CRIME DETECTION

Evening Star, Issue 22336, 12 May 1936, Page 14

CRIME DETECTION

%.Z. OFFICERS AT SCOTLAND YARD FIRST FRUITS OF MEW TRAINING SCHEME [Pxn United Press Association.] AUCKLAND, May 11. Valuable acquaintance with tho organisation and methods of crime detection in England has been made by Detective H. C. March, of Auckland, who returned by the Monowai from Sydney after completing a course of study iu London. Detective Miirch and Detective W. M'Lciuian, of Wellington, were the first two Dominion officers to go to London ior training under the now scheme announced last September. They loft New Zealand in November. Eight weeks were spent by the two officers at the Metropolitan Police College at Hendon, where they first attended for a six weeks’ course for Criminal Investigation Department officers. Detective March said this was followed by another course which lasted a week, 'and was principally for provincial officers. Subsequently they wore attached to Scotland Yard for a short period, ami wore then stationed at various divisional headquarters. While undergoing training at Hendon the officers heard lectures by many eminent specialists in various branches of science. The subjects covered included Jaw and all branches of criminal investigation, the lectures being particularlv valuable because of the demonstrations given and the many slides displayed. The instructors arranged different demonstrations, including lifelike representations of homicide and house-breaking scenes;. The mvstcrics of Scotland Yard were revealed'to the visiting detectives, who saw the famous flying squads in action, and also wont through tho Criminal Registration Branch, the Fingerprint Department, the Photographic Department, and tho Criminal Investigation Department. They visited the Peel House Training School for the metropolitan police, ami were also at Imber Court, where the horses arc trained for the mounted officers. “ The police organisation is very complete, and yet is still being improved,” Detective Miirch said. There were 22.000 uniform and C.T.D. men in London, all controlled from Scotland Yard, and this did not include tho City of London police. “ The high-powered cars used by the wireless patrols are continually being changed as they arc flogged to death,” Detective Murch continued. Each car did 16 hours’ running each day, and there were enough in use to make possible the patrolling of London by fast, specially-manned machines for 24 hours a day. The wireless patrols wore controlled from the information room at Scotland' Yard, from whore urgent messages were sent in code to the cars, each of which was manned by a driver, a detective sergeant, a plain clothes officer. and n wireless operator. Some of tho finest drivers in tho world were employed on the patrols, and the fastest cars obtainable were used.