The Disappearing Policemen

John Hicks was a police officer for thirty years. Since his retirement he's grown frustrated at the fact that the police force has repeatedly failed to provide a service that keeps the public safe.

It's a common complaint nowadays that, police are indifferent to public concerns, invisible on the streets, never to be seen when needed. In this book John explains why the founders of the English police were adamant that officers should be highly visible and on patrol, and why this simple tactic made the streets of England safe for a century and a half. He goes on to explain why this eminently sensible idea fell into disrepute after World War Two, before laying out a plan to fix British policing.

John also illustrates his ideas by explaining the many and various aspects of police work, from dealing with petty criminals to firearms policing. He spices this with aspects of his own varied career.

He also includes seven pieces of fiction that highlights the day to day reality of police work, the lives of ordinary coppers, doing an extraordinary job.