“Crime ” Cars On Constant Patrol

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31942, 20 March 1969, Page 1

“Crime ” Cars On Constant Patrol

Detectives in radio-tele-phone-equipped “crime” cars will patrol Christchurch for 24 hours a day, seven days a week from Monday, ready to speed immediately to the scene of serious crimes as soon as they are reported. “This new approach, giving greater mobility and immediacy, is part of our efforts to keep ahead of the crime rate in Christchurch,” said the head of the Christchurch C. 1.8. (Detective Superintendent F. A. Gordon) yesterday.

“The crime cars will be in addition to the C. 1.8. patrols we have been doing in Christchurch for many years,” he said. Mr Gordon said that in the past the C. 1.8. hat) maintained a number of detectives on reserve duties

at the detective office to go out to crimes as they were reported. “From Monday, the reserve squad will be in crime cars. The cars will each be manned by two detectives and will give a 24hour coverage, the detectives and cars working three shifts a day every day. “The result should be that calls to serious crimes are answered with the utmost dispatch. The number of crime cars on constant patrol will be increased as our staffing position improves,” Mr Gordon said.

This system worked successfully overseas and had recently been introduced in Auckland. He was confident that it would be successful in Christchurch and that the service of the C. 1.8. to the public would be improved.