|
Post by prof20 on Oct 9, 2018 18:00:38 GMT
Old joke still true... "Bloody hell!" say the young copper "I didn't realise I'd run that far back..." I use to teach officers 'Shield Training' (riot training before it all went PC) and that was one of the jokes I would tell at the beginning of the training as a bit of an ice breaker. That was a brilliant job, acting like a yob by chucking lumps of wood at the trainees or being the 'nutter in the room' and wielding a baseball bat at the shields as the teams tried to make a room entry. Sometimes I couldn't believe I got paid to do what I did. Oh it was you was it???!!! Did you chuck the petrol bombs as well?
They let the cadets join in lobbing the wooden blocks at us.
I particularly recall the long shield training, interlocking them and creating a 'box' with a roof of interlocked shields, like a Roman 'testudo', whilst your lot lobbed blocks down on us from above and sides and prodded the shields with broom handles, usually at the height of summer with us lot sweating like pigs in full riot gear, (for what it was woerth at that time).
|
|
|
Post by Sir Rowley Birkin on Oct 9, 2018 18:30:28 GMT
"...pigs in full riot gear..." Very good, Roger .. very good!
|
|
|
Post by GB584 on Oct 9, 2018 18:53:29 GMT
I use to teach officers 'Shield Training' (riot training before it all went PC) and that was one of the jokes I would tell at the beginning of the training as a bit of an ice breaker. That was a brilliant job, acting like a yob by chucking lumps of wood at the trainees or being the 'nutter in the room' and wielding a baseball bat at the shields as the teams tried to make a room entry. Sometimes I couldn't believe I got paid to do what I did. Oh it was you was it???!!! Did you chuck the petrol bombs as well?
They let the cadets join in lobbing the wooden blocks at us.
I particularly recall the long shield training, interlocking them and creating a 'box' with a roof of interlocked shields, like a Roman 'testudo', whilst your lot lobbed blocks down on us from above and sides and prodded the shields with broom handles, usually at the height of summer with us lot sweating like pigs in full riot gear, (for what it was woerth at that time).
I use to make the petrol bombs, just pure 4* for the troops but we got to mix it up whilst experimenting on the dummies. It was to test the fire extinguishers and then train officers on what to do if a quick squirt of helon gas didn't do the trick. A couple of handfuls of Vaseline /Swarfega and a few squirts of Fairy Liquid and a good shake made the petrol bomb burn fiercely and stick to whatever the goo hit. My preferred weapon was water and flour as it stuck like shite to everything...visors and shields. We found an old goal net at one of the practice sites and that was brilliant as it could be lobbed over the unit and cause all sorts of problems. Unfortunately when one unit got clear they all bundled on top of me and covered me in the sticky goo before damaging my shoulder. I had to go to A&E looking like a failed cooking experiment.
|
|
|
Post by GB584 on Oct 9, 2018 18:59:34 GMT
I think I was the Serial ahead of you, Tel. We were warned at about 3am to get out arses over to Norwood Police Station for ferrying to Brixton " Where it had all taken off in the night". I was there by about 4.30 or 5am and still there at gone 6pm. We were lucky. It had been a reasonably quiet morning, with roving bands of brick and bottle throwers at the back of the relatively quiet crowds of onlookers. I was in the centre of the dual carriageway, just near the railway bridge, denying this area to the rioters. By the early afternoon it had started to get tasty and because we were forbidden to pursue, we had to just stand and take it - if we'd moved, the rioters would have had control of Brixton Road and Atlantic Road. We did short chases but we had no shields then, just the minibus and batting missiles with the back doors! That sounds like the 1981 riots, I was at Hendon then. I was at the rematch in 1985, the week before Broadwater Farm kicked off. At least we had helmets, shields and fire retardant overalls by that stage.
|
|
Dead Monger
Fruitcake full access member
for being a crap pron star
20%
Posts: 21,454
Type of Motorhome: Broken one
About you: Pear cider , Rangers , pear cider in that order
Likes: 8,800
|
Post by Dead Monger on Oct 9, 2018 19:09:31 GMT
I think I was the Serial ahead of you, Tel. We were warned at about 3am to get out arses over to Norwood Police Station for ferrying to Brixton " Where it had all taken off in the night". I was there by about 4.30 or 5am and still there at gone 6pm. We were lucky. It had been a reasonably quiet morning, with roving bands of brick and bottle throwers at the back of the relatively quiet crowds of onlookers. I was in the centre of the dual carriageway, just near the railway bridge, denying this area to the rioters. By the early afternoon it had started to get tasty and because we were forbidden to pursue, we had to just stand and take it - if we'd moved, the rioters would have had control of Brixton Road and Atlantic Road. We did short chases but we had no shields then, just the minibus and batting missiles with the back doors! That sounds like the 1981 riots, I was at Hendon then. I was at the rematch in 1985, the week before Broadwater Farm kicked off. At least we had helmets, shields and fire retardant overalls by that stage. The Broadwater Farm which saw poor PC Keith Blakelock murdered ... Didn't that twat Labour MP Bernie Grant say sumat like "the police got a good kicking" the night of the murder ... Labour don't change do they ... Big respect to PC Blakelock xx
|
|
Barry B'stard
Administrator
80%
Posts: 63,827
Type of Motorhome: A great big white one
About you: I like beer, guitar, causing trouble, avoiding work
Member is Online
Likes: 20,555
|
Post by Barry B'stard on Oct 9, 2018 19:10:45 GMT
I was in the Tottenham Riots you know! Well I say "in" them. I dropped a pal off in Tottenham and on my way south it was like doing a slalom course in me Escort between the barrage of police cars coming the other way. Come to think of it we never heard from him again.
