Police To Sit Examinations

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30769, 5 June 1965, Page 16

Police To Sit Examinations

More than 800 members of the New Zealand Police will sit examinations being held in 15 police districts from Tuesday to Thursday. Almost 30 per cent of the total force of 2968 will be sitting examinations for promotion. This is a record number seeking promotion, in the largest police force New Zealand has ever had. But the police are still under strength, according to the approved ormula for fixing the size of the force (one policeman to each 950 of population). Under Strength The force, as at March 31 last, should have had 2774 members, but was 76 under strength in spite of a net gain of 87 members in the year ending on that date—a gain which has been bettered only twice in the last eight years.

Fifty-seven policemen will be sitting the examinations which will qualify them for commissioned rank; 318 will sit the senior-sergeant examinations; and 422 for the sergeant examinations. Another 49 candidates will be sitting the literary section of the examinations.

The force is desperately in need of qualified men for the rank commissioned officers and senior-sergeants. At present, there are only four senior-sergeants qualified to become officers, and there i are no sergeants qualified to

become senior-sergeants. There are nine temporary senior-sergeants and the same number of temporary sergeants. Most of the temporary senior-sergeants have obtained the rank (under section 9 (d) 11 of the Police Act, 1958) because there is a shortage of qualified men. The sergeants have only one examination to pass to become qualified for permanent promotion. Rapid Promotion Of the total effective force, 22 per cent are non-commis-sioned or commissioned officers The ratio of officers and non-commissioned officers has to other ranks has increased steadily, but not spectacularly over recent years and. since the compulsory retirement of members except the commissioner and assistantcommissioners at the age of 60 instead of 65, promotion within the force after qualication by examination has been spectacularly rapid. Up to 1956, it was the accepted rate of promotion for

a non-commissioned officer to have his commissioned officer’s examination for up to as long as 19 years before being promoted, and a constable was from 12 to 17 years at that rank before being made a sergeant. Inspector at 25 In recent years, there has been the case of a member aged 25 being promoted to the rank of inspector. There are signs that the pendulum is swinging back towards a slower rate of promotion, in which examination ability will be matched by practical experience. For in- ’ stance, 15 or 16 qualified constables have been waiting for promotion to sergeant for some years. However, these will shortly ' be promoted if sergeants above ; them are successful in passing the senior-sergeant’s exi amination. The expansion of the force to keep abreast of i the expanding population plus the trend towards specialisation and the consequent need ■ of more officers and n.c.o.’s,

will mean that the rate of promotion will not be effectively slowed yet, and not be slowed to the frustrating rate of 10 years ago. Most Failed The high rate of examination failure last year, particularly in those for commissioned rank (only four out of 46 candidates qualified) and the rank of senior-ser-geant (10 out of 204 qualified) has meant at least a temporary embarrassment to the department. The examinations are divided into two sections, literary (three subjects) and law (four subjects). The examinations become more searching as the rank becomes higher—sergeant, senior-sergeant and commissioned officer. Procedure and Duties

In recent years, the police procedure and duties, which cover a vast range, have been I the downfall of all but a few candidates. Last year, the Police Association (representing all members except officers) made an official protest to the department about the high failure rate, and a deputation from the association discussed the question with departmental representatives. The Commissioner (Mr C. L. Spencer) is on record as saying that the standard of examinations will not be lowered. However, it is now permissible to obtain a partial pass by success in one law subject, whereas before a par tial pass was granted only if the candidate passed in two or more law subjects. An intraining course has been greatly expanded in the last two years to help prepare policemen for promotion by way of examination. 81 in Christchurch Next week, 200 candidates will be sitting the examinations in Auckland, and 81 in Christchurch. Individual candidates will be hoping for a pass, for police salaries range from £4OOO a year for the commissioner down to £1055 for a constable. It will be in the public interest by virtue of better trained police if more candidates are successful than were last year.