A further letter to The Editor

Roger remembers Law Enforcement of several years ago with more than a little nostalgia

Grange Farm, Whittington, Kings Lynn, Norfolk PE33 9TF

01366 500307

The Editor

The Village Pump

Stoke Ferry

Dear Sir

Some weeks ago I attended the meeting at Stoke Ferry Village Hall about the maintenance of law and order - not a particularly uplifting experience.

I am an indigenous old person living in Whittington who remembers the time when Geoff Allen's father-in-law, PC John Bailey, was the local custodian of the law. He knew everyone and everyone knew him. He knew the areas (referred to at the meeting as hotspots) where trouble was likely. He dealt with it quickly and effectively. He was of course helped in this case by a well structured law enforcement system that was in place at that time.

Malcolm Mycock referred to the Mobile Police Unit on Stoke Hill when it was being manned by personnel from Attleborough, who had, unfortunately but understandably absolutely no local knowledge. I sat there and wondered what PC Bailey would have made of that.

Years ago the Duke's Head pub next to the church was run by Mr & Mrs Bow~n. Mr Bowen was an ex London policeman who retired to Stoke Ferry following an injury. At a predetermined time on a Saturday night PC Bailey would slowly open the back door of the Duke's Head and Mrs Bowen would pass him a pint of best bitter. Seconds later the empty glass would be returned. Thus fortified PC Bailey would attend his duties and some time later the same process was repeated at The Cock public house in Oxborough Road, run by Mr Wattam. Who among you remembers him? You need to be in your seventies.

Law enforcement in the 1940s and 1950s was efficient and well run. The local village policeman dealt with miscreants quickly and effectively and problems seldom got out of hand. Today's politically correct brigade would be horrified no doubt, but the work got done.

Yours faithfully

Whittington

PE33 9TF 14 April 2008

Roger Warner