DETECTING CRIME

Taranaki Daily News, 26 August 1931, Page 6

DETECTING CRIME

SYSTEMS STUDIED ABROAD.

WIRELESS AND PATROL CARS. “Except in the use of patrol care, the New Zealand Police Force has nothing to learn abroad,” eaid Detective-Ser-geant P. Doyle, of Auckland, who returned by the Niagara on Monday after studying police methods in England and Australia. During hie stay in England Mr. Doyle attended the Birmingham Police School, which, he said, was the most up-to-date school of its kind in Europe, and Scotland Yard, where he examined the methods of the Criminal Investigation Department. The uec of wirelese in the detection of crime was the most interesting advance in police strategy in other countries, said Mr. Doyle, and of all places to observe its wbrking Melbourne, in his opinion, was tile best, its equipment being equal, -if not superior, to •that of London. A fleet of six fqbt cars was employed, each fitted with, a' wireless set which kept the car iii continuous communication with police headquarters. The Morse code was adopted, and an operator stood by liis set continuously. "‘When a robbery or other crime occurs a wireless message from headquarters to the nearest cruising car brings a force of police to the place in record time,” said Mr. Doyle. “The average time taken to reach the. scene of a robbery by this method is six minutes, ,jvhich makes the system in a large city certainly worth while. With the exception, however, of these improvements in police transport and communication, which are regarded abroad as very important factors in the deduction of crime, I am confident that the New Zealand police methods are as modern as those of Great Britain and Aus-: tralia.” .

Among the tutors at the Birmingham Police School were two University professors and a well-known barrister. Besides the study of police methods, such subjects as English and geography were taught, the 'object being to ; raise the general education of the police force. Mr. Doyle visited Dublin to see his father, who is 84 years of age. Ireland, he said, appeared to be very prosperous compared with other countries, and the people were happy and industrious.