Melvyn Hague

He died on 1st January 2021, aged 87 years.

Formerly of Manchester & GMP

     Melvyn Hague passed his police entrance exams in 1953 and joined the Manchester City Police, initially serving on ‘A Division’ as a PC before being transferred into the CID and promoted to Detective Sergeant, posted to Moss Side.  While stationed at Moss Side, John Stalker was his junior DS.  Melvyn then served on the Regional Crime Squad and recalled arresting a suspect wanted for murder whom they had put under surveillance and nicked just over the border in Scotland.  It was then realised amongst the team that they actually at that time had no jurisdiction in Scotland, and therefore the arrest may have been unlawful.  The ‘Ways and Means Act’ came into force, whereupon the suspect was swiftly driven back into England and formally arrested. 

     During his 30 years with the Manchester City, Manchester & Salford and GMP there were a number of highlights which included setting up of the Manchester Firearms Unit.  Whilst doing so he attended a firearms course at the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia, USA. There he was trained to handle the Winchester pump action shotgun, becoming one of only two officers in the GMP authorised to use the Winchester shotgun on duty*. The FBI presented him with a shoulder holster, which has been passed on to his nephew together with the instruction booklets for the Winchester and a Walther PPK that Mel carried later in his career while working for Special Branch.

     He worked as a close protection officer and on one occasion was looking after Sir John Herman, at the time Chief Constable of the RUC, who was visiting England and the GMP.  He recalled while on a car ride with Mr Herman having to drive past a PC who was in a fight with a couple of local thugs who were getting the better of him.  They had had to keep going in case it was some sort of trap.  He stated it was one of hardest things he had ever had to do but as they could not stop all he could do was radio it in. 

     For the final 6 years of his police career Mel was a Detective Inspector based at Manchester Airport, from where he retired on the 1st of August 1983.