POLICE FORCE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 10 June 1935, Page 7

POLICE FORCE

BENEFITS OF SERVICE STILL SOME VACANCIES (By Telegraph—Press Association) WELLINGTON, Stli June. The advantages of service in the auxiliary police force, both to the reservist and to the community, were stressed by Mr W. G. Wohlmann, Commissioner of Police, in ail interview today. Mr Wohlmann said that enlistments were fairly satisfactory, but ’there were vacancies at each of the four centres for a few- more police reservists. So far only at Auckland, on the ‘occasion of the visit of the Duke of Gloucester had it been found necessary since the reserve was established to call up reservists for duty, and then only for two or three weeks.

The conditions of enlistment to the reserve were more liberal than for the regular force, as it was unnecessary to insist on the existing high standard of age, physique, and education demanded of the regular constable. Uniforms were provided free, also a course of training, which, while beneficial to the men, was so arranged as to impose the minimum of interference with their civilian avocations or leisure. So far therefore, the advantages enjoyed by reservists were, an easily-earned supplement to their civilian pay, a course of useful training, a minimum of irksome conditions, and the satisfaction naturally experienced by. good men who performed an honourable, worthy, and helpful public service. There was also the additional benefit of an authoritative hallmark of good character, loyalty, and trustworthiness,. which should stand them in good stead in their civilian activities, particularly when seeking employment. Apart from the benefits to the State and also to reservists individually; Mr Wohlmann continued, it was expected that employers would value and readily avail themselves of the services of police reservists, whereby they were assured of the integrity and. trustworthiness of their .employees and the sense of security to their interests which the presence of such men in their service must necessarily create. There was doubtless, also, satisfaction in the knowledge that they were, by employing reservists, helping an organisation designed to benefit in a very material way the business life of their city by the assurance of peace and good order in the community, and the normal flow of trade and commerce which they knew from sad experience was so sensitive to public disorder or violence.

Mr Wohlmann added that to those desirous of joining the regular Police Force the reserve offered the advantage of preference of selection, as the Department gave preferential consideration to reservists in the four centres when vacancies in the regular force occurred.