'Trust In N.Z. Police Shaken'

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30121, 3 May 1963, Page 11

'Trust In N.Z. Police Shaken'

(N.Z. Press Assn.—Copyright) LONDON, May 2. Good relationships between the New Zealand police force and the public existed not long ago, but why has it largely disappeared? a correspondent of “The Times” wrote today in a despatch from Wellington. The correspondent was commenting on an appeal >y the Commissioner of Police. Mr C L. Spencer, to “operate the (police) force on a human relationship basis with the public rather than a mechanical one.” Confidence in the police was shaken in the early post-war years when the force had internal troubles. Conditions had now became

much better but somewhere along the line contact with the people was weakened, the report said.

The policy of closing suburban police stations and relying instead on patrol cars certainly had something to do with it. So had the growth of anti-social groups, often teen-agers, the correspondent wrote. To this must be added a degree of public discontent, even among some perfectly law abiding people, with the confused and unpopular licensing laws. This was sometimes reflected in resentment of police when they attempted to enforce them.

•“It is also disturbing that at the moment New Zealand police are, on the average, far less experienced than they should be" In the present force 39 per cent, of the members hac under five years’ experience and were between 20 and 21 years of -ge.

Associated with the crime picture was the attitude of the courts. In many cases it was cons ered crimes of violence were too .leniently dealt with, “The Times" reporter added. Free from syndicated and organised crime. New Zealand police had still not been able to prevent a rapid poet-war growth in all types of offences. It was not an encouraging prospect that a police force, barely coping now. would not. on its own admission, be happy about its capacity to do the job really efficiently for another five years. When the force could muster only one man io about 1000 of the population, their ranks could only form a thin line. Public goodwill could help to keep the line from wavering, "The Times" correspondent wrote.

At the United Nations seminar on police protection of human rights being held

in Canberra. Mr Spencer said yesterday that there should be no interference with the flexibility that existed for police in interrogation.

Mr Spencer was commenting on statements by two Victorian Supreme Court judges. Mr Justice Barry and Mr Justice Schoil, who differed with police chiefs on methods and devices used by police in interrogating suspects.

Mr Spencer said that the seminar delegates might be •leaning over backwards" in their desire to see justice to the accused, and losing sight of the human rights of the victim.

As a policeman he felt that the flexibility that existed for police in interrogation should not be Interfered with.

Legal men did not understand what policemen had to do. They did not have to truck down criminals.