The next small blog in our latest series whilst continuing to research the next book ‘Reporting For Duty’ – ‘In October 1980 a dispute involving officers from the Prison Service resulted in police cell-blocks around the West Midlands being used to house remand prisoners. In particular many were held in the Central Lock-Up next to Steelhouse Lane, in Birmingham city-centre. The action continued until the end of the year. In May the following year the dispute reared its head again when remand prisoners again found themselves in police cells for up to ten days.’ As a result of previous appeals we now have more than twenty recollections going into the book from people with memories of policing in the West Midlands between 1974 and 1999. We would of course welcome many more! (the picture features co-author Steve Burrows in the basement of the Lock-Up during an open-day – the facility is no longer in operational use.)
