POLICE COMMISSION

Hokitika Guardian, 24 October 1928, Page 5

POLICE COMMISSION

(United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright).

(Received this day at 12.25. p.m.) LONDON, Oct. 23.

‘‘Tiie duty of a police officer dealing with a hostile witness is to elicit by every possible artifice the proofs he sought. Therefore it was difficult to avoid popular feeling that undue pressuer was applied,” deposed Wyndham Childs, Police Commissioner, when explaining i the methods of detection. He fascinatingly sketched police work in a hypothetical burglary, in which there were no clues, except the burglars technique, indicating it might be any one of ten suspects. Each were asked to account for their movements until one was unable to explain. While he was under examination u message might he telephoned that » handkerchief Had been found at the flat. The inspector* tells the suspect, watching his face. If the man does nob answer or says he should like to account for that handkerchief, the Inspector should caution him, because a statement may be confession. Childs expressed the opinion that police women were no use to tlie C.1.D., except for watching for the passing of cocaine, or in case of clairvoyants, when be was afraid they would be called provocateurs. lam not condemning women police generally, but, there is insufficient use for them on staff work. If the police wanted to borrow women to use at night clubs, they borrowed those not only looking the part, hut being the part. Childs intimated he would give further evidence thereon in camera. Childs declared that courtesy was one of the necessary tributes of a good officer. When promotion was considered, courtesy was one of the most essential points. If he was not courteous he is not promoted. Sir Frank: ‘‘l take it that the code of the C.I.D. is extremely high.” Childs: 11 That is my sincere belief. Unless an officer is proved honourable in every detail, he is not continued in the C.1.D.”