Death on the Beat: Police Officers Killed in the Line of Duty - Hardcover

Kirby, Dick

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1848846207 ISBN 13: 9781848846203

Publisher: Wharncliffe, 2014

Synopsis

Little shocks the British public more than learning of the killing of policemen and women whilst tackling criminals. Even the vast majority of hardened crooks baulk at what is seen as the ultimate crime – the mandatory death sentence in days of capital punishment reflected public disgust at such a crime, particularly when the police were largely unarmed.

This book spans fifty years of crime enforcement and describes in detail the ever present danger to the police who patrolled London’s streets and who lost their lives in the line of duty.

Many of the police officers died carrying out run-of-the-mill police duties; from PC Nat Edgar, shot in 1948 by a burglar to PC Patrick Dunne, the home beat officer murdered while investigating a domestic incident in 1993; it took 13 years for his killer to be brought to justice.

WPC Yvonne Fletcher was mercilessly gunned-down policing a demonstration in Central London in 1984, as was Detective Sergeant Ray Purdy, whilst arresting a cheap blackmailer. PC Ray Summers, an officer with less than two years service, stabbed to death as he broke up a gang fight, and the three-man crew of the ‘Q’ car wiped out by gunmen in 1966, all feature in these pages. There are the thrilling stories of the investigations into the IRA after the murder of PC Stephen Tibble and the horrific bombing of Harrods store which cost three brave police officers their lives.

Retired detective Dick Kirby has drawn deep on his knowledge and contacts within and outside the Metropolitan Police to track down those people who were there, who were involved in the investigations and those who were left behind; and how the trauma of losing a colleague or a loved one affected them.

Written in his trademark gripping authoritative style, Death on the Beat, Dick Kirby’s ninth book, promises to be the best yet.

About this title

About the Author:

Dick Kirby was born in the East End of London and joined the Metropolitan Police in 1967\. Half of his twenty-six years’ service was spent with Scotland Yard’s Serious Crime Squad and the Flying Squad. Kirby contributes to newspapers and magazines on a regular basis, as well as appearing on television and radio. The Guv’nors, The Sweeney, Scotland Yard’s Ghost Squad, Brave Line Death on the Beat, Scourge of Soho, Crime and Corruption at The Yard and London Gangs at War are all published under the Wharncliffe True Crime imprint and he has further other published works to his credit. On retirement he lives near Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk. Kirby can be visited at his website: www.dickkirby.com.

Review:

"Rarely, if ever, have I been so captivated and moved by a book ... the way in which Mr Kirby has gone about it is exceptional. The straight and factual style works superbly, putting the reader there on the scene of these tragedies as they developed." Police Memorabilia Collectors Club, October 2012. " ...another excellent book by the redoubtable Dick Kirby ... Nobody reading this book can fail to be sobered and impressed by the courage and humanity of the men and women working to keep our streets safe for us". History by the Yard Website, September 2012. "Dick Kirby, as we've seen over the past few years has used the time profitably, writing a series of books on aspects of the history of crime-fighting. This book covers 50 years of crime enforcement and describes in detail the constant danger to the police who have patrolled London's streets". East Anglian Daily Times, 28 July 2012. "An extremely well-researched and well-written book. Thank you, Dick Kirby, for placing your extensive research before us all in an informed read". Paul Millen, author of Crime Scene Investigator.

About this edition

• Publisher: Wharncliffe
• Publication date: 2014
• ISBN 10: 1848846207
• ISBN 13: 9781848846203
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 208