Back in my youth there were some massive differences:
- The smallest Policeman stood 5'8" tall (1.80m).
- The only "weapon" carried by the Police was an 10" long truncheon made of oak or ebony.
- The Policeman was so badly armed he had to rely on the public to help him out if he was attacked ... but ...
- All Policemen were taught to defend themselves; even if by doing so someone else got badly hurt!
Luckily for me I left before the powers that be decided to remove the Police from the streets and put them into cars. This was in the name of "Rapid Response".
However, because the Policemen were locked up in their cars, they didn't meet or know the people they were supposed to be protecting so they lost the help that previously had been given. (I once arrested a lad for "Fighting in the street" and a month later the same lad took out two of the three men that were attacking me behind a pub! As he pointed out "Three on to one just didn't seem fair!")
This lack of help from the public (coupled with the introduction of tiny officers) meant that the Police had to be armed with something more effective than a 10" length of wood; so along came the Taser and even guns!
I really do not envy the poor sods that are expected to Police our streets nowadays.
BTW, one of my compatriots was once being threatened by about eight youths when he pointed out "I
MAY go to the hospital, or even the mortuary, if you attack me; but one of you lot will certainly be with me
wherever I go!" He then hit one of the lads so hard it lifted him up and over a hedge into the front garden of a house and the rest decided to leave him alone when he turned and said "Okay, who's next?"
Happy Days!
