Further to the letters by R W Carden (December 2) and the reply by R J Sharpe (December 6) regarding the police, Brighton Police (County Borough) manned fire escapes in various parts of the town including the south end of the Level, Preston Village and Ditchling Road (opposite Rugby Road School).
The borough accident ambulance was manned by the police.
It stood in the end police garage - "The Wash" - outside the police station in Bartholomews and was driven by the constable patrolling East Street, who was summoned, when required, by a flashing light suspended above East Street at its junction with Bartholomews.
The driver would pick up any patrolling policeman he passed on the way to the incident. This continued until the ambulance service was formed in 1948.
During the war, all Sussex Police forces - Brighton, Hove, Eastbourne, Hastings and East and West Sussex - were amalgamated under the command of Captain W J Hutchinson, Chief Constable of Brighton, and known as the Combined Sussex Police Forces until 1946-47.
The Brighton Borough Police, in spite of difficulties, gave exemplary service and, with an establishment of 367, had roughly 150 constables on patrol covering 30 beats and 12 fixed-point duties, most of which were covered 24 hours a day.
The inhabitants of Brighton have never seen such efficient service since the amalgamation.
-"Fiery Fred" Farley, The Brow, Woodingdean
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