DUTIES OF POLICE

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 82, 16 October 1928, Page 9

DUTIES OF POLICE

AND RIGHTS OF PUBLIC THE INQUIRY IN BRITAIN EX-CHIEF'S EVIDENCE Unitod Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. Australian Press Association—United Service. (Received 16th October, 10 a.m.) LONDON, 15th October. The ex-Commissioner of Police, Sir William Horwood, in evidence before the Police Commission, agreed that the poorer members of the public were probably unaware that the polico had no right to extract a statement. He added: "After all the police are thero to detect as well as to prevent crime." Lord Lee, chairman, observed: "And the Commission is here to consider the rights and liberties of the subject as well as the interests of justice." Sir William Horwood denied that the police sheltered their colleagues. On the contrary, the Force did not want black sheep. He gave it as his opinion that the Metropolitan Police Force needed additions of five hundred owing to motor traffic. He also suggested that if the police had the right of entry into all clubs, it would not be necessary to send disguised constables to detect offences. He recommended that the Street Offences Act. should be applicable to both.sexes. Eepiying to Dame Muriel Talbot, the witness agreed that the police were increasingly used for welfare work. He did not think women police eoiild bo sufficiently trained to undertake responsible work such as inquiries into sex cases. He added that under the present conditions a male officer needed protection as much as a woman prisoner.