Alan Probyn
Alan Probyn was born in 1919 and joined Brighton Police as a cadet in 1937.
The following year he became a constable and retired as Chief Superintendent in 1970.
Alan was one of only two retired Brighton police officers who served both before the second world war and during the post-war period.
Alan experienced the early war years as a constable and served in the Chief Constable’s office under Charles Ridge in 1957.
He is probably best remembered in policing circles as the officer who developed the highly successful strategies for dealing with the invasions of the Mods and Rockers in 1964.
Unlike many of his colleagues, Alan recognised the many roles female officers could perform and welcomed the amalgamation of women police officers into the force in 1967.
However, he perhaps did not envisage women performing the tasks they now successfully undertake in the modern police force and armed services.
He kindly gave us this interview in March 2015 at the age of 95.
Our sincere thanks to Alan Probyn
Mods, Brighton Beach