My New Career As A Photo Journalist!
I accompanied 40 Police officers last Friday on a raid on three flats in central Brighton where the occupants were suspected of drug dealing on a large scale.
It was a real adrenaline rush! It started with a 7am briefing at Hove Police Station. Then we were all shipped in vans, instructed to switch our mobile phones off and keep totally silent. It was just like a military operation, and looking at the armour many of the police were wearing, I was very glad of my stab vest! As there were no press present, the police appointed me their official photographer for the raid! On a given signal, shortly before 7.30 we charged in, up several flights of stairs, and divided into pre-arranged groups. The police knew entry was not going to be easy, as the council had recently put new doors on (solid, reinforced doors with heavy duty locks) so all groups were equipped with hydraulic rams to push the door hinges apart, in addition to the "bosher" or battering rams. It was real shock-and-awe tactics, with the police hammering on the doors, yelling "POLICE. STAND CLEAR OF THE DOOR. POLICE! STAND CLEAR OF THE DOOR!" desperate to get in before the occupants were able to flush much of the drugs inside down the toilets.
Fortunately the operation was a success. Two of the suspects jumped out of windows, one breaking his ankle. And my photograph, as shown above, was used by The Argus newspaper in this story! Double result!!!
7.15 am ready to rock and roll...
7.30 - gathered outside the apartment block
In we go!
Through the side entrance...
Up the stairs and down the corridor
Forcing entry!
Aftermath!
8 Comments:
At 6:09 PM ,
Anonymous said...
It is with great sadness that I hear that Dick Francis has died. I have enjoyed his writings for many years.
Bugga what are you going to do next? An Eddie Eagle off a cliff!!! lol
Delighted that you caught the little bas&*&^.
so long Dick to a better place.
Jane-Mary Allen
At 6:16 PM ,
Peter James said...
Very sad to hear that too. Although it is not too much of a surprise. I had the great pleasure of meeting him about five years ago and he seemed extremely frail then. A great writer.
So as to your question of what next, well, watch this space....!
At 8:21 PM ,
Judith said...
Wow... what an experience! Just goes to show how highly the Police force in Brighton must regard you, to allow you to go along with them. It must help with your writing to see such things at first hand.
Just ordered your novella and looking forward to my next PJ fix!! x
At 11:25 PM ,
Nicky Mitchell said...
I think I would have been far too scared to have gone on a police raid, though may be persuaded if I was allowed to shout out at least once "police stop!" :)
At 6:35 PM ,
Anonymous said...
Nicky, I am yellow to the core. Can I stand 100 yards away and shout POLICE *&*&^%%$££" STOP.
I wanted to be a police officer in the 60s but wore glasses so no go.
jm
At 6:33 AM ,
Peter James said...
Shame, now you'd be OK with glasses in the police force! It made me realize yet again you need to be brave to be a police officer - the moments before going in were very scary!
At 6:10 PM ,
Anonymous said...
Peter, If it's too late for an addition to this years Roy Grace novel I look forward to a very realistic account of a police raid in your 2011 Roy Grace novel.
John W - Canterbury
At 3:14 PM ,
Anonymous said...
Hi Peter,
Yes it was very sad and he was such a great guy, I was lucky enough to work with him occasionally in the late 70's and 80's when I was a publishers agent (in the days when publishers had agents) I attended lots of his book signings, lunches and dinners has is PA. The shame was that he would never give any racing tips as he said it was a mugs game!
John R
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