This is a retrospective posting regarding the death of Glenn Goodman who worked in the stores area at Kippax Maintenance Unit and was tragically shot and killed whilst serving as a part-time special constable on 7th June 1992.
The following is a personal recollection by Gerald Swaby who was based at Kippax MU at the time:
"Glenn Goodman worked in the stores. He had not worked for DTELS very long, about 4 months I think. He was extremely personable and had a great sense of humour. I can remember that weekend all too well. As we always used to do, we were working the weekend on Sat 6th June 1992. We had been laughing and joking with him about being a special constable and where he was working so that he could arrest us. He said that he was working with North Yorkshire Police. I remember the last words I had with him, it was lunch time. “Do you want any fish and chips?” I asked "No thanks mate” came the response.
The picture you see is Glenn holding his new born baby. He had this picture sellotaped to his desks in stores.
When we got into work that Sunday morning all was as per normal at about 7:30am we put the radio as normal and settled down to work. All of a sudden there was a news bulletin that the IRA had attempted to shoot two police officers. Within 10 minutes or so of that bulletin the phone rang. I don’t know who took the call. It was either his family or the police that phoned us to say he had been shot. He was still alive when the ambulance took him to hospital, but he died on the way.
I can remember the shock. None of us could comprehend it. No one spoke a word to each other. Most of us left to go home. A few chaps who had worked in Northern Ireland in the Signals unit and lost friends before stomached it far better than I.
The MU manager was Brian Farren. He gave a speech about Glenn to the ITV news. I think it reduced most of us to tears. Glenn dominated the news for the remainder of that week until they caught the men trying to buy trainers in a shoe shop in Normanton with a £50 note. They had previously been hiding in plain sight. There were hiding in Ferrybridge services on the M62 in the false roof space.
Mostly he is remembered in relation to his service as a voluntary special constable. He still remains the only voluntary officer to die in the course of his duty.
A few years later I met his inspector who became a friend of mine. It transpired that he was supposed to be on duty than night and Glenn had taken his place"
Picture Source (below) and 20th Anniversary Article: York Press
GLENN GOODMAN (STORES - KIPPAX MU)
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