Notable Events In Week Fortyeight

Hertfordshire Police Historical Society

This Week In History

26/11/1924

Commendation. At Great Berkhamsted petty sessions on 26 November 1924, the chairman Spencer Holland Esq, commended Constable Arthur Samuel Brown, 316 “D” Division , as action whilst in plain clothes, and on the sick list, in affecting the rest of Edward Cornwall CRO, on a charge of larceny. (General order 198 of 1924)

29/11/1926

Commendation. The conduct of police Sgt Dean, 262 of “A” Division, stationed at Buntingford, at an outbreak of fire at Little Court, Buntingford, at 3 a.m. on 18 November 1926, has been brought to the notice of the Chief Constable. The evidence of eyewitnesses show that police Sgt Dean acted with efficiency and initiative, also that considerable property was saved by the police sergeant at some personal risk of injury. Chief Constable has much pleasure in commending police Sgt Dean and directs the appropriate entry be made on the sergeant’s record of service. (General order 160 of 1926)

29/11/1999

GOOD WORK MINUTE
A Laboratory Technician, Scientific Services, headquarters For hard work, professionalism and dedication in researching and presenting a technical paper on the enhancement of fingerprints in blood. This paper has been published in the International Forensic Journal. (General Order 48 of 2000)

29/11/2000

RISK OF EXPLOITATION OF INFORMATION ON PERSONAL WEB SITES ON THE INTERNET
Information has been received from UK Government Security Services of a potential threat from Foreign Intelligence Services (FIS) to a wide range of Government employees, including members of the police service, who have personal Web Sites. Individuals may receive emails from persons trying to establish a dialogue with them having first come across their details on the Internet. Staff should be alert to the risks and seek advice before creating home pages, which reveal too much about themselves. Particular care should be taken against revealing any details about access to sensitive information, specific postings or special vetting status. It should also be noted that any computer connected to the Internet is at risk from electronic attack. It is easy for an experienced hacker to gain access to the entire hard disk of a domestic PC through a typical Home Page. Any private material stored on such a machine would thus be accessible to the FIS; in addition to whatever was included on the Home Page itself, potentially opening up further opportunities for targeting individuals. This vulnerability is of particular concern if the PC is used for working at home. (General Order 48 of 2000)

1/12/1888

1 December 1888 Watford Observer carried the following article: There was intense excitement in Rickmansworth on Monday night, on its becoming known that Sgt Summerling and Constable Steers had arrested a man in Maple Cross, who answered to the description of Jack the Ripper, and who had behaved in a most excited manner. (The individual concerned appeared before the magistrates following day on a charge of being drunk.)

1/12/1894

A little before 9 o’clock on the morning of December 1, 1894, word was received at the police station that the home of Mr. G Reid. in Benslow Road, Hitchin had been broken into and some watches jewellery and money stolen. Thinking it likely that the thieves would try to get off by the 9:15 AM express train to London, Superintendent John Reynolds hurried to the railway station to intercept them. While crossing the bridge from the down to the up line, he saw a man there gazing northward along the line, and at once came to the conclusion that he was very likely to be the person he was in search for. Watching the man’s movements, Reynolds saw that he waited until the train came into the station and then rushed down the bridge and got into the nearest carriage. Reynolds followed and arrested him, finding afterwards in his possession what had been stolen from Reid’s house, as well as some property to be missed from the house next door. On the way to the police station the man-gave his name as Ernest Stanford, and said he was a barber in London, tried to escape, but the Superintendent was “one too many” for him.

2/12/1986

Hertfordshire Police have become the first force in Britain to switch to computers for storing photographic records of criminals. Until now, officers have taken side and front still pictures of offenders, and a huge card file index has been built up at the headquarters in Welwyn Garden City. Now anyone arrested and taken to a police station in Hertfordshire will face a video camera and a nine-second film will be shot. From that a single frame will be selected and kept on a computerized disc along with thousands of others. A picture of an offender is instantly retrievable, and an operator can type a description of an offender into the computer. It will flash up on screen anyone who fits the bill, with a complete breakdown of his or her record.                                                                                                      The Times.

2/12/1926

Notice of the forthcoming Examination for Promotion detailed in General Order 163 of 1926, shows the following papers to be sat. Writing including handwriting, spelling, punctuation, and composition of reports. Geography General knowledge & Intelligence Criminal Law – Evidence & Procedure, General Statutes, Regulations & Bye Laws Extra Duties – DAA and Local taxation Principles of Local Government.