|
|
|
Post by GB584 on Oct 9, 2018 19:54:43 GMT
The unit I was on was on immediate standby all that day at Lambeth we were had to be in full riot kit (apart from helmets) and be ready to roll within a minute of the call to respond. Broadwater Farm and Tottenham had been bubbling all day and the boss's knew that it was going to kick off at some point. We spent most of the day darting out (it seemed as if our response times were being tested). When it really kicked off we were told to go into the 'farm' to nick a group who were chucking petrol bombs from one of the walkways. The OIC was told that we don't go in unless we have enough units in place to protect our exit. He sent us home and they sent in untrained units, it was an ambush as they blocked off the exit. Keith Blakelock was in that initial unit. Within twenty minutes of us leaving it went balistic and we could hear the shouts for urgent assistance. Our Inspector turned off the radio and refused to turn around. It got to the point where he told us we were all going to be put on a charge because we tried to get the van turned around. When we got back to the nick the late turn just jumped in and they set off on blues and twos. The Chief Inspector called the troops into his office and told us that he had ignored the Inspectors complaints, he broke open a bottle of whiskey, gave us all a glass and then told us to feck off and be back bright and early the next day as we were doing court security for some terrorists the following day. The following morning we came in to find that a PC had been stabbed to death and that they expected four more officers to die from their injuries. I can remember the rage as we knew that those injured should never have been there. I kicked punched and headbutted a locker in a petulant tantrum (luckily it wasn't mine ). Chief Superintendent Colin Couch had a lot to answer for as he ignored all the advice forgot all the old mistakes, lined up his officers and marched them forward into certain jeopardy...twunt!
|
|
|
Post by prof20 on Oct 9, 2018 20:10:45 GMT
Did either of you ex-Job ever do "The Trudge"?? Or am I swinging the blue lamp here? 'Trudge & Wedge' - I remember it well. Used to keep tripping over me gladius and me javelin I did. And them Picts painted blue were right bast*rds....
|
|
|
Post by Sir Rowley Birkin on Oct 9, 2018 20:32:21 GMT
I think I was the Serial ahead of you, Tel. We were warned at about 3am to get out arses over to Norwood Police Station for ferrying to Brixton " Where it had all taken off in the night". I was there by about 4.30 or 5am and still there at gone 6pm. We were lucky. It had been a reasonably quiet morning, with roving bands of brick and bottle throwers at the back of the relatively quiet crowds of onlookers. I was in the centre of the dual carriageway, just near the railway bridge, denying this area to the rioters. By the early afternoon it had started to get tasty and because we were forbidden to pursue, we had to just stand and take it - if we'd moved, the rioters would have had control of Brixton Road and Atlantic Road. We did short chases but we had no shields then, just the minibus and batting missiles with the back doors! That sounds like the 1981 riots, I was at Hendon then. I was at the rematch in 1985, the week before Broadwater Farm kicked off. At least we had helmets, shields and fire retardant overalls by that stage. Yes, of course. It was because of the shortcomings during "my" riot (injured officers, dustbin lids as shields, helmets abandoned) that all the new riot helmets, shields, tactics, etc., came into force. Say "Thank you, Barry!!" At least it meant you had an officer on hand with a fire extinguisher to put yer arses out! We had to make do with a cup of tea chucked at us!
|
|
|
Post by Sir Rowley Birkin on Oct 9, 2018 20:36:58 GMT
Did either of you ex-Job ever do "The Trudge"?? Or am I swinging the blue lamp here? 'Trudge & Wedge' - I remember it well. Used to keep tripping over me gladius and me javelin I did. And them Picts painted blue were right bast*rds.... We always felt sorry for the poor twat at the front... Both his arms held back and forced by weight behind him to be propelled into a mob and unable to defend himself or put a hand over his face, let alone whack a scrote er... fend off a demonstrator... Did they ever find the Lost Legion of Yorkshire bobbies on that Glasgow demo...??
|
|
|
Post by Sir Rowley Birkin on Oct 9, 2018 20:42:45 GMT
That sounds like the 1981 riots, I was at Hendon then. I was at the rematch in 1985, the week before Broadwater Farm kicked off. At least we had helmets, shields and fire retardant overalls by that stage. The Broadwater Farm which saw poor PC Keith Blakelock murdered ... Didn't that twat Labour MP Bernie Grant say sumat like "the police got a good kicking" the night of the murder ... Labour don't change do they ... Big respect to PC Blakelock xx Well said and well remembered, Brenda. Thank you.
|
|
|
Post by prof20 on Oct 9, 2018 21:03:02 GMT
Pinched from ARRSE a few minutes ago...
