Police Post

Here's quite an interesting piece of street furniture that I came across in London. I don't know if it's the only one of it's kind, but it's a post or bollard marking the site of a former police station, in this case the one in Gerald Road near Victoria. The garage doors behind were once those of the station. First opened in 1846, the police station closed in 1993 when the new Belgravia station was built. It is now a private residence. But at least a couple of reminders of its law enforcement past remain, including a blue plaque and a (once) blue lamp of the kind traditionally found above the entrances to police stations. But te real treat is this little constable –no more than a foot in height. I have taken the photograph from below deliberately because I felt it suited the authority of the memorial, but many people probably pass it without realising what it is. Some wit has drawn eyes and a mouth on the formerly blank silver face, but they've got the expression spot on. He seems to be regarding the world with a certain grim suspicion, enough to induce apprehension in any potential wrongdoers, but there's also a solidness to him that inspires trust.Even though he has no arms! I love quirky little things like this that one finds on the streets of cities around the world.

Location: London, England