ˈpoint-duty
The duty of a police constable stationed at a particular point in a thoroughfare, to regulate the traffic, etc. Also attrib.
| 1888 Pall Mall G. 11 Oct. 3/2 A policeman was standing on point duty at the corner of the street, within twenty yards, without..perceiving him. 1894 Times 16 Apr. 6/5 No one happened to be near except a constable on point duty. 1901 Daily Tel. 14 Nov. 4/3 The policeman on point duty had signalled to the traffic going west to stop. 1908 Daily Chron. 30 June 1/3 A point-duty constable..was knocked down..by a taxi-cab. 1967 N. Lucas C.I.D. vi. 72 Ignoring a point-duty policeman's signal to stop. 1974 Drive Autumn 62/2 These days, alas, only small boys want to be point-duty policemen! |