Mr Walton offered extension

Press, 15 October 1981, Page 2

Mr Walton offered extension

PA Wellington The Commissioner of Police (Mr R. J. Walton) has not yet decided whether to accept the extension of his term of office. The Minister of Police (Mr Couch) said yesterday that Mr Walton wanted time to think about the offer and to talk to his officers about it. Mr Couch expected to hear from Mr Walton “within a day or two.”

Mr Couch emphasised that the decision to extend Mr Walton’s term was a difficult one for the Government as it was a choice between two good men — Mr Walton and his second-in-command, the Deputy Commissioner, Mr K. O. Thompson. If Mr Walton accepted the extension, Mr Couch said he would understand if Mr Thompson was disappointed. “I would be. We are only human,” he said. But Mr Couch believed

that Mr Thompson would eventually be Mr Walton’s successor. He said Mr Thompson still had 10 years to serve. Mr Couch said the post of a second Deputy Commissioner was being created for the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Mr E. J. Trappitt. If Mr Walton accepted the extension of his term, Mr Trappitt would work with the existing deputy, Mr Thompson.

Mr Trappitt had been notified and he had indicated his acceptance. The Prime Minister (Mr Muldoon), in announcing the Cabinet’s decision when he was addressing the New Zealand Police Association annual conference, emphasised that the Government had total confidence in Mr Thompson, but that the Cabinet, after “giving the question deep consideration,” had decided to ask Mr Walton to continue his service.