After being sworn in, they were taken by bus to Hendon and given a new uniform, off the peg if it fitted, or measured up for one if it didn’t. As the stores officer handed Jane a uniform to try on, he informed her that it was a new outfit created by the famous fashion designer Norman Hartnell, who had made Queen Elizabeth’s Coronation gown and Princess Margaret’s wedding dress. Jane smiled, thinking he was pulling her leg, but the officer assured her that he was being serious. Jane was lucky: her skirt, jacket and cape fitted, but the pillbox style hat she tried on was too big and there wasn’t one in her size. The hat wobbled whenever Jane moved her head. Laughing, the store officer advised her to stick some toilet paper around the inside rim and promised to order the next size down for her. She was also issued with several white shirts, two black bow ties, a leather shoulder bag, leather shoes, a PE kit with plimsolls and kit bag to carry it in. She would have to purchase her own black tights and would be given a ‘tights allowance’ in her wages.
After lunch they went to their allocated classrooms and found on each desk a name card with their places set out in alphabetical order, along with two notebooks, pens, pencil and a rubber. A Uniform Inspector and Sergeant, their two class instructors for the course, introduced themselves. They were friendly yet sombre in tone when they spoke, especially the Inspector who addressed them first.
‘Having been sworn in today as constables your lives have changed. Before, as a member of the public, you had the choice of turning a blind eye or walking away from something that was illegal or offended you. You no longer have that choice. It is your responsibility to uphold the law, keep the peace and protect the public, on or off duty twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. That responsibility is something you should always be proud of and never take for granted.’
A member of the class raised his hand. Jane could see that it was the joker she had met during her interview at Paddington.
‘When will we be issued with warrant cards and told what station we’ll be posted to?’
The Inspector gave him a stern look. ‘You won’t… unless you pass the practical and written exams, and if you do pass you will then become probationers at your new stations, with further training and exams for another twenty months. Only then will a final decision be made as to whether or not you are suitable to be fully confirmed as Police Constables.’
Jane could see that some of the class looked worried at the mention of exams, but it didn’t bother her. Throughout her schooling she had proved herself to be a good learner. She knew that hard work and concentration always brought excellent results, and she actually enjoyed having her knowledge tested through exams.
Jane’s class was made up of eighteen recruits from different backgrounds. There was one other girl, called Heather, who was a year younger than Jane and a former bank teller. Among the men there was an ex-plumber, an accountant, a labourer and a young man who had given up university where he had been studying to be a doctor. A few of the men had joined straight from school and were aged nineteen or just under. Most of the rest of the class were in their early to mid-twenties, with a couple in their early thirties, one of them being the joker. Two had served in the armed forces which, when the class were told, was obvious by their immaculately pressed suits, short hair and black shoes that were so shiny you could see your reflection in them. The Inspector passed comment that he expected all the class to look just as well turned out in uniform, with bulled boots and shoes, for the daily morning inspection parade.
The Sergeant left the room briefly and returned wheeling a trolley stacked with a pile of thick, black bound books which he placed to one side of the room. The Inspector pointed his finger at the class.
‘Any of you lot able to quote me the primary object of an efficient police?’
There was silence; it seemed no one had a clue. The Inspector rolled his shoulders, took a deep breath and stepped forward.
‘The primary object of an efficient police is the prevention of crime: the next that of detection and punishment of offenders if a crime is committed. To these ends all the efforts of police must be directed.’ He paused.
‘These were the words of Sir Richard Mayne who, in 1829 at the age of 33, was appointed as a Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police and served in post until his death aged 72.’
‘There’s hope for me yet,’ the joker said, raising a laugh.
The Inspector frowned. ‘Only if you can learn things, as we like to say in the job, parrot-fashion.’
The Sergeant pointed to the trolley. ‘Your new bible
Once they had all taken their books the Sergeant continued.
