said i would grow the required 1/8th of an inch and i was allowed to join.

i wonder what i would have said had i known that i was 9in taller than the present-day Metropolitan Police commissioner.

Late in my service, the Home office decided to attract more graduates with no experience of life on the streets. along with the reduction of thousands of police officers, this resulted in fire brigade-style policing.

if you need a police officer to attend, you have to ring 999 because you will not find one on the streets.

When i joined, my fellow officers were all former national servicemen or had served in World War ii, so we could cope with discipline and look after each other.

there were 22 foot patrol beats 24/7, five patrol cars and six motorcycles, with a guarantee that a 999 call would be answered and attended within five minutes anywhere in the borough. i

received £8.65 take-home pay. The public got far more value for money than they do now and I enjoyed serving them.

LEN SLADE, Preston, Lancs.