ON THE BEAT
A LORDS debate on the Crime and Policing Bill, which will outlaw various weapons, allowed ex-coppers to reminisce about their truncheoning days.
Former Met chief Lord (Bernard) Hogan-Howe wanted straight truncheons exempted from any ban. He had never actually used his when on the beat, although “it broke a few windows”. One of his predecessors, Lord (John) Stevens, said he had once whacked a malefactor three times on the head with a truncheon. “It had absolutely no effect.” When he was in the flying squad he found pickaxe handles to be “far more effective”.