DAY’S WORK

Greymouth Evening Star, 17 January 1928, Page 3

DAY’S WORK

OF LONDON DETECTIVE.

Although a detective’s normal tour of duty consists of eight hours daily, ’ he never knows what' the day has in ’ store for ifim when he begins work. ~ r He may have nq break,in the 24 hours , except, for meals (writes an “Ex-De-tective” in-the “Daily Mail”). ! The detective begins, the day at the ( detective office by becoming converI sant with wliftt has happened since . his last tour of duty; .“Informations,” ’ Scotland Yard’s 1 daily ‘ “newspaper,” ' contains, reports of'crimes up to the ’ previous evening, the' telegraph book . records the ‘night’s .iiripbrtant • m'es- ; sages, and tlie “police- Gazette,” pubJ lished weekly, prints the photographs \ and histories/bf suspects wapted main- . ly by the provincial police? The next move—-apart from Scotland Yard—-rests with the “D.D.1.” (divisional detective inspector)-. This officer is the senior detective of eachof the 23 divisions. On him rests the responsibility for the efficient working of his staff. word is law, and in times of stress he gives the signal for a brief cessation of work. He is in constant touch with? his subordinates. If cringe is slack “a detective-has a four-hours 5 break in the middle of his eight hours, and when he resumes duty in the evening.he.must.be prepared for the unexpected'happening in the night life of London. A crime may occur, a • person is . suspected, and the “D.D.l.’fe” “Go out and find him” means either an arrest or an anxious night of search. „ . ■' It is hot enough for a detective to know the. “crooks” of his district. Their habits, associates, and resorts must be an open book. to him, and the lawabiding citizen would be amazed were he allowed to.accompany the experienced detective, to tlie places he searches for a wanted,man.- Ways and means of his own tell him if ,he is close to his quarry. . y There are hundreds of people in every division who bear spotless reputations to everyone except the detective. The motto of “Open ears and a shut mouth” . brings the detective much. He knows the man who is a crook clever enough to keep clear of prison bars, but who prospers on crime. Receivers of stolen- property are hard to capture, but easy.to know. “ It is-the ambitioh of every detective . to capture a “good” man. “Good” men gain the title because of their criminal skill. Once I sent a receiver

to penal servitude. All my colleagues had known he was a crook for years, and it was my luck, to capture 'him when he stumbled.'' . An unsolved murder means sleepless nights for many detectives. All kinds of'clues flow into the police station, and every one must be probed to the bottom. A ration allowance is the only award for extended hours of duty. A detective is liable to be called from bed at any hour. The uniformed police are summoned to tlie scene of an important robbery or a murder case, but when anything comes under the heading “Crime” the Criminal Investigation Department take over the job. In a sudden emergency he may be sent to the provinces without warning. He may not see his’home for days or weeks. A colleague notifies his family. ‘ His colleagues at Scotland Yard work in squads under a chief inspector, and a great deal of their work is performed on behalf of the Director of Public Prosecutions. Complicated fraud cases and suspicious deaths mean many journeys to the provinces, Ireland, Scotland, and often to tlie Dominions. The fraudulent bankrupt is well looked after by Scotland Yard. City of London cases come within its ken, for although the City is outside (he Metropolitan area, the Bankruptcy Court is not. The wireless-equipped motor-vans of the Flying Squad are always ready for instant use. A flash to Scotland Yard from any police station ends a car’s roving and sends it Speeding to a fixed destination.