Notable Events In Week Twentyone

Hertfordshire Police Historical Society

This Week In History

24th May 2003

St. Albans Review – Brave hairdresser
The bravery of a Bishop’s Stortford hairdresser who tackled a man wielding a kitchen knife in a Bishop’s Stortford street has been honoured by Hertfordshire Police. Ian Reijs, who owns Brookes Hair in the High Street, was presented with the Hertfordshire Constabulary Award by police authority chairman Peter Holland at a ceremony in Hemel Hempstead. On May 16 last year Mr Reijs, from Dunmow, saw Joao Fernandes attacking his wife Sonia after being alerted by the stabbed woman’s screams. Mrs Fernandes had fled her home following a domestic argument and had been heading towards the police station when her husband gave chase waving the knife. Mr Reijs went to her aid, grabbed Fernandes and managed to get him to drop the knife. Then, with the help of another member of the public, managed to restrain him until police arrived. Fernandes later pleaded guilty to attempted murder and was sentenced to more than nine years and three months imprisonment.

26th May 1967

Watford Observer – Gunmen raid bank
Three masked gunmen, wielding pick-axes, smashed their way through the plate glass doors of Barclays Bank, Shenley Road, Borehamwood, yesterday, and escaped with £300. Bank staff ducked under the counters as two of the bandits fired shots into the walls and ceiling. Then one of the raiders vaulted the counter and grabbed a black cash-box containing £300 in silver and copper. The raiders rushed out into the street and dived into a waiting gold coloured E-type Jaguar which sped off in the direction of the A1.

26 May 1999

General Order No. 21/1999
HALF DAY – OPEN INVITATION FRIDAY 25 JUNE 1999 –HR TRAINING DEPARTMENT DRIVING SCHOOL, HEADQUARTERS
To Police Officers and Support Staff of Hertfordshire Constabulary.
Have you ever thought about becoming a Police Driving Instructor?
Do you know what qualifications you need?
Do you know exactly what the job really entails?
Do you have what it takes?
Is it safe?
What courses do we run?
Are you interested enough to find out the answers to these questions and more?
If so, why not come along to HQ Driving School and find out more information by speaking to the police officers and support staff driving instructors who work there. Come and see us for an informal chat over tea and coffee and discover what the job is all about. Whether you are just simply interested in the subject of Police Driver training or perhaps considering a change in your career, this is an ideal opportunity to look at what’s involved without any obligation or commitment to apply. We would particularly welcome any interest from female members of staff and those from a minority ethnic background.

26 May 1999

General Order No. 21/1999                                                                                                                                                          INTERNAL REGISTERS FOR DISCLOSURE OF FREEMASONRY MEMBERSHIP WITHIN THE POLICE SERVICE
In February 1998 the Government announced a policy on disclosure of Freemasonry membership affecting certain categories of occupation within the criminal Justice System. In the past year discussions have been continuing between Government officials and interested parties about how to implement the arrangements. The Association of Chief Police Officers has been a party to these discussions on behalf of the Police Service.

On 1 April 1999 the Home Office wrote to the ACPO Secretariat requesting that the registration process be set in motion. A copy of that letter is attached to this General Order.

As a consequence, all male employees including regular police officers, support staff and special constables will shortly receive a letter from an ACC inviting them to disclose whether or not they are a Freemason and state whether they are willing for that information to be appended to their personal file. This entirely voluntary process will be conducted by the Senior Personnel Officer and there is no compulsion on staff to register whether or not they are involved in Freemasonry.

This exercise is being conducted as part of a Government policy, which also extends to the judiciary, the Crown Prosecution Service, and the Prison Service amongst others. It is not intended to single out or impugn the reputation of the Police Service. Rather the opposite, the intention is to ensure increased transparency in the way in which we conduct ourselves in our policing duties.

(Human Resources Department)