'You do not have to say anything.....'

One thing you have wanted to do since you knew what a Policeman did, is to arrest someone for doing something wrong. So when that opportunity came along, on your second shift as a Police Officer, you grabbed it with arms outstretched, no one was going to take this away from you.

You are sat in the station writing your Pocket Notebook, trying not to fall asleep as it's so hot and thinking about all sorts of things. A voice speaks and it says those exact words you've been wanting to hear since the first time you switched it on, a shoplifter has been caught stealing something from a supermarket and control wants you and your partner to deal with it. You hear your partner state than they should show that you and he are dealing and traveling to the scene.

You jump up from your seat, hastily packing your PNB away in your trouser pocket and run through the corridors to find your colleague. As you stumble through the door, almost falling over he laughs and says that you need to calm down, it's only an arrest, the Queen won't be there to watch. This doesn't stop you from wanting to get there and slap on those bracelets.

On the way to the scene you tell your colleague that you want the arrest, you want to do the paperwork and you want to process the offender at custody. He is quite taken aback by this as most part-timers don't ask to do the paperwork or even process the prisoner, let alone want to jump in and arrest someone on their second shift. But as you say you are ready for it, he says its no problem.

As you continue to drive to the scene many things are going through your mind. You imagine having to grapple or wrestle with the offender when he turns violent, you imagine having to press the panic button if it gets out of control and to tell the truth you feel that as it's your first arrest it might just go pear shaped. But as you are very confident in your abilities and you have been preparing for this event for along time, you do not fear or worry, it's an adventure more than anything.

You arrive at the supermarket and go into the security office. After speaking with the member of staff who has 'detained' the offender you move in for the kill (not literally). You say the words you have been waiting to say for as long as you can remember: '

'You are under arrest for stealing ....................You do not have to say anything, but it may harm your defense if you do not mention when questioned something which you later rely on in court, any thing you do say may be given in evidence.'

You handcuff the offender to the rear, as it's your first arrest you don't want him escaping (imagine the embarrassment) and you don't want him assaulting anyone. You have this feeling, it's hard to describe, but my oh my it's great, it's brilliant!!

Five hours, a strip search, many many A4 pieces of paper, an interview, a Section 18 search and three car rides later, you realise it's not all you expected it to be. But in all honesty, that feeling you got when you said those words, was absolutely magnetic, the adrenaline alone was worth the long wait.

It wasn't better than making love to a beautiful woman though, nothing can top that, you are certain.