Talk:Flying Squad

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It should be noted that Sheffield had formed 'the special duties' squad on May 1st 1925 at the Home Office's direction. It was to become known generally as the 'Flying Squad' for it's ability to turn up at a trouble spot just as or before the trouble started. It was created in response to the gang menace that had recently seen 2 men hanged for murder (the Fowler brothers) and 3 others sentenced for menslaughter. The principle members were Sgt William Robinson, PC Walter Loxley, PC Herbert Lunn and PC Jack Farrily. Although formed under the leadership of Chief Constable Hall-Dalwood it was taken to greater promenance by Captain P.J. Sillitoe who went from Chief Constable of Sheffield to Glasgow then Kent and finally director general of the MI5. For more details I'd recommend 'The sheffield Gang Wars' by J.P. Bean. ISBN 0-9507645-0-7.

Can you add to the article? Although the Sheffield squad wasn't the first, it certainly sounds noteworthy. 12.22.250.4 18:31, 11 July 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Some people just don't get it

wat is up homey's —Preceding unsigned comment added by 68.211.149.122 (talk • contribs) 23:27, 19 May 2007

[edit] the name

Is it just an official nickname or was it the name of the squad for a period of time or what? The article says it was named Central Robbery Squad in 1978, is it no longer called the Flying Squad then? If so, surely 'Flying Squad' should redirect or something.--81.101.3.9 17:26, 13 September 2007 (UTC)

The Met gives a nice confusing answer:

"Originally the 'Mobile Patrol Experiment' (1919 - 1920) the Flying Squad accepted the nickname in about 1921, ...The Squad was reorganised and enlarged throughout the 1920s, and in 1929 given an establishment of 40 officers under a Detective Superintendent of C1 Branch. In 1948 it was given independent status as Branch C8. 1978 - 81 it was merged and renamed the 'Central Robbery Squad', although officially accepted as the Flying Squad. (Also nicknamed 'Heavy Mob' and 'the Sweeney'.) Perhaps the most dangerous part of the Squad's work today ..."[1]

This is in line with the British traditions of battle honours (new regiments inherit battle honours from the older regiments) and that and the naming of other organisations such as MI5 are just as confusing. Luckily Wikipedia naming policy say use the most common name and in this case Flying Squad is far better known than the "Central Robbery Squad" or any other internal name. --Philip Baird Shearer (talk) 18:59, 15 February 2008 (UTC)