THE POLICE FORCE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 574, 31 July 1909, Page 5

THE POLICE FORCE.

AN M.P.'S STATEMENT. • EDUCATION STANDARDS. EVIDENCE OP DETECTIVES. .(By Telegraph.—Press Association.! ; Christchurclt, July 30. The sittings of tho, Polioo Commission in this aity were resumed tliis morning before tho Commissioner (Mr. H. W. Bisiiop, S.M.). Mr, G. W. Russell) member of Parliament for Avon, stated that under no circumstances has lw during, his identification with tho pubLur affairs of the' Dominion endeavoured to influonoo tho Minister or permanent head, of tho Polioo Dopa-rtmout witli regard to any person who has misconductod himself as a polioe officer. Regarding tho educational Standard of tho police, lie quostioneiJ:whetheF applicants, if examined for tho fifth 011 applying to jom would bo able to pass. Only a small minority would do so. Consequently tlio educational standard uf the police as a whole waa below what it should be.' If tho standard was to be raised, moro chances of promotion should bo provided. Arrangements should be made under which tho police forcG could bo regarded as tho recruitmg ground for other branches of the publio somoe, such as factory 'inspectors; landing; and tide waiters, and municipal inspectors; men so promoted to. act as a sort'of reserve, police force. Ho was not aware . how far classes of instruction in connection with tho police - -went,. but if , there wero established standards of knowledge of- law and standards representing actual 'fitness for, highe?. classes of polioo work there would tbou be moro oujpouragemeht' to 'tno Irion;. • Tho • university. "coU"' leges might fairly take' piujt' in. connection with raising the educational standards of, tho. forcor There should bo : prepared by some oompotent barrister a small and'simple compendium of law relating to criminal work, and containing .fc iclcair synopsis of'the law of, evidence, careful; definition of different crimes and offences, which would bo a text book, on which members of the.force could ; bo examined, - Tho. university colleges oouidi airrSnge for a special series of . law lectured adapted to the police,- and ho thought lio oould . undertake on ■ the part .of '.Canterbury '' College that such a course as suggested would be provided, and would entail very small cost, t e s °pmion. that the detective. sorvioo should be so .arranged, to attract men wlio intended following up- that branch of police work. Ho would not suggest that.detectives should bo put through a, lC oiirso:of Sberlookilo mes} but tho detective fOrco might study under a'umversity college -teaehefworks on criminology and scientific works on those matters. .-

. Fi'ank Joseph > Bishop, chief detective. .Ulinßtcliurch, enrolled: Scptembot/ 8„. 1892, stated that about' three months after joining lie was on plain olotlics duty, v He liafat way® received what was due to him from the, Department. . Chief detectives, sltonld have ' the same status as sub-inspectors, and should bo styled sul) r iiispsctors of detectives, v The. travelling allowance of dotccfcivcs should bo increased or a fund' provided oat of which .money spent in course of investigating crimes, could be paid. Detcctives; Bhould be allowed ; saloon fares on steamers and the bicycle, ak lowance 'should; be increased from 2s. per ■week to 3s. per week. ■ James Johnston, station-6ergeant. Christ-' church (enrolled October 27, 1876, appointed .sergeant August 1, 1893, promoted to sta- • ition-sergeant May 1, 190/), stated that tho way , to- attract' the best class of men to, the police fore© was to increase the pay. Hie .maximum pay of station-Bei'geants should be Increased from 13a. Gd.. to 14s. 6d. Ho had been treated exceptionally well since he had boon in the force. Ho had never asked or sought for promotion, , . Joseph A. M'Griith, sub-inspector,■■ Christclm'rcli (enrolled, June 6,. 1878, left May 6, 1882, rejoined, December .3, 1882, appointed detective. 1886', chief .'detective 1899(\sub-in-spcctor 1909), stated 'that'tho best man in either/(branch of the servioo should be anointed sub-inspector. It would' bo ; grossly dobar a niaai froffpromotion to t3io' higher ranks of the sefvioO because ho had chosen to take oft detective work. Ho regarded the detective brancll ia the right arm ,of the service.'' If the detectives' had not a chance of promotion it keep good men. from accepting'positions m the detective force. The cliicf detectives at the' centres Should rank as sob-inspectors and have the same chance .of. promotion to vacant* inspdo»( torships. The discipline of the foroe in Christchu'roh was satisfactory. Ho dissented : from-the view that men joining tfoo forco just now,.were inferior to thoso that joined it in years past. He had reoeivod.no promotion that: had not been recommended by hiß superior' officer, and the only influence he had brought to bear on, his superior officer 1 was hard work ■ dud strict attention to • duty.. He knew of sis fiergoaats who had, joined the detective branoh. Robert. James Gillica, inspector (onrolled Royal Irish Constabulary on Juno' 6j 1870, resigned August, 1874, joined Now Zealand Armed Constabulary January 14, 1875, seiv geant 1883. inspector. 1898}, gave tho the Canterbury district at 140 and the.number of stations at 47. The percentage of detected crimes to offences : reported had been 96 per cent, for tho year ending 1903, and had oorno a mmilor ratio in', subsequent years. . The inquiry will bo resumed to-morrow.