THE POLICE FORCE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1509, 3 August 1912, Page 14

THE POLICE FORCE.

ANNUAL REPORT. INTERESTING STATISTICS. The annual report on tho police force of the Dominion was presented to Parliament on Thursday. Tho document emanates from Jlr. J. Cullen (Commissioner of Police), but lie states that during the period covered by th» report llio administralidn of the Force. w.\s tarried on by his'predecessor! 31 r. I'. G. li. AValdegrave, who retired on .March 31; 1912.

On Jlarch 31, 1912, tho strength of tho force was 835 of all ranks, thero licing an increase of 17 during the year. Thirteeu members retired on pension during the year, 3 retired as medically unfit, 2 died, '27 resigned voluntarily, 9 wero called upon to resign, 1 was discharged, 1 dismissed, total SU. Departures numbered four less than in tho previous year. Tho total number of offences reported to tho police during last year shows' a decrease t-f 107, as compared with tho previous year.

Serious Crime. Under tho heading of "serious crimo," it is stated that in 1910, offences reported numbered 736, and arrests GIG. In 1911, tho number of offences reported was 580, and arrests totalled 471. During the last ten years, the. annual total of serious crimes has varied from 520 to 759. The latest total is below tho average.

Drunkenness. The number of persons charged with drunkenness in 1910 was 11,718 (10,898 males and 820 females). In 1911 the number was 11,1199 (10,890 males and 803 females). This represents a decrease of 19 for last year. Wellington (2737 males and .100 females) had more people charged with drunkenness during the year than any other centre. Auckland comes next viih 2587 males and 170 females. Wellington's total included 328 members of crews of vessels in port, mid Auckland's 213 persons of this class. The following table shows tho convictions for drunkenness per ten thousand of population for the years 1907, 1908, 1909, and 1910 in Australia and New Zealand:—

1907. 1908. 1909. 1910. Commonwealth ... 127.7 119.J 119.4 120.0 New Zealand 110.8' 112.2 110.1 117.0

Sly Grot-Selling. There were 178 prosecutions during the year for sly grog-sailing, resulting in 123 convictions, against 19li prosecutions and 117 convictions during the preceding year. The fines imposed on sly grog-sellers during tho year 1911 amounted to JE2G7O, as against JJIBC2 in 1910.

Gaming Offences. Thero wero 152 prosecutions, resulting in 120 convictions, during the year under the gaming laws, against 205 prosecutions and IG9 convictions in 1910. Criminal Registration, On March 31 last the finger-print collection consisted of the impressions of 12,037 offenders,-being an increase of-1192 on tho previous, year.. The impressions of 592 prisoners • were received during the last quarter—an ihcreaso of 219 on the corresponding period "of .the "preceding -twelve. 1 months'. ' '-■ • ■' ' '■''." Wellington District. Reporting upon tho AVellington district, Inspector Jillison states that.tho authorised strength, of the district on March 31 was 149, being an increase of "1 over tho preceding year. During last year 27 We-, cruits were appointed to tho district, including 3 sworn in on March 29 who are waiting to be transferred. .Six constables resigned, 5 wero called npoirto resign, and 1 retired on superannuation.'

The new buildings at Otaki nnd Johnsonville, which were commenced tho previous year have been completed, and thereby the mchithly rent account of tho Department has been reduced. Considerable addition has been made to Mount Cook Station, which is found very useful. "Population in the residential parts of the city is now increasing, and there aro not so many empty houses as there wero when my last annual report was furnished. .

"It will bo necessary to provide for a new station in Kclburne during the coming year, so that a resident constable may be available there.

"Tho offences return for tho year ended December 31, 1911, shows a decrease of 224 offences as compared with tho previous year. The principal decreases were —Common assaults, 40; assault and robbery. 7; burglary and housebreaking, 22; cruelty to animals,' 25; drunkenness, 15; gaining offences, 38; illegally on premises, 29; indecent exposure, 11; obscene language, 29; theft (ordinary), 22; and vagi rancv, 3G. Increases appear under—ln- , decent assaults, 5; deserting merchant ships, 38; disobeying orders of Court,_lG; false pretences, 12; and mischief (malicious injury). 27. Tho undetected offences nro 279, including 50 ship-deserters, 37 for disobeying orders of. Court or failing to provide fo'r relatives, and many other trivial cases of theft, etc; "Tho conduct of tho forco has been good. Only 11 fines wero recorded for breaches of discipline during the year, nnd.S-constables were called upon to resisn. "I again beg to draw nttention to the necessity for better cell. accommodation at Lambton Quav Station. "I beg to ask that a new station may be authorised at Kelburne for ono constable, another constable for Kilbimio and Miramar Peninsula, and two constables- for Wellington City; also another sergeant for this city for "relieving work and other special duties within tho district. An extra screeant has been on' the strength temporarily for somo time past, but he has been' nearly all the_ (•iiiie absent on relieving duty.in other districts. "Included in the strength of Wellington Station there is, as in other cities, one constable continuously employed in the Magistrate's Court doing Court orderly and other duties; another constable is nearly all his time occupied as orderly in the Supremo Court, owing to the numerous sittings of the Appeal Court and civil work; and a third is employed under the Department of Internal Affairs (away from the police station) as Inspector of Weights and Measures. The latter duty might well be amalgamated with somo other Department, as tho Health Department now attends to a great deal of tho work which used to bo done in former years by inspectors of weights and measures."