The Scheme of Things

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 55, 6 March 1937, Page 19

The Scheme of Things

By M.H.C,

There are a large number of women in New Zealand anxious to see women police established in this country for preventive work. It is quite easy and most expensive to originate and carry out remedial work—but the argument of the women is: "Why not prevent the evils which bring so much misery and expense on the country, and suffering to girls and children in particular?" The use of policewomen has been tried out In a number of countries as well as in the great centre of London, and the results have been such as to encourage {Tie supporters of such a help to the young people as policewomen •would be to continue their efforts to secure this assistance. There is a sort

of person who either cannot or will not get away from the idea that the great object of police—either men or women—is to arrest drunken people, and listen to their foul language. When it is considered that such cases are in the minority even with the men of the force, and the great object in the employment of these fine public servants is to make the roads and streets safe and'pleasant, it is obvious that their value is'untold. Some few years ago there was a strike of police in Mel-' bourne, and- as soon as it became known that the police would not be on duty the people of the underworld, which exists in most cities of any size, swarmed up and no end of mischief was done:- Shops and people were robbed and women assaulted.

"It is "not' possible to compare the necessities of this country with those of the great city of London,'of course, but a number of conditions are-the same.- There is the same, idle, ill-brcught-up boy and girl, the same kind of man and woman on the look out to entrap the unwary, damaging morals, . and spreading disease and trouble of various kinds. There are the same kind of risks to be run by the young people here as in any other part of the world: So the necessity for. women police is just the same, and it seems an odd thing that there are some minds which cannot grasp the fact that where a certain protection has been found so 'valuable in one part of the world where the problems are the same, it would not answer just-as well, or even, better, in a more restricted area.

Advice comes from London that the number of policewomen in London's metropolitan force is to be more than doubled. The reason for this expansion, says a writer in a London daily, which will increase their, number of 120, is the best of all reasons. It ifi simpiy that the work policewomen have done in the past few years, has been so uniformly excellent that the Home Office has decided to spend more money on having more of these helpers. The writer continues interestingly, specially to..those women who have always held that policewomen should be educated, specially chosen and trained women. He says: "It will not be easy to find 70 women of the exact type that Scotland Yard wants, and for that reason they are going to take the new recruits on slowly, choosing only, the best. Just any sort of honest, hard-working woman' will not do. The woman they must have, apart from physical and educational qualifications, is one who has an 'alert, disciplined mind arid body, with quickness oi observation, kindliness, unassailable integrity, and unfailing discretion." That is Scotland Yard's own (though not. official) description." This is a good basis to go upon, and it should not be said that when such women can be found in England they are nonexistent in New Zealand.

"Most people," continues the writer, "are fairly vague as to what are the duties of a policewoman. She is sworn in, and has the same power of arrest as a policeman, but her work is rather more specialised. She is not asked to direct traffic, hunt down burglars, or struggle . with drunks—though • she would do any or all of these things if occasion .demanded. The field she covers is extremely valuable, and includes everything to do with children, women in general, and women delinquents in particular; rescue and preventive work; patrolling of parks and other places, and a wide variety of plain clothes investigation and* observation. In the watching of clubs and dance houses, and in confidential preventive work among young girls, a woman plainclothes officer is far less conspicuous and alarming than a man. She can question women and girls in situations, which, handled by a policeman, might well seem to a woman or child either terrifying or offensive." The writer goes on to say that the women have to go to the night clubs and dance halls well dressed, and with an escort, and as those for this branch are usually good-looking, they stand a good chance of getting their observations made successfully.

"There are at present three special C.I.D. women detectives at Scotland Yard, and their work begins where the .plainrdothes woman's work leaves oil. When any case assumes criminal ilrcportiohs-the C.l.D*'women take jt

over.- Their work is very secretive, anonymous, and discreet, and the general public seldom hears anything about it. It is,no easy life; emergency calls are many, and never neglected. The Yard is satisfied with nothing less than a conviction of a vocation. The recruit works; for ten weeks at Peel House, Scotland Yard, among the men recruits, and then for two years is on probation, taking her specialised duties in the second year.

"There are 92 policewomen distributed about in the provinces, and likely to be more. America, Holland, Germany, Russia, and China, all have their policewomen, and France is making a step in the same direction." The writer remarks that one of the trials of the policewomen is the professional humorist, to whom anything new is irresistibly funny, and who, since the war twenty years ago has taken pleasure in being a' "funny dog" at their expense. However, they-are too busy to be bothered: with such people, and their work, hard and none too wellpaid, is valuable and beneficial to the country, and the women themselves and many others know it. Since the Government has decided so outspokenly to increase the ! numbers, the women have, at least,' the moral reward of official gratitude and recognition. The protection and help afforded by the right kind of trained women to young people and children seems cbvious enough, and in these days when expense is not the first consideration, but. as is stated, the good of the people, it seems as if now is the time to "make good" in a way to satisfy women of "bona fides."