POLICE CONTROL OF ROYAL TOUR

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27209, 28 November 1953, Page 2

POLICE CONTROL OF ROYAL TOUR

MOBILE FORCE WILL ACCOMPANY PARTY PLANS OUTLINED BY COMMISSIONER (New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, November 27. From the moment the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh step ashore from the Gothic at Auckland on December 23 the Police Force will undertake heavy responsibilities, the Commissioner of Police (Mr E. H. Compton) said today. . Arrangements for police control naa been planned in detail. The maximum number of men from each police district was being made available, together with a mobile force whose numbers would fluctuate according to special requirements of every town and city the Royal couple visited. Policemen would be moved the country ahead of and behind the Royal visitors by special buses, and some policemen would be flown across Cook Strait by the Air Force and the National Airways Corporation to help in controlling crowds in Nelson and Blenheim. , . Other members of the mobile force would travel to Christchurch by sea. Accommodation had been arranged for the mobile force months previ* ously. and most policemen would be accommodated in hotels. Although over-all control of processional routes w r es exercised by the police, the Navy. Army, and Air Force, as well as the Returned Services’ Association and other organised bodies, were aiding to a great extent in lining the routes. The fullest co-operation had been obtained from the Transport Department and local traffic authorities in arranging for the control of road transport. Cars Linked by Radio Radio would play an important role in traffic control during the tour.

Mr Compton said Transport Department patrol cars and police cars would be linked by radio so that when the Royal party was travelling officers on the spot would have as complete a picture as possible of the traffic situation on the processional route. In cities, too, traffic inspectors’ patrol cars would be linked with those of the police to maintain a greater degree of control.

The use of radio to speed up communications would also enable the police to switch extra constables from one point to another as required Mr Compton will ride in the police pilot car ahead of the Royal visitors The Deputy-Commissioner (Mr P JNalder), who is tesponsible for the security of the Royal visitors, will have a separate car. and the co-ordination officer for police arrangements for the tour (Inspector W. Brown) will also accompany the party throughout the tour