Police Commissioner Has Serious Responsibilities.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19116, 8 July 1930, Page 4

Police Commissioner Has Serious Responsibilities.

REORGANISATION NEEDED IF FORCE IS TO GAIN RESPECT NECESSARY TO WORK. (Contributed.) WHOEVER takes over the Police Commissionership will have a hard job in front of him. The whole police system is antiquated and in need of reorganisation. It has hardly been changed since the early days of the colony, and what it needs now is not so much a man who understands the routine of police and court work, as a business manager—a man, not hidebound by tradition, but with modem, go-ahead ideas.

At present the department, through no fault of its ovm, is not regarded with anything like the respect it should be, and its officers are looked upon as men who are successful only when the element of luck is introduced. Vet there are just as clever policemen in this country as there are anywhere in the world. They do not show up because, on the whole, they do not command respect. The officer of New Scotland Yard, like the officer of the Canadian North West Mounted Police, is renowned because “He always gets his man.” The New Zealand Police Force has no such tradition, and until one is built up, its officers will be at a disadvantage. More Publicity.

The public learns to admire and respect its police by observing the physique and personal appearance of its uniformed men. on the beat, and by seeing the cleverness of its detec tives advertised in the newspapers. The men themselves feel no pride in their present uniforms—particularly their shakos—and, as was pointed out in an article in the “Star” last week, physical fitness is not encouraged. As for the other, the present policy is a “hushhush’* one. The public see the work of its detectives only in the cases presented at court, and then it is stripped of all its glamour. The recent record of the local office is a very creditable one, yet it has gained nothing from the average citizen, except a grudging, "Well, it's about time.” The First Step.

The first step in the required direction should be the re-organisation of the force with two distinct departments, uniformed and plain-clothed. The two need not be entirely separated, but they should not be as much interwoven as they are at present. The attractive side of police work lies in the detective department, and most of those who join up as young men have longings in that direction. They may get there inside twelve months, or it may be many years before they get a chance. It is mainly a matter of luck. Make it Attractive.

The object should be to make the job more attractive, to encourage well educated, enthusiastic young men to join, with a definite plan under which all I will get their chance. Those showing i most promise should be given special I scientific training, and after a short period of uniformed duty should be drafted into the detective office. The words “well educated" are not used in any sense as derogatory to the men, who have not that advantage, but it is to the good of the service that its • publicity” officers should have a good education. They have to mix with all classes, and it is to the benefit of their , work that they should do so on an equal looting. Improve Conditions. The next thing would be to improve j conditions inside. It has been suggested ; that there should be a different grading ! system for the detectives than for the uniformed men. The detective ranks

higher in the public estimation than the “foot-slogging” constable, yet under the present system he ranks no higher. When he is first singled out for promotion to the detective branch—it is regarded as promotion—he goes there on six months’ trial. At the end of that time, if his report is satisfactory he is made an acting-detective, for a period of two years. At the end of that time, again if the report of his chief is satisfactory, he is made a detective. He has been promoted three times and has proved himself an efficient officer, yet at the end of it he is still only a constable in rank, and draws the pay of one. with the addition only of a clothing allowance. An Anomaly. A serious .anomaly with the present system is that when a man is due for promotion—it is not given as a reward, but on seniority—he has usually to go 5 back to the uniformed branch. This j has little to recommend it, and is .in many ways ridiculous. For instance, a man after many years of service in the detective force may be made a ser geant and given charge of a suburban or country station. Some crime hap pens in his district which calls for in* | vestigation by’ the detective office. The sergeant has to look on whilst, possibly, a constable, on trial in the detective branch, undertakes the case. This is a frequent happening. Hours Too Long. - Another matter which calls for attention is the hours worked by the detectives. This was the subject of a question asked by Mr D. G. Sullivan in the House recently, and is a very serious matter. Scientific tests have proved, over and over again, that a 1 man works efficiently only for a cer- ‘ tain number of hours each day. Yet the detectives are called on to work any number of hours, with only two nights and no half-day off each week. This is a matter which can be rectified only by increasing the staffs in the various centres. The Uniformed Men. There are many matters on the uniformed side which call for attention. Here the work is of a routine order, but a lot could be done to increase the Department's efficiency. At present the men are called on to do all sorts of work which, rightly, should be done j by officers employed by other Govern--1 ment departments. This not only prevents the men from doing their own j specialised work, but is a source of complaint by the general public, particularly applicants for pensions, who, naturally, do not like uniformed policemen making inquiries into their characters and habits. There are, too, purely local matters, which need special attention. Bicycle thefts, for instance, are one of the main things with which the local .policeman has to deal, and there should be a special department devoted to this work, instead of the watch-house keepers having to add it to their numerous other duties. © HI ID iU HI ID S) m SI HI ®SJ tu ® ID 13© ©S ©