THE POLICE FORCE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20607, 4 July 1930, Page 12

THE POLICE FORCE.

The temporary appointment of the Under-Secretary of Justice to executive control of the police force is a perfectly legitimate means of gaining time for the consideration necessary to the permanent appointment. The arrangement should not, however, be indefinitely prolonged, as the doubling of roles inevitably involves a sacrifice of efficiency. Moderate delay in the decision will be excused if the Government finds difficulty in making a selection among the senior officers of the force, but there should be no hesitation as to the wisdom of such a choice in preference to the promotion to the rank of commissioner of anyone outside the force. The alternative would not have been considered but for suggestions that the Government is actually toying with the idea of using this vacancy to avoid the embarrassment that may arise in another direction. The importance of the position, however, does not permit either an experimental or a compromise appointment. The first consideration of the Government should be to select for the cominissionerslrip an officer who by training, experience and personal qualifications is best fitted to assume command of the police force, and very strong reasons would have to be discovered to justify passing over the present senior officers of (ho force. It may be assumed that those entitled to consideration have all had the necessary training in administrative duties and experience in the active service of police work undei Isow Zealand conditions, so that selection must lie based upon appraisement of special qualifications for the task that should be undertaken by the new commissioner. Briefly, it will be to restore the force to the standard of efficiency expected by the public and demanded by the functions entrusted to it. That can be accomplished only if the commissioner has the qualities that command respect from the rank and file and enable him to enforce discipline without friction. From the public point of view, it is imperative that the declension in the efficiency of the force should be arrested and measures taken to restore the traditional standard of zealous and constant devotion to its duties. For that task, there are officers in the force fully qualified and to ignore them would be an injustice to individuals and a sacrifice of public interests.