Police seek issue of long baton

Press, 12 February 1981, Page 2

Police seek issue of long baton

PA Wellington: The Police Association i will seek the immediate general issue of the long baton. ■; A special conference of I the association’s national h councillors at Wellington onj Tuesday decided to ask the 1 Government for Jong batons for all policemen. ” The association’s secretary Dr R. A.? Moodie, said | that the police had cam- ' paigned for Jong batons for some time and had been en- i couraged by comments made by the Prime ' Minister (Mr Muldoon). : In an address to a police executives’ conference in De-, cember, Mr Muldoon said that a good case could be i made for the more general use of the long baton. ' i Dr Moodie said that under police policy the long baton 1 was supposed to be gener- ; ally available when-required. < “But there are only 90-!

Jong batons in Auckland for i 1100 policemen”'? he said. ’“Association members are (tired of violence .and they I want effective means of ‘dealing with it.” j The small , baton now used (was only effective as an offensive instrument. The twohanded long baton was more versatile, and was very effective on defence Dr Moodie said. The association’s conference also decided to continue with plans to contest the Thomas Royal Commission findings in the High Court. Dr Moodie said that applications alleging excessive jurisdiction and failure to give the late Mr L. J. Johnston a fair hearing would be filed in the next few weeks. Donations from the public towards the legal costs had arrived at the association’s office at a rate of between ■s3o and $4O a day, he said.