ADELAIDE/THE
POLICE
When I joined the
Police I found my independence. I was living away from
home, albeit in the Police Academy. But nevertheless I
was away from home. At first I found it difficult and
maybe I was even a little homesick. But I quickly made
new friends and visited home less frequently. We only had
weekend passes and the rest of the time we resided in the
Police Academy. As a police cadet the wages were very
small but we only had a small mess bill to pay each week
and and no rent for the accomodation. This proved a bonus
and I readily started the man things like going out
drinking and getting girlfriends. To say we had an active
social life was an understatement. We always seemed to
have course parties. (I was in course 55- the 55th course
at the Police Academy)
We spent 9 months
in the police academy studying law and procedures. Also
we did lots and lots of physical training (torture). They
seemed to dream up news was of inflicting pain than
anybody I know. There was the sand pit (not the childs
play pit type) but a sand quarry next to the Police
Academy. First we would just go for a jaunt 2-3 miles
then we would run around this pit down one side and up
the other. Now. If you have ever tried running in soft
sand, you'll know how hard it is, let alone running up a
45 degree incline thats about 80 -100 feet deep. We were
made to do this until we could hardly walk up and our
legs were turning to jelly. Mind you it did make us fit!
After this initial nine months we were posted for another
nine months at various postings around the city of
Adelaide. Ah freedom.. No more torture for a while. I did
a stint in Warrants section of Police H.Q. No computers
in those days. All the records were kept on index cards
and it seemed to be a never ending paperchase. Then
Hindmarsh CID working with the detectives. Here I got my
first proper taste of police work and of course lots more
paperchasing. Whilst I was stationed at Hindmarsh CID I
was propositioned for a freebie by a prostitute whilst
taking statements for an assault on one of the girls in a
massage parlour. (house of ill repute) I was flattered
but naturally declined the invitation. I also went on
several drug raids. The drug raids were always very
exciting but frought with danger. Guns are prevelent in
South Australia. The detectives carried weapons - but
alas us poor cadets had to make do with a torch or
anything else handy. Thankfully all the raids I went on
were carried out with no problems. After the Hindmarsh
CID I was posted to the Police Mounted Cadre. Here I
learnt to ride horses do hand stands on their backs and
became very profficient at mucking out stables. The
mounted division were all fitness fanatics and again I
learnt some new methods of torture. You might gather by
now that I am not the worlds keenest keep fitter. Any way
our day consisted of getting up at 0430 hrs. for an
0600hrs start. If the weather was good we would take the
horses to the beach and swim and excercise them. This I
did enjoy. I liked working with the horses. They were all
very well trained. I was given a horse called Police
Horse Ashen. Poor sod was overweight and on a diet. Much
like me now - except the diet part. After excercising the
horses the Inspector would excercise us. We would run for
miles up and down the beach or in knee deep water. I did
like the sea until I found out that it could hurt after
running in it for what seemed like hours. At the
conclusion of the run, aerobics was the order of the day.
- just to really rub the pain in. Ourselves and the
horses were driven back to Thebarton Barracks, the
location of the stables. Lots of them with lots of straw
and of course the mucking out! After mucking out the
stables we would clean saddles and bridlewear, groom the
horses and clear the sand from the edge of the menarge.
Then we would actualy get a riding lesson for about an
hour before finnishing work. At the end of the day I was
absolutely stuffed Although it was hard work I did enjoy
this stint with the mounties. I learnt to ride very well,
kept in peak fitness and it turned out to be a big
confidence boost. When I left the mounted police I spent
a couple of stints in Police HQ filing in Prosecution
Service and the Secretariat. I did get to go to court a
few time as the Prosecutors assistant and this was
enlightening to say the leat. We seemed to get involved
in fights and scuffles more times in court than I did
anywhere else.
S.A.
POLICE HIGHWAY PATROL 1978
CHRYSLER
CHARGER
After the nine
months out it was back to work in the Academy - more law
and more training. I did enjoy this and picked up the
theory side very well. Not much choice really it was
drummed in with loads of tests and assignments. I must
admit the Academy had first class gym facilities and an
excelent half size swimming pool. I attained my bronze
medallion at life saving in that pool. We also did an
outward bound school (a confidence and leadership
building program) This was great as it was all outdoors
and involved swimming, canoeing, hiking, absailing and
sailing. The outward bound school was at a place called
Clayton near the mouth of Australias biggest river, The
River Murray. So after all this we went back out into the
world but this time to proper police stations. We were
out on patrol as second crew and got involved in all
sorts of situations. At this stage we weren't armed. I
had two excellent postings my first was to Whyalla where
I was second officer in a two man patrol and quickly
learnt to put into practice all that was tought in the
Academy. The second was to The city of Adelaide Region B
patrols I became good friends with a great number of
patrol officers CID and the traffic boys. After a few
months at these postings it was back to the Academy for
our final stint at training. We were taught more
procedure, weapons training and sat our final law exams.
