‘Turn to chapter one, paragraph two, and you will see the quotation the Inspector just read from memory… Now it’s your turn to learn it word perfect for a written test first thing tomorrow morning.’
There were looks of surprise around the room and a few gasps. Even the joker was lost for words.
The Inspector looked unconcerned. ‘Cheer up, you miserable lot. It’s the same for every new recruit, and let me assure you, this course will get harder as the weeks progress. There will be those among you who will fall by the wayside, some may decide that it’s not the right job for them, others may feel the studying is too hard, or fail the exams. Some of you may even fall foul of the rules, regulations and high standards we expect. Above all, I’d encourage you to help and support each other throughout the course. Being a good police officer is not just about how you perform as individuals, it’s about team work and sometimes your life may depend upon your fellow officers’ quick thinking and actions. On that happy note, we’ll call it a day so you can return to your rooms and start studying.’
Jane was pleased to be sharing a room with Heather. That first night was the latest she had stayed up in a long time, even when she was revising for her school exams. Learning something parrot-fashion was new to her and not as easy as she thought it would be. It was like being given a hundred lines for misbehaviour in school, she thought, as she repeatedly wrote down the same words in an effort to memorize them. It was after midnight when she threw her pen down on the desk and sat back, feeling utterly frustrated.
‘Did you do any acting at school?’ Heather asked her.
‘Not really, other than taking turns in class to read a small part from a Shakespeare play.’
‘I did, and our drama teacher told us that the way to learn lines is by saying the sentence out loud over and over again. Then, when you’ve learned the first sentence, add on the next and say them both together out loud and keep going until you’ve learnt it all.’
For the next two hours they worked together, repeatedly reciting Sir Richard Mayne’s quotation until it finally sank in.
Jane was relieved to pass the test and from then on she and Heather helped each other with all their studies. She liked Heather who, although a timid girl, was lovely-natured and kind-hearted. They got on well and enjoyed each other’s company. They didn’t go out of an evening, not that they didn’t want to but they were too busy studying. By the end of the first month’s training, the newly-built women’s tower block at Hendon opened. They happily moved into single bedrooms which, although small, were comfortable and well-furnished. It made life much easier as they didn’t have to get up for the 7am bus ride to Hendon, and after class could go straight to their rooms to study and have their evening meal in the recruits’ canteen. No men were allowed in the women’s block; it was immediate expulsion if they were caught on a landing or, worse, in a female recruit’s room. There were those who took the risk, and some were caught and suffered the consequences.
Everyone on the course encouraged and helped each other. They had to learn powers of arrest, basic law like the Theft Act, Offences Against the Person, Vagrancy, Drunk and Disorderly and Traffic offences. Their knowledge was then put to the test in written exams and practical exercises, where they had to deal with given situations, with their instructors acting out the roles of the public and offenders. It was fun but nerve-racking, especially with the rest of the class watching. Learning to direct imaginary traffic outside was a hoot with much waving of hands in the air, to the amusement of passing Northern Line tube train drivers who would toot their horns. They even had military-style marching and drill classes, run by a former Army Sergeant Major. Thankfully his bark was worse than his bite, although he did like to jab anyone marching out of time with his ‘pace stick’.
Jane enjoyed every minute at Hendon and did well in her exams, but it was Heather who excelled at the written papers, coming top of the class, although she struggled in her practicals. The instructors would repeatedly tell Heather that she needed to be more forceful, project herself and take control of the situation, but all too often her nerves would get the better of her. Conversely, Jane learned to be more assertive, but she knew that working for real on the streets would be a very different situation from what was really playacting on a course.
