THE LONDON POLICE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 278, 17 August 1908, Page 8

THE LONDON POLICE.

COMMISSION'S REPORT. The report of the-Royal Commission on the state of the London police 011 tlio wholo leaves a favourablq impression. "Tlio report of the' Royal Commission upon the duties of the Metropolitan Police arid the way in which these duties are discharged will be received by the public with the' satisfaction which, wo understand, is felt at tho Home Office," says "Tho Times." . "Our policemen are not ' plaster saints ' any 'mpre than the rest of us, but this inquiry shows that they are a very fino body of men, who by discipline and selection have reached a standard of conduct which some other classes would do well to endeavour to attain." THE HERO OF THE STREETS. • "Tho hero of the London streets in the eyes of every foreign visitor, no,matter from what part of tho world ho may como, is the man in blue," says tho "Chronicle." "We Londoners also are, we believe, in our real hearts proud of him also; but in a recent fit of depreciation, or in the wholesome exercise of occasional scrutiny, it was decided to submit him to a _ most searching inquiry. Ho was put, as it were, into the pillory, and every man and woman who had or conceived a grudge or grievance against him was invited to come and say their worst. The result of tho Commission's labours is to remove tho man-in blue from pillory to. pedestal. SOBRIETY OF THE FORCE. "It is . especially satisfactory that they find no ground for believing that there is any corrupt system of bribery between police and women of the town. ■ The Chief Commissioner (whose ability is highly praised) may also 'be congratulated on tho general sobriety of his force.' "Of course, there are specks," adds the Chronicle." "The police are human, and they make mistakes. 0110 of the police magistrates spoke of a certain 'want of imagination,' which makes the untravelled Briton put down any 'un-English' gesticulations by a foreigner a prima facie evidence of drunkenness. But what can sue expect? ' The more one reflects, 1 say the Commissioners, 'on tho character and extent of a constable's duties, and tho conditions under which they have to be exercised, the more ,ono feels that a somewhat rare combination of mental and physical powers is required.' " VINDICATED FROM ATTACKS. "The impression left by tho Report," says tho "Mail," "is that tho 17,000 men charged with the work of maintaining order in a population of nearly seven millions do their work faithfully and well. If there are some black sheep among them, this must bo expected in any largo mass of men. But the recommendations made for giving the public easier access to headquarters in caso of complaints against- tho force, and especially as tho Commission notes that all police proceedings are watched by a vigilant Press, should, if carried out, remove all ground for uneasiness. Tho men who are entrusted with the duty of protecting life and property, in London and_ with a thousand other minor tasks are vindicated from most of tho attacks which have been made upon them."