'"Well - woke up this morning still fizzing about that useless senior officer who so disgraced the service. So I have sent the following email to the Home Office and the Independent Office for Police Conduct. Whether it does any good is another matter, but I could not let this pass; Sir Craig Mackey "Sir, I refer to the aforenamed person and the evidence he gave at the Old Bailey Inquest yesterday (8th inst). As a retired Police Officer, I read the reports of this evidence with an increasing sense of disbelief, horror and disgust. I am not alone, according to various social media sites, in feeling that this officer has disgraced the uniform that I was so proud to wear. There is no doubt that the incident in the grounds of Parliament was a fast moving, terrifying experience. A Police Officer encountering such circumstances has several options open to him/her when faced with danger of that level. 1. The Officer can utilise the vehicle they are in as a weapon. 2. The Officer can create distractions to confuse the attacker. 3. The Officer can wade in and stand with his colleagues in an effort to effect an arrest. An option that is NOT available, is to lock the car doors and sit safely within, whilst watching a colleague being brutally murdered. Every officer knows that the primary function of a Constable is to "Guard, Watch and Patrol and Protect Life and Property". When one takes the oath to begin one's service - it is perfectly clear that under the law you are a "Constable" irrespective of what rank insignia may be appended to the uniform. By sitting and doing nothing Mackey completely neglected his duty to "protect life and property". From his evidence in court, it is clear what his reasoning was - self preservation. He stated, "it was his "instinct" to get out of the car" He then stated, " If anyone had got out, the way this Masood was looking, anyone who got in his way would have been a target" and then added, "I think anyone who came up against that individual would have faced serious, serious injury, if not death" Officers are facing serious injury if not death on a daily basis and they do so willingly, in the belief that as they get involved in an incident, their colleagues will be there to assist them as soon as possible. Mackey had a duty and obligation to assist PC Palmer - he failed to do so. In trying to somehow justify his inaction MacKey states that " he was in a short-sleeved shirt with no equipment following the ministerial meeting." Far from a justification, that is an admission of failure. I am given to understand that it is a Metropolitan Police "Standing Order" that no officer shall leave the station without being in possession of his or her Personal Protection Equipment and a Radio. No doubt Mackey himself would have sat in judgement on a junior officer who so wilfully disobeyed Force Standing Orders. We shall never know if MacKey had acted as a Police Officer on that day, whether he could have saved the life of PC Palmer - but surely an Officer of such experience and position should have at least tried. I feel strongly that this matter cannot be left without investigation and if warranted, disciplinary action against MacKey. In my opinion he has failed to meet his responsibilities to the public, his oath and his colleagues. Furthermore he has brought the Metropolitan Police and the service as a whole into disrepute and has committed the most gross misconduct and dereliction of duty that I can ever remember. To let this matter pass without action would, in my opinion compound the whole sorry saga. Disciplinary Action would, I believe, serve three purposes; 1. It would reassure rank and file officers that no matter what the position or rank, no officer can neglect his or her duty without facing the consequences 2. It would reassure the general public, who must today be thinking "if they will not protect their own, what chance do we have" 3. It would serve as a reminder to all those officers now and in the future, that they are Constables and as such, they are expected to face serious injury if not death. To that end they, like every rank and file officer should at all times carry the equipment they are issued for personal protection. If even one of these purposes is achieved, then perhaps PC Palmer's death will not have been in vain."
|
|
|
Post by prof20 on Oct 9, 2018 21:05:38 GMT
Also from ARRSE - No punches pulled...
|
|
|
Post by prof20 on Oct 9, 2018 21:10:44 GMT
|
|
|
Post by prof20 on Oct 9, 2018 21:12:49 GMT
And from a former officer...
'A number of years ago at the Wapping riots in the 1980s I was on a level 1 unit in full riot gear. I got hit by a piece of concrete thrown by a picket peacefully protesting and went down between the peaceful pockets and the front line of the police shields. I was unable to get up because my knee was stuffed so naturally As a stationary target I received a lot of unwanted attention. Two police constables in raincoats and beat duty helmets ran out from behind the shield line to drag me back. They had no ppe, I don't know who they were but they were better men and better police officers than Sir Craig could ever hope to be.'
|
|