RE POLICE ADMINISTRATION

New Zealand Times, Volume XL, Issue 9093, 12 July 1915, Page 4

RE POLICE ADMINISTRATION

To tho Editor "N.Z. Times." Sir,—Now that Parliament is sitting I would like to bring under tho notice of the Hon. A. L. ll.erdman, AttorneyGeneral, certain matters relating to the administration, of tho police, wliieh, it sterns to mo, require remedying. The Mon. A. L. Herdman, with, no doubt, a genuine desire to inewato the efficiency of tho police force, passed in 1913, tho Police Porco Act, one of the main objects of which was to make promotion dependent upon examination. But. in. passing this Act safeguards have not been made for those members ol tho force who have devoted the better part of their lives in tho service. Under the Police Force Regulations. May 10th. 1913, all persons below the rank of sub-inspector must pass an examination before they are entitled to promotion. These examinations, which are not confined to law subjects, have, in certain cases, almost reached -a junior Civil Service standard and one can quite appreciate tho difficulty of a man trying to pass, who joined the service say 20 years ago, having then received a third or fourth standard—at that period a good education. Take tho position of a sergeant, who has been in the force for 20 years, and has shown marked ability. He now finds himself debarred from promotion unless he can pass an, examination, (inter alia) in mathematics or geography. It seems to me that nothing more cruel could 1 perpetrated on a man who- has given of his best to the Government of the country, and is a zealous and efficient officer. On joining the force he passed tho then requirements as to education, etc., and now when 40 or 50 years of ago, and worthy of promotion, : he finds an insurmountable barrier placed before him in the form of examinations. I think the Government has. been guilty of a broach of faith with the, , older members of the force, afid the injustice should bo remedied as soon as possible. But tho hardship docs not end there. Aocording to the regulations, a candidate is allowed to sit only three times for an examination, and In. the event of his” not having passed after three attempts, ho cannot sit again. I know from my own knowledge that there are certain members of the police force, amongst others, senior sergeants—men who aro a credit to the police force, and who have attained this high position in tho service through efficiency and ability—who have sat twice for the examinations and failed each time, and they dare not sit again in view of this provision in the regulations, as they

dread the result of a failure for the third time.

Another matter than requires tho attention of the Minister is tho right of appeal. Sections Hi and 17 of the Polite Force Act, 1913, apply to appeals in respect of charges or misconduct, insubordination or other breaches of conduct by constables and sergeants, and iu the event oi( the mutter being decided against the constable or sergeant, as the ease may be, the person found guilty has tho right of appeal to a board to lie appointed by the Minister, but it will bo noticed that tho appeal is strictly confined to matters of misconduct, etc. After tho inquiry the Board of Appeal have to make a full report thereon to tho Minister, who may thereupon make such order in the matter ns in his discretion he thinks fit. Section 25 also deals with appeals and provides that tho Minister may appoint a Committee of Inquiry, consisting of commissioned officers of the force, for the purpose of investigating and reporting to tho Commissioner on tho claim of any member of tho force, with respect to their promotion. pay, clothing, cr leave of absence |or any other matter connected with tho force.

Upon reading tho word "promotion” ono might conclude that a member, dissatisfied with his rat© of promotion, might have a Committee of Inquiry set up to inquire into the same, but any good this section might be to the older members of the force is nullified by rule 413 of the regulations, which ie "No man, who has not passer! an examination shall bo recommended to promotion.” Thus, it is a condition precedent to the promotion that tho ap 'plicant must pass the prescribed examination. Again, there is no appeal under this section, and there seems to he no provision giving the Committee of Inquiry full power to deal with the matter as it thinks just, but the matter is again within, the entire discretion! of tho Minister for Justice. Even those members of the force who have passed the necessary or prescribed examinations have no right to have their claims to promotion investigated until the Minis ter appoints a committee for that purpose. Surely these matters arw so vital to tho interests of the force that every member should bo entitled as of right to have at any time or at certain fixed periods any grievances iu this respect, investigated before ‘ an .impartial tribunal instead of having to wait the pleasure of tho Minister to appoint a Committee of Inquiry. In conclusion, I would suggest that the Hon, A. E. Herdman amend the regulations in respect of examinations end exempt all members who have been in tho force say 10 to 15 years or who have reached the rank of sergeant; and that an impartial appeal board be set up, so that members of tho Polios Force, whose efficiency and ability are beyond question, may bo permitted to qualify for higher positions to which they are eminently entitled. —I am, etc., J.F.W.D.