POLICE CENTENARY

Evening Star, Issue 20132, 23 March 1929, Page 26

POLICE CENTENARY

CHEAT BRITAIN'S LEAD SIR ROBERT PEEL'S INITIATIVE THE BOW STREET UCNXEHS. This year marks llio centenary of the establishment ot properly organised police forces in Great Britain. Hie change from the chaotic, defective arrangements that had existed in England for tho protection of life and property began with tho organisation ol a police force for London under the Metropolitan Police Act, passed by the British Parliament in 3829, after a Select Committee of the House of Commons, appointed by Sir Robert Peel, had investigated the existing defective system and made recommendations for policing the metropolis. The city of London, by which is meant the square mile in tho heart of the metropolis, under the municipal control of the Corporation of tho City ot London, had then, and still has, its own police force. The city of Westminster, which extends from the western boundary ot tlie city of London, and includes the Strand, the West End, and the area in which the chief shopping centre ot flic metropolis and the town houses ol tho aristocracy arc situated, was policed by seven officers, each of whorn had,a number of constables'under him to cover a defined district, and each of whom acted independently of his_ colleagues. A central police organisation, known as the Bow Street Office, had a police force divided into three classes —the Horse Patrol, which patrolled the great roads within a radius of twenty miles of London; tho Dismounted Patrol, which was stationed in the environs of tho metropolis; and the Foot Patrol, which patrolled the streets by day and night. A separate force, known as the Thames Police, consisting mostly of cxsaiiors and watermen, maintained order on tho River Thames, and prevented thefts from ships and cargoes. Each parish had also its watchmen, who patrolled the streets at night, each watchman being equipped with a lantern, ■ a bludgeon, and a rattle, with which to summon aid. Most of these watchmen were old and decrepit, and therefore almost useless tor the work they were supposed to do. In fact Iho job" of watchman was regarded by the parish authorities as a preserve lor the old and infirm. The 1 Morning Herald ’ of October 30, 3802, contained the following paragraph:—“ It is said that a man who presented himself for ihe office of watchman to a parisli at the West End of Ihe town very much infected with depredators, was lately turned away from the vestry with this reprimand: ‘ I am astonished at the impudence of such a great sturdy, strong fellow as you are being so idle ns lo apply for a watchman's situation, when yon are capable of labour. ’’ THE NEW POLICE. It is a rehiarkable fact that despite the obvious delects of the chaotic policing system, and the prevalence, ol crime, "Sir Robert Peel’s scheme lor tho reorganisation of the policing system of London aroused the hostility ol the people. The scheme provided for the appointment of two Commissioners ol Police, to build up a force which by degrees would cover tho whole of the metropolis. Every parish within fifteen miles of Charing Cross (with the exception of the city of Loudon) was to be brought within' the jurisdiction of tho new police force. “The task which lay before the Commissioners was a very difficult one, states Mr Hargrave L. Adam in his comprehensive work, ‘ Ihe Police Enevdopedia.’ “They had to get rid of a large amount ol worthless and undesirable material and face the odium consequent upon the necessary dismissal oi a number of public servants; they had to deal with a mass of raw material and mould it into serviceable shape; and they also had to encounter the determined and active hostility of the getieial public, who for some time regarded the new police as their lues and oppressors. In spite, however, of all such difficulties, and opposition, the Commissioners worked stoically and determinedly, accomplishing wonders of reform in a short. space of time.. V ery soon they had the whole machine in working order. They created superintendents, inspectors, sergeants, and constables, assigning them their proper and respective duties. They divided the metropolitan area into divisions, the divisions into sections, and the sections .into heats. By June, 1830. the metropolitan police consisted ol 3 7 superintendents. ■ (38 inspectors. 323 sergeants,, and 2.90(3 constables. They were paid on the following scale ;—Constables in charge of heats. 39s a week; sergeants in charge of sections, 22s (id a week ; inspectors in charge of subdivisions, £IOO-per annum; superintendents in charge of divisions. .2200 per annum. “ At lirst the hours ol duty were divided into two day reliefs and two night reliefs, half the entire force being on duty by day and half by night. This was not a success, however, and the arrangement was altered to two day reliefs and one night relief, under which system two-thirds of the toree were employed by night and oue-third by day. 'lndividually the men did eight months’ night work a nil lour months’ day work during tho year. “A good deal was expected of Hie new policeman. In addition to being of irreproachable character lie was also required to be of good physique, possessed of intelligence above the average, and have a certain knowledge ol legal procedure. For these qualifications Ids rate of pay was by no means excessive, and it is therefore not surprising to learn that the choice ol suitable candidates was attended with considerable difficulty and disappointment. There was a constant wccding r out process in operation, and it is estimated that between the years 38.30 and 183 S there were nearly o.UIK) dismissals and more than 0.000 resignations, some of the latter being not altogether voluntary. This was a distinct change and improvement upon (he old order ot things, when it was quilo customary to accept for police service infirm old men, ex-thieves, and thieves who were not even ‘ ex.’ Provided they were cheap they were considered .suitable.” PUBLIC HOSTILITY. Concerning (ho hostility displayed by the public to tho new police, Mr Adam writes : “All kinds of preposterous mid grotesque reports were circulated as to the real object of the estahlisllment of a now and armed police force, in winch sinister allusions to tho French Revolution were made and received with credulity on all hands. In fact, by many persons Sir Robert Peel was regarded as a kind of embryo Fonche. The derisive reference to the police as ‘Bobbies’ (derived from Sir Robert, Pool’s Christian _ name) and ‘Peelers’ (derived from Ins surname) survive to this day. In 1,330 upon the occasion of a projected Royal procession through Loudon main’ anonymous placards were distributed " The ’wording of one of them gives a very good notion of the temper of tlic people at the time on the subject. It ran as follows; ‘Liberty or death! Englishmen, Britons, and Honest Men! The time has at length arrived. All London meets on Tuesday. Come armed. ,V»c assure

