Page 9 - Top Cover Issue 8

TOP COVER ISSUE 8 9

MAP

POLICE FIREARMS OFFICERS ASSOCIATION Museum of
Armed Policing

WRITTEN BY MARK WILLIAMS

give intel or be seen doing this in such a and fully supported the application. A partner Jandira are helping to design the
public place!). few weeks later and the application was interior of the museum.
When we originally looked at the passed. We have also updated the alarm
station I had an idea about converting In November 2014 phase 1 of the system and installed CCTV. We now
the rear garaging into a training area building work started at the station. A also have a state of the art Avaya phone
or conference facility. However, before partition wall was removed in one of the system that will also host the new Welfare
I retired from the job, I spent the last upstairs offices to create one big office. Support Phone Line.
couple of years working with a good The entrance lobby to the museum was We hope to open the museum late
mate, Steve Smith, who has done a lot totally gutted and now looks amazing summer 2015 – I stress ‘hope’ as best
of work on police firearms history and (see photo). laid plans etc! It will open two days per
indeed has written a book: ‘Stop Armed Phase 2 will have been completed by week, initially on a pre-booked basis
Police’. Steve and I discussed some time the time we go to print. The museum only, and entry will be free. We hope to
ago about opening a museum dedicated is really taking shape. The walls attract a diverse audience from Year 10
to police firearms officers. I am delighted surrounding the rear yard car park have school pupils to lawyers and new firearms
to say that this is exactly what we are been re-rendered. One of the walls, officers. The museum is important: one
going to do, having put the proposal to which is in a particularly bad state of of our core charitable objectives is to
the AGM in September 2014. Those repair, is the original wall of one of the educate and inform the public about the
present voted unanimously in favour original Victorian station cells. We are work of police firearms officers. What
of building a museum. Soon after we hoping to preserve this as best we can. better way to achieve this than to have a
submitted plans to Fenland District We are also delighted to have Duncan museum dedicated to the amazing work
Council for change of use from a police Lees involved in the museum. Duncan firearms officers do. The new offices are
station to an office and from garaging heads up Efficacy 4D and has assisted fit for purpose, and have really helped us
to a museum. We had a visit from the many federations and forces with 3D to provide a more efficient service to our
council and the local conservation office, reconstructions following Death and members and their families ■
who I am glad to say loved the idea Serious Injury incidents. Duncan and his