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The Problem of Strength

Document Cited in Related
AuthorH. J. Vann
DOI10.1177/0032258X6403700603
Published date01 June 1964
Date01 June 1964
H.
J.
VANN,
O.B.E.
A formerchief constable takesa detachedview
of
police difficulties
today.
THE
PROBLEM
OF STRENGTH
During thepastyearthePolice Service hasreceivedmorethan its
fair shareof criticism,and asso oftenhappens when things are
not
going just as everybody would desire, there isa tendency to bear a
grudge-justifiable or
imaginary-and
all andsundrywish to join in.
Many aniII-disposed prisoner is now telling his counsel that he was
beatenup by the police in order to extract someleniency from the
court on the strength
of
current feeling, or totake advantage
of
the
temporary recession of goodwill.
Nevertheless itis interesting toobservethat anumber
of
those who
elected to join in thisissue havealreadybeenrebuked in the courts,
whilst othershave been unableto justifytheirallegations.
It
seems tome,therefore,atthis juncture to be appropriate that
public attention should be focusedwith greater intensity on the
longstanding loyalty, integrity and good conduct of the 70,000
officers andmenwhoperform their onerous duties with great con-
scientiousness, andas well, ifnotbetter, than their contemporaries
in other walks
of
life.In maintaining this high standard much is
demanded
of
them,forthey arerequiredtoexercise considerable
tactanddiscretion,toeffect difficult arrests in adverse circumstances,
and topreserve the peace whilst being subjectedto muchprovoca-
tion from irresponsible members
of
thepublic.Indeed,it would
appear that on occasions they almost fall backwards in their
endeavours to be tolerant.
Yet itis these very irresponsible personswho, whilst displaying
hostility towards the police, are,by tradition, the keepers
of
the
Queen's peace.
It
is they who shouldraise a hue andcry in pursuit
of a felon, andin various ways sharewith thepolice theresponsi-
bility for theprevention and detection of crime.Rarely do any
of
these people perform these hereditary functions, and too seldom
do they go tothe aidof a constable when needed.
It
is to beregretted that thedays appear to havepassed when a
constable indifficulty witharecalcitrant prisoner could appeal with
confidence to bystanders for assistance, and the present attitude
towards public responsibility in such matters hasso deteriorated
that onlookers arenowwilling tosee apolicemankickedandbeaten
without any qualmof conscience, and,further, are prepared to deny
any knowledge
of
having seen theincident,nonchalantly dismissing
the matter as being none
of
their business.
Others,
of
course,maytakethe view that aspolicing is a profes-
sional career undertaken bypaidofficers andmen theyhaveno
June 1964 256

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