SELECTING POLICEMEN.

North Otago Times, 3 February 1913, Page 4

SELECTING POLICEMEN.

■ £ I'er Press Association. Wellington, January 3l In coßEeijufnce of -tils arrest of a police constable for alleged breaVIng., entering, ami theft from diopa in the city a certain amount ol curiosity has( Wn aroused iu regard to -methods adopted ,'iby the department tor cusurin* that aj» plionnts for posi'tiens in .the polic» force are men. o; good character und antec&dents,. Questioned tla subject |iy a reporter Mr Cullsn, (kummissioncr of 'Police, stated .that Remmers, who was mow undergoing trial, came from ths police force ol the City cf London, a very select body, recruited only Irani the fcest branches of tha police service in Great Britain. The city authorities required a .high standard of character (rom applicants,' and memta of this force were 'better men phyBiciilly, socially a!nd eiueatylcliully than the London metropolitan or any otlwr county police in England. Remmers 'had ae'rwd three or lour years in this select force, tlieu he resigned, and on Icavijig was given a wry gocd character from the authorities. He came to New Zealand, ®nd applied for admission in the local foroe, The Department made inljuiry of the Louden authorities, and received a reply giving Remmers a very high character, and repeating the former excsltait eredentials. It also stated that his character and antecedents 'before joining the force in England were. thoroughly inquired into, and found to ba highly satisfactory. The Commissioner added tnat previous applicants had been refused positions becnuae their papers were doubtful or ctfhefwise unsatisfactory. However, in a lergfl 'body cf men it wap itfiposalbls to guarantee that qne should lutvt tlva high rtawtor Several LiverWol BoH«men, iHtUsrto 'having ex* '

lelient characters, had lately 'been Concerned 'in 'a series' of hutgiaries, rand, similar incidents -were, nob unknown- to Scotland' Yard, Before Reinmers joined the police force in England & was a cycle mech-aiic. He also studied at the Art School, 8o that his education, address, and' general fitiuss appeared to lie superior to the avesage,