Please read Understanding catalogue records for help interpreting this information and Using footage for more information about accessing this film.

Title: COUNTRY POLICEMAN

Reference number: 0494

Date: 1946

Director: d. Gilbert Gunn

Sponsor: COI for the Scottish Home Department

Production company: Merlin Films

Sound: sound

Original format: 35mm

Colour: bw

Fiction: non-fiction

Running time: 17.00 mins

Description: The work of a country policeman, from trying to catch poachers to checking the safety of an explosives store at a quarry.

The 'country policeman' featured in this film is Andrew Charters, then a police officer in Dumfries. This film was one of several commissioned by Anthony Eden to promote the police. Clips from this film were used in the preparation of Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary's 50th Anniversary video.

Credits: story by Roger MacDougall
comm. w. Robert Waithman
comm. s. Moultrie Kelsell
ph. A H Luff
ed. Arthur Hatherell,
p. manager Arthur Barnes
m. Max Sanders
musical direction John Hollingsworth

Shotlist: Credits (.08) Several country policemen meet at boundary junction of their respective districts (1.28) Policeman on bike. Poacher fishing in river. Policeman arrives on the scene and young boy on bridge warns poacher below. Policeman stops, goes down to river. Finding nothing he returns to his bike and pedals off. Poacher resumes fishing (3.40) Policeman phones his wife and receives message about break-in at local chicken farm. Shots of policeman investigating (5.16) Over-seeing sheep dipping. At home with his wife. Checking his bicycle brakes in school bike shed. Policeman calls on elderly lady to make sure she is well. He asks the district nurse to call in (8.10) Chatting to the blacksmith. Visiting gypsies. Postman tells policeman he saw a stranger at the quarry. Policeman checks the explosives store at the quarry and gives advice. Putting up an anti-pest notice. On farm with vet checking dead cow which has apparently died of anthrax. A pit is dug for the carcase. Anti-rat patrol at threshing time (13.18) Closing time at local pub. Publican tells policeman about stranger selling chickens. Policeman phones car registration number to HQ. Back home again (14.28) Another policeman checks car registration number and eventually traces it. The culprit is arrested (15.12) Policemen all meet up again as at start of film. On his way home, first policeman again meets with boy on bridge. He rides past and boy signals "all clear" to poacher below. Policeman stops further up the road, doubles back and sneaks up on poacher from behind (17.24)