LONDON POLICE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23381, 24 June 1939, Page 12

LONDON POLICE

doubling of duties STRAIN ON SPECIAL BRANCH [from our own coimssroSPENT] LONDON, June 2 It is expected that the annual report of Sir Philip Game, Commissioner of Police, • which is to be published shortly, will refer to the severe stram placed on the Metropolitan Police at their present strergth and in pnrticulai on the special branch of Scotland Yard. Since the terrorist campaign of the Irish Republican Army began, the work of the special branch has been doubled. In the first few weeks the head of the branch, Chief Constable Canning, had to call for"assistance, and ho was lent the services of scores of men of the ordinary detective force. A number of these are still assisting him. In addition to this work there have been the extra duties imposed by tlio arrival of thousands of refugees, b.v the activities of Nazi organisations and by-the Visits of foreign statesmen. The arrangements for the Royal visit to Canada and the United States provided an additional task. Tlie establishment of the Metropolitan Police, including women police, is 19,478, but, according to the latest figures, the present strength is nearly 'SOO below this figure. Tlio strength of .the special branch was increased from ]OO to between 100 and 170 at about the time of King George Vl.'s Coronation two years ago.