‘Hard-Headed, Hard-Bitten, Hard-Hitting and Courageous Men of Innate Detective Ability ...’ From Criminal Investigation to Political and Security Policing at End of Empire, 1945-50

doi:10.4324/9781315246611-10

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‘Hard-Headed, Hard-Bitten, Hard-Hitting and Courageous Men of Innate Detective Ability ...’ From Criminal Investigation to Political and Security Policing at End of Empire, 1945-50

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ABSTRACT

'In this chapter, the author was a Police Officer, a Criminal Investigation Department (CID) officer and a Special Branch Officer either or all of which were a normal function in the enforcement of law and order at this time'. The Second World War certainly influenced the creation of new police or civil intelligence systems in some colonies. However, by the same token CID units were faced with manpower shortages as officers were either posted to other units or seconded elsewhere for the duration of the war. In Nigeria, CID officers felt that the 'true task of detecting, preventing and suppressing subversive conspiracies and activity' floundered owing to a lack of time to collate and assess intelligence as a result of carrying out other police duties which took precedence. Austin MacDonald, who also served in the Nigeria Police, stated that regional CID units were provided with up-to-date equipment in 1945, with investigation squads formed to tackle serious crime outside the capital.