Cars And Radios On Beat

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31062, 18 May 1966, Page 3

Cars And Radios On Beat

(N.Z. Press Association) WELLINGTON, May 17. Providing each beat constable with a motor-car to take him around his route more quickly and efficiently is one of Lancashire’s answers to a shortage of policemen. The constables, each with his miniature two-way radio, drive to key points from where they patrol on foot

They can cover bigger areas and have already achieved a 32 per cent drop in criminal activity and a 52 per cent drop in wilful damage.

The Chief Constable of Lancashire, Colonel T. St. Johnston, described the new system this morning. Two police divisions are already equipped with cars as well as personal radios. If the system is as successful as it seems to be, the rest of the constabulary will be similarly equipped next year.

Personal cars were introduced last July, Colonel St. Johnston said. The colonel, whose police force is bigger than New Zealand’s, is on a world tour during which he will study police methods in a number of countries. In New Zealand he intends to make a special evaluation of the policing of traffic by one law enforcement organisation and of criminal activity by another. Police recruiting was a problem in areas of full employment throughout the world, Colonel St. Johnston said. “Police work is hard work and involves awkward hours. Society can’t afford to pay the sort of wages which will entice people away from other jobs where the same amount of work is done in orthodox hours. Police work calls for people with a sense of vocation.” Because of the shortage of

manpower, more mechanisation was badly needed. This would increase efficiency and make better use of the men available. Colonel St. Johnston felt there was a proven case for wider use of motor-vehicles, two-way radios and modern office machinery. He felt women should be employed to work the office machines. Colonel St. Johnston considered use of personal twoway radios a bigger advance than equipping beat constables with personal cars. Radios used by the Lancashire constabulary were

designed by specialists in the force.

The set, carried In a pocket or on a waist belt, measured 4in by Ilin and weighed less than 21b. Its range was four miles in a town area and seven miles in the country.

There was general reluctance to give up the traditional police helmet design because of its distinctiveness but there was a constant search for something equally distinctive but easier to wear in cars.

“Policemen must be seen in the street. People mustn’t mistake them for bus conductors,” he said.