THE POLICEMAN'S LOT

Evening Star, Issue 19387, 22 October 1926, Page 3

THE POLICEMAN'S LOT

HIS WORK AND TRAINING preparing for the beat In integrity and discipline the New Zealand Police Force is unequalled, and the part it plays in tile preservation of law and order in the dominion has been eulogistically recognised by police authorities overseas. Recently,; through ' the courtesy of the 'Police Commissioner, Mr W. B. M‘llveney, a ‘ Post ’ representative was given the opportunity of seeing -new hatch _of recruits in training .at the depot in Rintoul street, and of tracing the various stages through which the’ men pass before they are sent out on the heat. “At the present time there are

twenty-on© men in training, and physically they are probably the finest batch that has gone through the depot for many years.” said Senior-sergeant H. Scott, who has been instructor at the depot for the past five _ years. ‘"Their average height'is approximately Oft, and the tallest man is Oft Gin' in height. ' He is the youngest, too, only twenty-two years of ago. They came in on August 17, and are now right in the thick of their, three months’ training. That is about the usual period they receive here, and one batch usually follows the other. • “ Only men of exceptional character are accepted for service/* continued the instructor. “ Unless a man is physically, morally, and mentally fit he is not taken, aticl even after he is brought to the depot, if something detrimental to his character is discovered, ho is remeted. Altogether about. 10 per cent, of the original applicants arc weeded out. After'the applications'are. sent in the characters of the men are investigated before they are called up. ■ Every place of employment from tho time they left school is inquired into, and nothing is left undone to see that the men finally accepted are the finest available.” IN THE LECTURE ROOM. All tho men are required to live on the premises, which comprise commodioijs and airy single bedrooms, a lecture room, a social room, kitchen, and gymnasium. ' From b o’clock to 7 o’clock each morning they are engaged in putting tho premises m order, which duty precedes an hour’s physical exercise and jiu-jitsu. Breakfast follows, after which tho men go to the lecture where they receive instruction and write notes on the various subjects taught. “ The principal thing to learn,” said Senior-sergeant Scott, “is law, and tho powers and duties of policemen, especially that knowledge which enables them to distinguish between cases where thov can arrest and those which can only bo dealt with on summons. In addition to law they get a thorough grounding In police regulations and matters effecting discipline, and also in first aid to the injured. They are put through a fairly stiff examination by a St. John Ambulance official, usually a doctor. Tho compilation of police reports is also dealt with, and they are taught how to draw plans of street accidents and instructed in court procedure, how to give evidence, etc.” _ Other subjects in which tho recruits receive complete instruction are general police. and detective work, tho identification of suspects,and the fingerprint system, squad drill, traffic control, and point duty, for which the system of signals is tho same as that_ in use throughout Australia, and swimming and life-saving. In the summer months they are taken to tho To Aro Baths, and in tho winter to the tepid

oatus. While the recruits arc in the depot they aro measured for and fitted with uniforms, and these have to bo tried on and passed before they aro accepted. The department supplies the uniforms, and in addition makes a “uniform and) boob ” allowance of £5 per year to each man. AN EXACTING ROUTINE. The ordinary training is carried on from 9 o’clock, to 5, with an interval from noon to 1 o’clock for lunch. Lectures aro given on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday/ add Thursday nights,: and on Friday nights the men have leave until 10 o’clock. Leave is also granted from 1 o’clock on Saturday afternoon, while special late leave until 11.30 on free nights may bo granted by the instructor. A church parade and inspection at 0.30 a.m. on Sundays is the only demand on the men’s time on those days. NOT AT FULL STRENGTH. During the war there was no recruiting, and the depot, which was built in 1909, was closed. After the war the ' force was so short-handed that it was i found .necessary to put bigger squads I into training than tho depot could ac-1 commodate, and the Alexandra Bar- I racks, with accommodation for fiftysix men, was used for training pur- , poses. Later, .however, when the force was brought up to its full strength, the depot was again occupied. An endeavor is. made by Senior-sergeant j Scott, who is sole instructor, to refresh the education of tho recruits, but in many cases this is not necessary. A great many of tho men who pass through the depot are very well educated, and two at least have been graduates of Cambridge University. One policeman, who is frequently seen on point duty, is a lawyer, and'in tho detective office there is a Bachelor of Science. The recruiting ago is between twentyon© and thirty, unless a man has had previous service in another Police Force, when the limit is forty. A minimum height of 6ft 9in, with a normal chest measurement of 38in, and at least a Fifth Standard education, are required before an application is considered.