Retired police officer reunited with the helmet he wore in the 1960s

Thomas Parker, 73, joined South Shields Police in 1965 as a teenager and went on to spend three decades serving in what became Durham Constabulary and then Northumbria Police.

The pensioner, who retired in 1995 after 30 years of working to keep the communities of South Tyneside and Sunderland safe, was gobsmacked when the work of a current officer led to him being reunited with the helmet he wore in the 1960s.

“I got a call from one of my old colleagues this week,” said Mr Parker. “I couldn’t believe what I was hearing – I thought he was pulling my leg.”

The South Shields Police helmet, which belonged to Thomas Parker in the 1960s

The surprising turn of events came about after PC James Gordon, who works with Northumbria Police’s southern community engagement team, was approached by a charity shop owner while he was leading a crime prevention event and the donated rare “South Shields Police” helmet was handed over.

With “PC 40 T.Parker” faintly etched on the inside of the helmet, the engagement team began to contact some of the force’s former officers on social media in a bid to trace the original owner.

After tracking down Mr Parker, the force invited the former officer to pay a visit to South Shields’ Millbank station, where he was reunited with the helmet and had the chance to reminisce about his three decades with the police.

He said: “I had a fantastic time in the police. When I started, there were 21 beats in South Shields running all the way from the town centre through to Whiteleas and Marsden.

PC Thomas Parker, pictured during his time as a police officer

“I worked in an old blue police box which had an orange flashing light on the top.

“I went on to work in the CID in Sunderland in the mid-1970s, and then in the early 1980s I returned to South Shields and worked on some big jobs there – including burglaries, rape and drug cases.

“I’m so grateful to be reunited with what is a special memento from a wonderful time in my life.

“I’ll make sure to find a prime spot for it in the house so I can tell my children and grandchildren about my days in the force.”

The head gear is a custodian style helmet, synonymous with the image of the “bobby on the beat”.

He was presented with his old helmet by Chief Superintendent Sarah Pitt on Tuesday.

She said: “We thought it was only right to invite Tommy into the station to hear about his days as an officer and talk about the way policing has transformed over the years.

“There was a lot of excitement among the team when we managed to track him down, and I think he was genuinely blown away when receiving the helmet which he wore as a PC back in the 1960s.

“I’d like to thank PC Gordon who took this upon himself to reunite this relic with its original owner, and it was an absolute pleasure to chat with Tommy and hear about his days in the force.”

Mr Parker was given a tour of the station and met some of the officers working there.