POLICE FORCE

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 58, 10 March 1933, Page 9

POLICE FORCE

SEVERAL' PROMOTIONS

INSPECTOR R. WARD

The transfer of Inspector James Mcllveney from Wanganui to Dunedin with the rank of superintendent to succeed Superintendent W. Eccles, who has retired from control of the Dunedin police district, is announced. Sub-Inspector R. Ward, of Wellington, has been promoted to the rank of inspector, and will succeed Mr. Mcllveney at Wanganui, and ChiefDetective J. Carroll, of. Christchurch, will come to Wellington in a similar capacity. The vacancy' at Christchurch will be filled by Senior-Sergeant W. H. Dunlop, who will have the rank of chief detective. W.- th. the de Parture of Inspector Ward Wellington loses the services of one of the ablest detectives in New Zealand. Indeed, though it may sound presumptuous, many people in the best position to speak consider that Inspector Ward is one of the best detectives iv the Southern Hemispliere. In addition to a methodical mind, Inspector Ward brought to his job a great capacity for work and a passion for detail. Early in his career as a police officer these attributes manifested themselves, and, specialising in detective work, he qUickly made a name for himself, so that now he can look back on a life marked by many notable achievements. Inspector Ward joined the Force in 1003, and. was stationed at Christchurch for 14 years. From there he went to Greymouth, and in March, 1917, he was promoted^to the rank of sergeant. He went to Auckland in 1922 as a detectivesergeant, aud two years later he was promoted to the rank of senior detective. In 1926 he came to Wellington, and since then, with the exception of a brief period when ho acted as senior sergeant at the Central Police Station with a view to advancing his experience in the uniform branch of tho service, he has been in charge of the detective staff, first as chief detective and, since-April, 1030, as subinspector. In his early days as a detective Inspector Ward served with marked ability, and since he has been in Wellington he has had the distinction of personally directing two of the greatest and most sensational murder investigations in New Zealand criminal history, the cases of George Errol Coats and Edward Tarrant. These cases, of course, are the bestknown of Inspector Ward's career, but they are typical of him and his work. As a prosecutor in Court, he has also shown ability above the average. He states the facts clearly and concisely, and is rarely at a loss on a point of law.