My Criminal Life
| DOI | 10.1177/0032258X8005300236 |
| Author | Bent |
| Date | 01 April 1980 |
| Published date | 01 April 1980 |
| Subject Matter | Article |
The continuing story
of
a Victorian policeman
from
his own
autobiography .. .
MY
CRIMINAL
LIFE
BY
SUPERINTENDENT
BENT
CHAPTER
X
1/1.
Police Experiences
and
Pleasantries -The Story
of
a Whistle.
When I was first sent on duty from headquarters I was attached to the
Pendleton section for four or five months, and my attention was
specially directed to the numerous beggars in the district. A
constable's uniform was not made to fit so particularly well in those
days as is the case now. Perhaps a man who was rather short-necked
(like myself) would receive a coat
that
formerly belonged to a man
with a long neck, and vice versa,
and
this happened to be so in my
case. I had an overcoat, the collar of which was
about
four inches too
high,
and
no
doubt
Ilooked very comical, as I was often laughed at as
I passed along the street. This, as may be guessed, was very annoying
to a new-fledged policeman. However, such was the case, and I had
to bear it the best way I could.
One day I observed a man going from
door
to
door
begging,
and,
as I said before, my orders were to take every mendicant Ifound to the
police station for further instructions. In those days the police court
sat at eleven o'clock,
and
as I had happened to apprehend the prisoner
about
a
quarter
before
that
hour, I was directed to take him at once to
the New Bailey for trial. It was a very warm morning, and as I had my
topcoat
buttoned up,
and
had to walk rapidly, for I had only a short
time in which to reach the court, I began to perspire very much,
and
no
doubt
Ilooked a"guy." When we arrived at
our
destination, the
man who had charge of the gates wanted to know if I was going to
church?
In my opinion, I had got a very serious case,
and
one the detection
of which might help in securing for me promotion, but to my surprise
the magistrate sympathised very much with my first prisoner,
and
gave him a shilling to go on the road with. I
thought
then
that
would
be the last beggar I would apprehend,
and
I did not feel quite sure
whether the justice ought to be allowed to have his name retained on
the commission of the peace after treating my case in the manner he
204 Police Journal
April/980
To continue reading
Request your trial