Police And Public

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31210, 7 November 1966, Page 16

Police And Public

Sir, —Few people, except perhaps the criminal class, can have derived much comfort from that article in Saturday’s issue, “Police and Public.” If, as seems perfectly obvious, there are not anything like enough police to patrol the city and suburbs at night, are not there any special constables who could lend our hard-pressed police a hand occasionally? Nocturnal miscreants might feel less inclined to chance their arms if they could never be quite certain that there might not be other watchers, besides the police, on the qui vive at night.—Yours etc. M.T. October 31, 1966.

[The Chief Superintendent of the Christchurch Police District (Mr G. W. Alty) replies: “Although shorthanded, the police, by effective use of modern methods, patrol cars, and up-to-date communication system, are able tc give prompt attention to urgent calls. All we ask for is cooperatio i from the public and early notification of suspicious acts and circumstances so that our members can promptly investigate. There is no necessity for special police, because section 35 of the Crimes Act, 1961, confers on citizens the right to arrest without warrant any person found at night committing any offences against the Crimes Act. This includes theft, burglary, interference with cars, assault, and other crimes.”]