POLICE FORCE REINFORCED

Taranaki Daily News, 13 December 1926, Page 9

POLICE FORCE REINFORCED

TWENTY-FIVE MEN IN TRAINING. Twenty-five young giants are now undergoing their three months’ training for the police force at the central depot. Four weeks ago they began, and early in the new year a second batch of the same number will commence their course of instruction. Of the score now in training the average height is over 6ft. lin., and the average weight over 14st. These men are designed to augment the police force, and are the first of three batches. A few months ago the Commissioner of Police (Mr. W. B. Mcllveney) commented very strongly on the manner in which the police force was called upon to perform duties for other Government departments, and gave his opinion that it consisted of too few men. As the result of the report which he made to the Government on the subject, he was empowered to engage an extra 75 men. All of these officers will be added to the force within the next six months. However, it may be some time before the reinforcement is felt, since men are leaving the service for one reason or other every day, and the first draft will probably no more than fill some of the many gaps. The decision of the Auckland City Council to do its own work of traffic control also lias had the effect of adding to the strength of the northern force, 14 men being left free.