Archie Greenshields shares with us some of his memories from the Police Force. Archie had previously been posted in Bognor Regis and before that, in Petworth, Worthing, Rustington and Littlehampton.

'In October 1968 I commenced duties in the communication headquarters, named the Information Room. This Division was under the command of Superintendent McWhirter, who was also responsible for the Traffic Department. An Inspector was also on duty during the day. A section, formed of a sergeant and three constables, manned the control centre during each shift, and I was given responsibility of one of these sections.

I was fortunate in having two very experienced constables who were instructed to school me in the radio system, telex machine, layout of the office, and especially a file that laid down a method of dealing with a major incident, which sooner or later would crop up during a shift.

This file gave important information and orders on who was to be informed. The details were passed upwards through the chain of command, according to the seriousness of the incident. The Chief Constable always needed to be informed of every incident daily, but for a murder or some disastrous accident, the Duty Sergeant would be expected to contact him day or night.

One of the constables in my section, Jack Stabler, made sure that I had sufficient instruction on microphone technique before I made my very first broadcast, which was a message regarding a stolen vehicle. Within a couple of days I gained confidence and was told by many in time that I was easily recognised as the broadcaster.

A log was kept at HQ of the times and locations of all patrol vehicles, and eventually a large wall map of West Sussex and its boundaries was installed, with lights to indicate where a particular unit was on patrol. This system made life much easier when it came to the many dramas that occurred so frequently involving vehicles. The call sign for West Sussex was M2KC and messages to all units and stations had this sign as an introduction.

Many years after retirement, whenever I met a certain reporter, who frequented Police stations in the hope of obtaining a good story or scoop, he would meet me with a cry of 'Hello M2KC'! I have no doubt that he often heard the radio blaring out in busy offices when he visited, and what is more likely still, had a receiver tuned in unlawfully in the hope of overhearing a good news item.

I enjoyed the work immensely, it was exciting, even if it was hectic from start of our duty to the finish. There were quiet times during the night and the early mornings, but once the world was awake, things began to hum. The less important messages for circulation by telex were left until the quiet hours. The radio operators could then relax and keep an ear open for cries of assistance from units within our own force, or from the radios tuned into the frequencies of our bordering forces of Surrey, East Sussex, or Hampshire.

During the times that the Crime Office was not manned, it was our duty to search the files and pass the result to the unit requiring the search. This large office held the details of hundreds of criminals or even missing persons, but the filing system was so efficient that a result of a search could be passed through within minutes. However, if no trace could be found of a request and it was thought an identity could be established, then a phone call would be made to Scotland Yard.

Another task that was to be my responsibility was organising routes for abnormal loads through the county. This was especially important when extra width or height might prevent a transported load negotiating sharp bends, or a bridge that was particularly low. All major roadworks were known to the staff and plotted.

Another task was with regard to time cycle trials when clubs submitted details of an event through the Police channels. Once again it was important that no two events were held on the same route and on the same date. The RAC would submit details of the Annual London to Brighton Antique Vehicle Run.

One can see that the duties were varied and interesting, commanding your full attention, never being aware when a major incident would occur, such as a multiple accident involving many vehicles and loss of life. There were plans to deal with any such incident, when the 'bible' was referred to. Generally, a very senior officer, perhaps the Assistant Chief Constable, would take command and ease the pressure that naturally built up.

During my time at the nerve centre of the force, only one very major incident occurred, shortly before I arrived on duty at 6 a.m. An airliner had crashed in poor weather on Black Down Hill, north of Midhurst, killing all of the occupants. The night duty staff had to remain on duty until their relief had been made fully conversant of what actions had been taken, and what was still to be done. I remember having to make telephone calls to Australia and America and send countless telex messages regarding the fate of the passengers.

About the mid term of time at Information Room, the office was completely re-designed and new phone systems installed, which were known as 'key and lamp units'. Each operator had his own console with speakers tuned in to each neighbouring force, and each could deal with '999' calls which were recorded. Although it was 3/4weeks before the work was completed, the end result was, we were quite impressed and our working day was made so much easier and more efficient.

A Crawley firm who specialised in this type of equipment had installed an extremely large wallchart, and lights would indicate where any mobile unit was able to deal with a task. All mobile units contacted base control with the use of a code after their unit call sign, such as 10/1, 2, 3 or 4, indicating that they were on watch, temporarily off air, or booking off altogether.

The system worked fine most of the time, but should a unit request 'talk through' between him and another unit, the transmitter was left open. Strict control had to be maintained whilst 'talk through' was in operation and messages always had to be brief.

I do recall vividly one occasion when a unit had contacted control, and either inadvertently left his transmitter open, or deliberately done so in order to let his feelings be known. It followed the publishing of Routine Orders with the announcement of several promotions, and for over half an hour there was a string of invectives regarding the recipients of the promotions, and many other derogatory remarks.

