by Graham Tutthill

Things have moved on in policing since 1909 - with fewer moustaches and more women.

A photo hanging on the wall of Dover Police Station showed the force as it was in 1909, taken by photographer Charles Harris, who had a studio in the town's London Road.

Chief Inspector Ken Elmes and Detective Inspector Mark Smith were among those who found the picture fascinating, and thought it would be a good idea to take another similar one, exactly 100 years later.

Things have changed since then, of course. While no doubt all the officers could be guaranteed to be there for the 1909 photo -
clipping a young boy round the ear for stealing an apple could wait - life is not so leisurely today.

There was no time to set out chairs and benches to form perfect rows, or to arrange all the officers in neat lines. As it was two
officers who joined the group on Wednesday for the latest photo had to disappear before a shutter could be clicked because of a 999 call to a road accident, and others were out dealing with pre-Christmas shoplifters and other ne'er-do-wells!

But, at the appointed time, those who could make it were there.

Interestingly it looks as though in 1909 it was almost compulsory for all police officers to have moustaches, and no doubt they all
lined up at the start of their duty for inspection by a senior officer to ensure that everything was in place.

Officers today carry far more equipment than their predecessors who probably only had a whistle, truncheon, handcuffs, notebook and pencil. They either walked everywhere or went by bike.

And, of course, there were no women officers in 1909!

For this year's photo, the police officers were joined by Police Community Support Officers, detectives and civilian staff.

We can only guess how things will be in 2109.