PROMOTING POLICE

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29800, 17 April 1962, Page 16

PROMOTING POLICE

New System Introduced (N.Z. Press Association) WELLINGTON, April 16. A new system of promoting police officers to superintendent has been introduced by the Commissioner of Police (Mr C. L. Spencer). In a memorandum to all districts, Mr Spencer outlines the new arrangements which include setting up a panel of three or four members to interview prospective superintendents. “One of the members of the panel will be a magistrate and the others will be men who hold or have held high executive positions. These men will have been accustomed to considering appointments to important positions.”

Mr Spencer said he would be a member of the panel. “The panel will be given a paper for each vacancy which will set out the requirements for the position to be filled. It is intended to call for reports from chief inspectors who desire to be Considered for a superintendent vacancy. “Their reports will contain what they consider to be their qualifications. These reports, together with service records of applicants, reports from superior officers and any record of meritorious duty or reports of a detrimental nature, will be placed before the panel. “The panel will then discuss and consider the written and oral material supplied by the applicant as well as material tendered by the department. The system will help me in making my final decision about the chief inspector to fill a vacancy. “Although the responsibility of appointments must rest with me, this new method is considered preferable to my acting alone,” he said.