Ep 6. Country Bobbies

The show Underworld At War takes viewers through the gritty and violent world of organized crime in the United Kingdom during World War II. In each episode, the audience is presented with a different aspect of the underbelly of British society during this period. The sixth episode of season one, entitled Country Bobbies, focuses on the role of rural police officers in the fight against crime.

As the war rages on, the criminal underworld continues to thrive. Smuggling and black market trading are widespread, and urban police forces are stretched thin trying to keep up with the demand for enforcement. But what about the countryside, where crime is less common and the police force is significantly smaller? The episode takes us to the small towns and villages of rural Britain, where a different kind of lawman is tasked with keeping the peace.

The episode features interviews with retired country police officers, who share their experiences from the war years. They paint a picture of a largely law-abiding community that was nevertheless affected by the war's chaos and uncertainty. Black market goods were often distributed through rural areas, and farmers and other rural workers sometimes found themselves the unwitting accomplices of smugglers and other criminals.

The episode contrasts the slower pace of rural life with the heightened danger of the war years. Whereas in peacetime the biggest threat to rural police officers might be a runaway cow or a small-time poacher, during the war they had to contend with the danger of German spies or saboteurs operating in the area. The episode explores how police officers were trained to spot enemy agents and how they worked with intelligence agencies to stop potential threats.

One fascinating aspect of the episode is the way it examines the relationship between country police officers and the people they were tasked with protecting. In many cases, rural police officers were well-known members of their communities, and their job was as much about keeping the peace as it was about enforcing the law. The episode features interviews with locals who remember the wartime police officers as friendly and approachable figures, perhaps more akin to community leaders than to traditional police officers.

However, the episode also doesn't shy away from the darker side of rural policing. With fewer officers to keep an eye on things, corruption was a real risk, and some policemen didn't hesitate to take advantage of their position. The episode recounts several instances of lawmen who used their power to extort favors or money from locals, taking advantage of their vulnerability in a time of war.

Overall, Country Bobbies is a thought-provoking and engaging episode that provides a unique window into a lesser-known aspect of wartime Britain. By focusing on rural policing, the episode paints a picture of a country struggling to maintain order in difficult times, and of the brave men and women who worked tirelessly to protect their communities.