I graduated as a police officer in September 1978. It was
a hard slog but it was worth it. Shortly after graduating
I married my first wife. At only 19 years old I was far
to young. I had two lovelly daughters from this marriage
- Fiona and Hayley. Both of them teenagers now. At our
graduation we were given our first postings. I was to
report to Region B1 patrols, working from Police HQ. My
first few shifts were what I would describe as normal. We
seemed to attend a great deal of car accidents and I have
seen the worst life has to offer. Domestic arguments were
probably the second most prevelent scenes we attended. It
was sometimes difficult trying to sort out other peoples
problems when all was not a bed of roses at home.
Probably the most hairy situation I was in was a drug
raid at a hotel in the city. Police were shot at and when
police returned fire a criminal was shot dead- scratch
one criminal. All the shooting lasted less than a few
seconds. Its amazing what a short barrell pump action
shotgun can do to a person when fired at close range.
After this Everytime I went to a situation I expected the
worst and hoped for the best. I was never complacent on
any job I attended. The correct approach was essential
for survival. as I mentioned earlier. In those days
nearly everyone had guns so caution was the order of the
day.
POLICE
ACADEMY CLASSROOM
I remained a member
of the S.A. Police until about the middle of 1979 When my
wife and I moved to England. I joined the Kent
Constabulary shortly after arriving and remained a member
there until the middle of 1980. I was dissatisfied with
the job and we had a young daughter who was constantly
having to go to hospital. Being a Police Officer became
an unenduring task. As a result of my decision to resign
I had to get work somewhere else so security seemed to be
the next logical step. I worked as a security guard then
a supervisor at a large Power station in Kent. Later as a
supervisor at a marina in Gillingham, Kent. A little over
12 months later my wife and I moved back to Australia.
We originally
planned to live just outside Brisbane, Queensland but
shortly after we arrived back in Australia my dad died
from a stroke. This caused us to change our plans and
move back to Adelaide. After a couple of weeks we found
an apartment to rent in a suburb called Oaklands Park. It
was a very nice area. I started work at Mitsubishi motors
as an assembler on the chassis line, building car engines
and attaching to the chassis of new vehicles. After about
2 years here I was promoted to department manager -
responsible for the first 7sections of the chassis line
and the whole of the engine section. It was well paid but
the hours were long. after the birth of our second
daughter we moved from Oaklands Park to a house we bought
about 25km south of Adelaide, at a place called Hackham
West.
In 1986 I rejoined
the S.A. Police. I was only 26 but a lot more mature than
the first time I joined. I found the work most rewarding
and again the social aspects and comradre were second to
none. I started off at Region B in the city, but because
of my previous experience I was treated as a senior, both
by the sergeants and other officers. I attacked the job
with a gusto and I always felt enthusiastic about the
work. A new police station opened in Bank Street right in
the thick of the action - Just off Hindley Street -
Adelaides redlight district. I put in for a transfer
straight away and after a few weeks there I was on team 4
at Bank Street. Most of the patrols were foot beats but I
enjoyed every minute of it. Our team - naturally - was
the best. We kicked ass! and took no stick. Arrests came
thick and fast - mostly public order and drug offences.
The whole team had some hairy moments at one time or
another. Whilst I was stationed at Bank Street an
American TV show "Hill Street Blues" was very
popular and we quickly became known as the "Bank
Street Blues". If any of the guys read this they
will know who they are. As always we had the characters,
Handy, Spike, Dirty Harry, Bads and so on. At this time
the Dept. introduced us to the Monadenoch PR24 Prosecuter
long handeled baton. After a few days training this
became an effective deterent to anyone considering giving
us some bother. I could relate loads of experiences
encountered during my time at Bank Street but I won't
bore you with Police stories. I am considering doing a
police page. So I may include them in there.
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©
Malcolm Lack 1999
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