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| Cat and Fiddle - Hobart Arcade |
On completion of training at the Police Training Centre, I was assigned to Hobart Police Station where a number of police officers worked beat duty.
Beat duty was foot patrol of the Hobart inner city area, with two or four men working at a time.
There were three eight-hour shifts. The day and afternoon shifts were most interesting as we got to meet a lot of people. We'd get the odd accident, emergency, shoplifting, assault, and traffic infringements.
It was an excellent opportunity for us, all young men, to meet women and arrange dates.
The night shift, commencing at 11 pm was the worst - nothing much happened. We'd check shops and generally try to keep order if anything went wrong, which was rare.
There is an arcade in Hobart called the Cat and Fiddle Arcade. It was there in 1971 when I walked the beat and it's still there in 2023 although it's been redeveloped and much more spacious and interesting now.
This is where my colleagues set me up to have a rumble with a fellow who was a homeless bricklayer. It went like this:
My colleagues knew the bricklayer would be lying on a bench seat in the Cat and Fiddle Arcade. They knew that every time he was arrested for vagrancy (no visible means of support), he'd resist arrest.
I got a radio call to check the Cat and Fiddle Arcade and when I did, I found the fellow sleeping on the bench. I told him to move on and he refused to do so, so I placed him under arrest at which time he launched an attack; we both ended up on the floor as I tried to overcome him and get my handcuffs onto at least one wrist.
After a short while, a night patrol car with two officers pulled up and came to assist. Between us, we overcame the individual and hauled him off to the Hobart Watchhouse. I learned afterwards that all "Rookies" had been initiated in such a manner. I thought I got off lightly with nothing damaged by my ego.
Now, half a century later with 12 years of policing behind me and many other years at work, I'd have adopted a different approach. With age comes wisdom and probably a lot more compassion.
At the time, our standard instruction was to arrest these loafers.
I would be inclined now to let the poor fellow rest out of the wind and rain. Nobody else was there, so we had the place to ourselves and nobody was being harmed. Being penniless and homeless was his only offence. Now, I would work to find him alternative accommodation and a job.
It's not the role of police forces to be social workers, but we need to care for each other and helping someone out when they need it is a good thing.
What do you think?
#Robinoz
