BRAIN AND BRAWN

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 865, 8 January 1930, Page 11

BRAIN AND BRAWN

TRAINING POLICEMEN SCHOOL IN LONDON Pew people who admire the London constable know anything of Peel House, Westminster, S.W., where hundreds of shy youths are daily learning the lessons that will make them worthy members of a great force, says the London “Daily Mail.” There is nothing heavy or stodgy about the young police recruit of today. The old-time policeman has given way to men who can think and act quickly. All the men at Peel House are there because their mental faculties are in keeping with their physical fitness. Brawn is no longer the only recommendation for a police career. Before a recruit begins the ten weeks’ training which is necessary to qualify him to wear a police constable’s uniform for the first time, he is examined both medically and mentally at Scotland Yard. On Mondays and Tuesdays recruits arrive at Peel House, where they are seen by the senior officers, Superintendent Abbiss and Chief Inspector Prankton. From this stage until they pass out a programme evolved by long experience is followed by every successful recruit.

From the first the spirit of the police force is inculcated into .every man and when the course is entered on all are determined to bid for a place on the roll of honour. , Every subject useful to the policeunan is taught by practical men. For the first five weeks the men pass from stage to stage under the direct control of sergeant-instructors. When the more intricate work involving among other things a knowledge of the law of evidence is reached, a senior officer takes command. Models of all types of mechanically propelled vehicles are daily in use for instructional purposes, and suppositious accidents and offences enable the teachers to bring home their lessons. In this manner the student is taught everything that has a bearing on the Motor and Traffic Acts. Peel House recruits work from 9 a.m. to 12.15 p.m., and from 2 p.m. to 5.15 p.m. This is the time necessary to get through the day’s schedule. The zealous student studies his book long after the day’s work is officially closed, and teachers for voluntary evening classes are always available to help him in his difficulties. Items which appear triffling to the uninitiated are given serious study. Every recruit must learn the proper way to blow his whistle and how to handle his truncheon. The right way to arrest a violent prisoner without injury to anyone is the work of the drill instructors, who are expert equally in boxing, defence exercises, and physical “jerks.” t

Finding a “Wanted” Man Observation is naturally one of the strongest features at Peel House. Up to 30 recruits are sent to roam aimlessly about the courtyard -while their colleagues attempt to “arrest” a described man in turn. Each student fails if he cannot pick out his man in three minutes. As the recruits near the end of the course many develop an unerring instinct for spotting the right man. The men are not too long at the same task, and a period of blackboard work in the class-room may be followed by physical exercise and mock accidents, burglar hunts, pickpocket arrests, and other work that keeps the men keen on their work. Every recruit enjoys the “police court," where the sub-divisional inspector acts as a kindly but firm magistrate, with a sergeant instructor as the prisoner. Each recruit in turn acts as the policeman who makes a charge. The “magistrate” corrects his mistakes for the benefit of the class, and the “prisoner” demands and receives fair play. The “police court” is the culminating scene in a series of which the "policeman” makes an arrest, then charges his prisoner at the police station, and finally carries the case to court.

The young constable is on probation i for a year and on joining his division I enters upon a further course of in- | struction for a minimum period of six months under the direct super-, vision of the chief inspector.