POLICE FORCE

Northern Advocate, 21 August 1929, Page 5

POLICE FORCE

COMMISSIONER’S REPORT

GENERAL EFFICIENCY GOOD. CRIMINAL statistics. (From Our Parliamentary Special.) WELLINGTON, This Day. The activities of the Police Department during the year which ended on March 31 last are reviewed in the annual report of the Commissioner, Mr W. B. Mcllvcney. The number of permanent members of the force of all ranks is shown at 1146, an neroase of 41 during the year. The criminal .statistics show an aggregate net increase of 994 on the figures of 1927, and the proportion of offences to the popailation was 2.26 per -cent., as against 2,21 in the previous year. ; The number of offences reported during the year was 33,138 and the number of offences in which, arrests or summonses resulted was 30,622 —the proportion of arrests or summonses being 92.4, as against 92.7 for the preceding year. Serious offences notified during the year totalled 1415 and the arrests numbered 960. Indecent and sexual offences numbered 551.

There was a decrease of 283 in the number of prosecutions for drunken* ness during the year as compared with the previous year. The number charged with drunkenness in 1928 was 6601 (6298 males and 303 females), as against 6884 (6546 males and 338 females) in 1927. Of that number 35.5 per cent, of the males and 51.4 per cent, of the females had previous convictions against them and 3.6 per cent, of the males were not permanent residents of the Dominion. The number of prosecutions against hotel-keepers during the year shows an increase of year. There were 667 prosecutions resulting in 361 convictions during 1928, as against 509 prosecutions and 292 convictions in 1927. There were 37 prosecutions during the year for selling liquor without licenses, resulting in 36 convictions, and there were also 50 prosecutions resulting in 44 convictions for other offences against the provisions of the 'Licensing Act in force In no-license districts. The fines imposed on sly-grog sellers during the year 1928 amounted to £BB2. There were 319 prosecutions, resulting in 295 convictions, during the year under the Darning Act, against , 670 prosecutions and 576 convictions in 1927. Bookmaking prosecutions totalled 86 and there were 79 convictions, the fines imposed amounting to £2446 IQs.

Commissioner Mellvoney states that the general conduct of the members of the force during the past year has been most creditable. Comparatively few defaulters have had to be dealt with for breaches of discipline or misconduct, and the efficiency of the force had been well maintained. “The improvement in pay and service conditions,’ ’ says Mr Mellveney, “has attracted many young men of good education and excellent physique to the force, and the resultant improvement is as advantageous as it is noticeable. ‘ ‘Owing to the many demands for increased police protection throughout the Dominion the services of an additional 30 constables are necessary to meet present requirements.”