A story is told of Patrick Shaw, a dreaded obese police officer whose only known language was executing his targets, mostly thieves and robbers, either after busting or trailing them.
He made life hell for Nairobi criminals in the 70s and 80s and managed to execute his targets in broad daylight and get away with the act.
So dreaded was he that when a criminal heard that he had taken up their case, they would either turn themselves in or prepare for death.
Thanks to his shooting skills, a pistol ready and his trademark Volvo with registration number KHT 845. It was always easy for him to access crime scenes and kill the suspects.
One such incident was when he cleared a gang of robbers after it robbed a shop in Dagoretti in 1986.
Shaw and his flying squad colleagues were at the scene within minutes, surrounded the area and left Shaw to handle the only exit route which he did very well.
He parked his vehicle along the road, and jumped on the middle of the road, facing the getaway car that was charging at him, with five gang members on board.
He began with the driver and also shot the life out of the remaining four as they attempted to escape, before turning to the crowd to warn them against crime.
“The driver was the first to he hit, bringing the car to an abrupt halt. His passengers tried to escape, but they were also shot down," a witness who saw it all told the Nation in 2013.
When it was realised that one of the suspects had not completely died, and was still clinching on his loot, the officers dragged him to Shaw who finished him off with another bullet.
Shaw succumbed to a weight-related heart attack in 1988.