To all listeners it was hilarious, but to us operators, quite frustrating with much airtime spent trying to track down the offending vehicle, for whilst the unit's transmitter was open, messages from Control could not be heard. It was suspected whom the culprit was, but discretion kept a still tongue.

My original section was formed from PC's George Fisher and Jack Stabler, but I later had Peter Kearnes and Cliff Crockford to work with. WPC, Josie Tilling, was attached to gain experience. It was not unknown for spare traffic crew who were without a car, to stand in for relief.

One of these was a bumptious individual, Derek Bond, who raised many hackles at times. On one occasion he was detailed to assist my section, and during a hectic period, he disappeared. It was later learned that he persuaded a traffic sergeant to allow him to take a new traffic patrol car out for a trial spin. His voice was heard on the airwaves from the Shoreham area and he was given a right telling off when he returned. In actual fact, it was a bonus for us that his absence was not noticed anyway.

After we had got used to the layout of the re-designed operation room, settled down, and had mastered the new equipment, a further improvement to communications took place. The Home Office had at last discovered the importance of helicopters in the pursuit and tracking down of stolen vehicles.

In those early days, a Force could not expect to buy its own machine, and a scheme was commenced where each Force had the loan of one, with a pilot, for short period. No.6 District, of which West Sussex formed part, eventually had its turn. The machine was based at Chichester and a sergeant with experience of helicopter flying was detailed to be an observer. For most of the time there were many senior officers and inspectors jockeying for a trial flight, with the other ranks involved with the Traffic Department hardly getting a look in.

Then my chance came, when I saw it idling on a corner of the playing field and grabbed the opportunity. I suggested to the Duty Inspector that perhaps one of his staff might be given a flight. I was extremely pleased to be given a short flight around the Chichester area, an experience of sitting in a perspex bubble and nothing like any other form of flight that I'd had before.

I had, on one occasion, been taken on a flight in a huge Sea King when I was winched aboard in a demonstration of life saving at sea, but from dry land of course. That was an extremely noisy flight, but that too was very enjoyable.

In such a short time it seemed, my duties at Chichester were coming to an end. It was announced that as from 1st January 1968, all the Sussex Police Forces would amalgamate into one constabulary. It would mean that not only West Sussex, but also the smaller Borough Forces too, would be closing down and a new major control room set up at the Police Headquarters, which would be in Lewes.

Each member of staff were asked whether they would like to be transferred to Lewes, as it was necessary for as many as possible to have local knowledge of the western end of the larger force. When asked, I had to decline as our girls had been disturbed too much already in their education, and all three were approaching an important stage with it. It was a blow for me, for I was enjoying the work, it was interesting, and what is more, satisfying.

Mr McWhirter informed me that he was disappointed to learn that I had elected to remain behind, so I thought it was an opportune moment to make a request that before the re-organisation, would he consider allowing me to join a Driving Course. He considered the request favourably, and I, with eight others, attended the course at a small driving school run by the Traffic Department at Goodwood Motor Racing Circuit.

Sergeant Denis Basing, who used to live near us in Roedean Road, Worthing, was in charge with two constables to assist him. Each took three of us, after periods of lectures, out on the road, each of us taking the wheel for about an hour at a time. By the end of the day, we were exhausted with the strain.

I got utterly fed up with the constable teaching us, with his constant nagging and his 'I am better than you, even if you are a sergeant' attitude. He made me so wild after one protracted lesson, that I stopped the car, got out of the driving seat and told him I was not prepared to sit in the car with him again.

The idiot had already made one of the crew drive for some miles without wearing his boot, in the belief that he was too heavy on the accelerator. On another occasion he had slapped a clipboard in front of my eyes whilst driving down Duncton Hill with an accusation that I had tunnel vision! I probably did, but complained to Sergeant Basing, who changed me with another crew member.

At the end of the month's course we took the driving test and I was the only one that did not pass. Denis Basing told me he had deferred me for a further two lessons and would re-test me. I took these and passed.

I was still driving my scooter and had exchanged the original Vespa for a second hand Lambretta. This was a dark blue machine and, wearing a police issue 'bone dome', many travellers on the A259 on my way to and from duty, believed I was a member of the traffic section. In effect I was, but not for many weeks longer.

In the run up to the reorganisation, there had to be a re-distribution of transport. West Sussex was well supplied with vehicles, whereas the smaller Borough Forces had few. We watched vehicles, mainly general-purpose cars, being transferred to those that had few, and so giving rise to a feeling of discontent in a matter over which we had no choice.

Those members of our team being transferred who had their own homes, were fortunate in that the expense of finding a new house near Lewes was being borne by the Police authority. This was a worrying time for all and those of us who opted to keep at this end of the county were concerned of what their future held. I had been told that as from the date of amalgamation, I would be posted back to Bognor Regis.

Archie did indeed go back to Bognor Regis where he stayed until his retirement from the Police Force in 1973, after 26 years in service.