WOMEN AS DETECTIVES

Hokitika Guardian, 17 January 1929, Page 8

WOMEN AS DETECTIVES

PRAISED HY POLICE CHIEF: LONDON, November 20. The Royal 'Commission on Police Powers and Procedure met again yesterday at Cuxton House, Westminister. Viscount Lee of Fnrehnm, the chairman. announced that Air J. 'l'. Brownlie ,a member of the Commission, had broken hi.s ankle and would be unable to sit for some time. Lord Lee asked Air W. Trubshaw, Chief Constable of Lancashire, whether it was the practice to arrest a man on one charge to he free to question him on a more serious one. Air Trubshaw: Ido not know whether it is the practice, but I should raise no objection to it. Lord Lee: A r ou think it is sometimes a convenience to the police to have a man in their hands to examine him about another crime?—T would say it is their duty. AVO.AI.AN DETECTIVES. Air Trubshaw said there was a larger proportion of women police in his force than in any other. He had not put any of them into uniform, and they did patrol duty only occasionally. AVomcn were employed in the C.I.D. o.n clerical duties and were trained as detectives. They wore also used to make inquiries and were sometimes sent into parks and open spaces. In offences afininst women and children they were always employed. The women were rccruitcd from the families of serving or past, members of the force. “I have found them most useful and f would not like to lie without them.” said Air Truhsliaw. “GUTTER CRAWLERS.” Air Trubshaw said that crime increased after the war. and he could do with more men to cope with the increased duties thrown oil the police, hut he would not allow A.A. ‘•emits to deal with traffic control. With a policeman ■n point duty the public always kne-v ■vlicre a policeman could be found. Lord Lee: Do you mean he would ! eave his point?—A’es. If you took away a policeman on duty at PiccadiHy-circus the whole traffic in the West End would come to n standstill until lip returned.—T am dad we have not got Piecadilly-eircus in Lancashire. Air Trubshaw said lie thought additional legislation was necessary to deal with “gutter crawlers”- motorists who •drove slowly through streets and •ountry lanes to induce women to go or a ride. POLICE AND CAUTIONING. Air J. AVellesley Orr, the Manchester stipendiary magistrate, said that in many eases a statement was edited by the officer taking it—unconsciously it might he—to obtain lucidity. Ho was inclined to think that some officers regarded cautioning as a somewhat in-, explicable and embarrassing formality. Lord Leo: It cramps their style, so to speak?—'Flint is my view. I cannot blame them. Air Or,r said lie thought prisoners should write their own statement. If they were too illiterate it should lie taken down as nearly verjmtin as possible. hut no questions should be put by the police. He suggested that interrogations and statements should be recorded by dictaphones and the record stamped with the accused person’s finger-punt. Lord Leo : T think it would ho more likely to cause an inexperienced person to dry up. WOMEN'S PLEA FOR WOMEN. Aliss Alary 8 Allen, Commandant of me Woman's Auxiliary Service, said she thought that trained policewomen should in all cases take statements from women suspects or witnesses. Any oilier person required in the room should also lie a policewoman. Lord Loo: Do von suggest that the interests of a woman suspected of forgery would lie effected by her being questioned by a male officer?— I think when the principal is once established a woman should be the interrogator in whatever case it was. It is really to find something for the policewoman to do?—lt is not as simple as that. If any questions were to arise making it necessary to go into details of the woman’s life, then she would hr in the position of being interrogated by a woman. Von believe that women have the qualities which would make them good detectives if they had the proper training ?A r es. The Commision adjourned until today.