you from ocular demonstration that (LOUD cutlasses have been removed from tlio Tower for the use of Peel's bloody jiang. Remember the accursed Speech from the Throne! These damned police are now to be armed. Englishmen, will you put up with this?’ These posters, extravagantly worded as they were, however, apparently_ were taken seriously by the authorities, for the procession referred to was abandoned.” The hostility of the people died down, bub was revived on several occasions. A policeman named Popjay was responsible for the first of those revivals of public hiitred. After the rejection of the Reform Hill by the House of Lords a number of political Unions were formed throughout the country to denounce the House of Lords, and some of them denounced the whole machinery of government and preached anarchy. The police authorities used to send the plain-clothes officers to the meetings of those political unions to see that no breach of the law was committed. In the London suburb of Camberwell there was a branch of the National Political Union, with some violent agitators among its members. Popjay joined the Camberwell branch under an assumed name, and vied with other members in denouncing the Covernment and the social system, and advocating militant measures, Flis object was to betray the agitators to the police. While seated at a window of the police office inspecting a. lodger he was recognised by a member of the Camberwell _ branch of (he National Political Union, and was denounced fu union members as a spy.

“Then arose a perfect uproar against 'Peel’s hated myrmidons,’ which revived all the former falsehoods and sinister rumors,” writes Mr Adam. “A petition was presented to the House of Commons by one Frederick Young ‘ and nine other inhabitants of CamherviH and Walworth, worded as follows;—‘Some, of your petitioners have frequently seen those whom they knew to he policemen, disguised in clothing of various descriptions, sometimes in the garb of gentlemen, sometimes in that of tradesmen and artisans, sometimes in sailor jackets, sometimes in ploughmen’s frock's; that thus feeling themselves living among spies seeking their lives, and sorely fecilng the taxes heaped upon them for the maintenance of these spies, they make (his appeal to your honourable House.” etc. •• JUSTIFIABLE HOMICIDE.” In 1833 there was another poputai outburst against the police. A meeting under the auspices of the National Political Union was advert iked in be held at Coldbaih Fields. Lord -Melbourne. lin.i Home Secretary, instructed Colonel Rowan, Police Commissioner, to take measured to prevent the meeting being held, and to arrest Ihe ringleaders if they persisted in defying the police. A conliict took place between tlio police and the crowd win: assembled at Cnldhutii Fields, ano many people were injured. Three ni the poliee were stabbed, one was killed, and mnnv were hit by stone thrown by the crowd. Some of the newspapers which were hostile to tin police reported that I lie police were intoxicated, that they had committed unprovoked assaults i n unolfcnding cki Kens, and struck' down women am. children will) their truncheons. At lia inquest held on the body ef the polic" man who was killed, the jury hrongin in a verdict of "justifiable homicide.’ As lids was against the weight, of cv. deuce the Crown had the proceeding. l nullified by an application to 111; Court, of King’s Pencil, .Lord Melbourne sought to evade re spotisibilily for the conliict between (lie police and the public by 1 brow in;, the blame for what bad occurred or Colonel Rowan, 'fids bad ilm effect oi creating public sympathy lor Colour-. Rowan and the police generally on account of the way in which ihey had been abandoned instead ot being defended by the, responsible Minister. The public tool; the police to its heart. In later years there were conflicts between the public ami the police, Inn conlidem-e in the integrity and efficiency of the poliee was cventnaiK established on a very linn basis, Today the people of London are very proud of their poliee, and .English newspapers declare that they are the fines-,I body of poliee in the world. Visitors Iron) all parts of die world pay their tribute to ibe courtesy of the London police, and i.o the ease atul efficiency with which they conlrnl the street traffle and deal wilh life crowds, .Much of tins ease and efficiency is the result, of the respect, and admiration which the London public enteriains for the polieo and the confidence it reposes in the police force.