The Problem of Strength
| Date | 01 June 1964 |
| DOI | 10.1177/0032258X6403700603 |
| Published date | 01 June 1964 |
| Author | H. J. Vann |
| Subject Matter | Article |
H.
J.
VANN,
O.B.E.
A former chief constable takes a detached view
of
police difficulties
today.
THE
PROBLEM
OF STRENGTH
During the past year the Police Service has received more than its
fair share of criticism, and as so often happens when things are
not
going just as everybody would desire, there is a tendency to bear a
grudge-justifiable or
imaginary-and
all and sundry wish to join in.
Many an iII-disposed prisoner is now telling his counsel that he was
beaten up by the police in order to extract some leniency from the
court on the strength
of
current feeling, or to take advantage
of
the
temporary recession of goodwill.
Nevertheless it is interesting to observe that anumber
of
those who
elected to join in this issue have already been rebuked in the courts,
whilst others have been unable to justify their allegations.
It
seems to me, therefore, at this juncture to be appropriate that
public attention should be focused with greater intensity on the
longstanding loyalty, integrity and good conduct of the 70,000
officers and men who perform their onerous duties with great con-
scientiousness, and as well, if not better, than their contemporaries
in other walks
of
life. In maintaining this high standard much is
demanded
of
them, for they are required to exercise considerable
tact and discretion, to effect difficult arrests in adverse circumstances,
and to preserve the peace whilst being subjected to much provoca-
tion from irresponsible members
of
the public. Indeed, it would
appear that on occasions they almost fall backwards in their
endeavours to be tolerant.
Yet it is these very irresponsible persons who, whilst displaying
hostility towards the police, are, by tradition, the keepers
of
the
Queen's peace.
It
is they who should raise a hue and cry in pursuit
of a felon, and in various ways share with the police the responsi-
bility for the prevention and detection of crime. Rarely do any
of
these people perform these hereditary functions, and too seldom
do they go to the aid of a constable when needed.
It
is to be regretted that the days appear to have passed when a
constable in difficulty with a recalcitrant prisoner could appeal with
confidence to bystanders for assistance, and the present attitude
towards public responsibility in such matters has so deteriorated
that onlookers are now willing to see a policeman kicked and beaten
without any qualm of conscience, and, further, are prepared to deny
any knowledge
of
having seen the incident, nonchalantly dismissing
the matter as being none
of
their business.
Others,
of
course, may take the view that as policing is a profes-
sional career undertaken by paid officers and men they have no
June 1964 256
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