THE POLICE FORCE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19459, 15 October 1926, Page 10

THE POLICE FORCE.

A complete catalogue of the burglaries that have been committed in New Zealand during the last three months would be alarming in its dimensions, both as to the number of such crimes and the value of the property involved. Even a list of those publicly reported is sufficiently formidable, and it is far from complete, since the official policy is to withhold information regarding them from the public. No useful purpose can be served by this secrecy; the burglars in every instance must be aware that the first step upon discovery of their depredations is to appeal to the police, and since the latter conceal the facts, other owners of property are hot adequately or promptly warned of the need for special care. A graver weakness lies at the root of this condition. It is revealed in a statement by the Minister in charge of the force last session. Members had protested thUt the police were overladen with "an enormous multiplicity" of duties. Mr. Rolleston agreed. "Every department," he said, ''looks to the police to do its work for it. We are now understaffed. The work is now getting beyond the capacity of the present force." Those were serious, disturbing admissions. The Minister added that Cabinet had authorised the employment of 25 more men which, he hoped, would give "some relief." But that was only half the number fl.sked for by the commissioner as provision for "the more urgent contingencies," and less than one-third of the number for which the district officers requisitioned. Year after year, the superior officers have asked for additional strength; as often, their needs have been only partly supplied. The Government has allowed other departments to nail upon the police to discharge all sorts of extraneous duties, so that it has neither the time nor the men to do the work for which its members are specially trained. Thus short-handed, it i§ not surprising that the force should seem to be losing its grib ufJon the potential criminal element. With sufficient personnel for its proper functions, the police would be able to maintain a more vigilant patrol, and burglaries in the leading business streets of Auckland and other cities would be virtually impossible. As it is, premises arc entered and their stocks raided with a degree of effrontery and of immunity from detection that suggests on the part of the burglars more confidence in their security from interruption than citizens can feel in their protection from injury. "Some relief" having been given by the engagement of one-third of the required number of police, further strengthening of the force should be afforded by the release of constables hitherto engaged on traffic point duty. Even then, it is doubtful whether the force will have sufficient strength to cope with its task of protecting life and property. The whole position should be reviewed, and either sufficient provision made to satisfy the requirements of the district officers—who are better judges than either the commissioner or thp Cabinet—or so many of the extraneous duties restored to their proper departments that the existing force will be able to do its work with its traditional efficiency*'