SCOTLAND YARD

Hokitika Guardian, 25 September 1931, Page 2

SCOTLAND YARD

STORY OF ITS GROWTH. an Efficient force. POLICE AND PUBLIC. Scotland Yard got its name because it was once the site of a palace for the reception of the Kings and Queens of Scotland when they visited the English Court. The last royal occupant was Queen Margaret, sister of Henry VIII, and widow of King James I of Scotland, who was killed at Flodden. The palace was eventually absorbed in the palace of Whitehall, but the police office begin as Whitehall Place and become Scotland Yard. Forty years ago it became New Scotland Yard, but the later adjective has dropped out of general use. As in the case of the headquarters of the metropolitan police, a change of meaning also attaches to the word ‘‘police.” It came from France about the beginning of the eighteenth century, and had reference to the general arrangements for good rule and government, and, in particular, to lighting and scavenging. To Macaulay the word ‘‘pokce’’ conveyed the idea of lamps, and to Disraeli it xvas associated with street cleansing. The name “constable" comes down the centuries from the "comes •stabuli,” the master of the horse of the Eastern Roman Emperors, and was brought to England by the Normans, One of the moat interesting records of t-he development of Soctjand Yard is the x-olume published by Mr J, F. Moylan, C.B. C.B.E. receiver for the metropolitan police district and metropolitan police courts. It is at once an historical compendium and a discriminating judgment on the proper functions ot the police and their relationship to the Government and the public. Questions which exercise the minds of all free and progressive democracies are handled in these pages with a wisdom due largely t 0 practical experience and a national outlook.

PEEL’S FORCE. In 1814 Peel set up a committee which he hoped would result "in obtaining for the metropolis as perfect a system of police as was consistent with the character of a free country.” The committee reported that what Peel sought could not be secured, but the Great Commoner wrote in 1829 to the i,l)uke of Wellington that lib idea to "teach people that liberty .!•■<■ nil vi:■ Ist in having your house robbed by organised gangs of "thieves.” In that yf-it his new police appeared in all the glory of blue tail coats and top hats, and were greeted by the people as "the blue army,” ‘•the blue devils,” and similar choice epithets. These were in time toned down to “the bobby,” “the peeler,” “the copper.” There have been 11 commissioners of police of the metropolis in 100 years, and all but three have been soldiers, and during the century, nearly 120,000 men have passed through ita ranks.. Sir Richard Alayne, one of the two first commissioners, described the functions of the police in language which it has ever been necessary to alter. “The primary object of an efficient police is the prevention of crime ; the next, that of detection and punishment of offenders, if crime is committed.” He also laid it doxvn that the absence of crime would alone prove whether the objects for which the police were appointed had been attained. Sir Edmund Henderson, commissioner 1869-86, had nearly 20 years’ experience of criminals as Controller of Convicts in Western Australia. A commissioner has the delicate task of holding the scales betxveen police and public. A recent Royal Commission reported that it would be ’inimical to the public interest to limit appointments to the higher posts of those who had entered the police as constables.

4 BRAINS AND BRAWN. •- In 1830 the strength of the London Police Force was 3350, and in 1929 this had grown to about 19,300. The force started with a ratio of one policeman to every 450 population; in 1921 it was 1 to 386, and in 1029 was about 1 for 400. The total number was 15,000. The difficulty is to get policemen with both barjns and brawn. The candidates selected in 1927 were 22 per cent, motor mechanics, clerks 14 per cent., and skilled and semi-skilled workers also 14 per cent. The matter of discipline is important,

and offences average about 500 or 600 a year in a force of 20,000 men. Ihe general standard of conduct has improved out of all knowledge, chiefly owing to greater sobriety and the weeding out oi unsuitable candidates. A recent institution at Scotland Yard is the press bureau, a liaison office between the police and the press. The press applies to the bureau for accurate information, and the commissioner can ask the press to publish or refrain from publishing information.

All promotions in the force are by selection and examination, and are made by the commissioner. There are 3700 posts above, the tank of constable, and if an officer is capable and has a good record his promotion is rapid 'after the first five years.

As to detectives, Sir William Harcourt laid it down that "the police ought not to set traps for the people,” but Air iMoylan points out that for the police to ignore defiance of the law because it is committed behind doors would obviously be impossible. Public opinion would not tolerate a “do nothing” policy merely because of some technical objection to subterfuge. A recent Royal Commission found that there was no evidence of any practice of initiating offences to entrap persons into breaking the law. The old prejudice against the detective has almost entirely disappeared. As to the “third degree,” in the sense of using physical force tq secure confession, the Royal Commission reports that it does not exist, and would not be tolerated by the police themselves.

FINGER PRINTS. Scotland Yard has a finger-print bureau which has had extraordinary success. Since its establishment and up to the end of 1928 over 286,000 identifications hart been effected. The method is both sure and speedy, In South America finger prints are used on passports in addition to photographs. If an arrested person is proved to be innocent and is not hi registered criminal, his prints are destroyed, and he leaves with a clean sheet as far as Scotland Yard is concerned. Galton showed that the chances for two persons having identical fingerprints were about one in 64,000,000,000. Scotland Yard has a collection of more than 500,000 finger-prints. It is a gross mistake to suppose that the police are the enemies of released prisoners. On the contrary, they are often their best friends.

It is a 1 i ttic surprising to learn that I London has only about 300 mounted police. During the Thames floods in 1928 they rescued animals and persons who would otherwise have been drowned. 'Woman constables now number about 50, and will probably become a larger body. The policeman is the keeper of the street, and takes considerable risks. About 2500 a! year, or over 12 per cent, of the force, have been injured on duty. The total net cost of the metropolitan police, including pensioners, /was in 1928-29 no less than £7,200,000 a year, equal to a rate of 2s in the pound. Half the cost is "borne by the State and half by the ratepayers, In 1918-19 the pay of policemen increased by 200 per cent., and new allowances for rent were granted. A sergeant gets £6 a week, an inspector £9 13s, and a superintendent £7OO a year. A constable costs in all about £320 a year. The cost of policing Piccadilly Circus is £10,400 per annum. A constable’s pension is £165 a year. .About 70 per cent, retire on completing 25 years’ service, the average age of retirement being 47 and the average life as pensioners about 20 years, Metropolitan police pensions cost £1,300,000 annually.

HELD IN ESTEEM. A French handbook recently published refers to the mistrust and enm'ity with which the police are regarded. It is not so in England. There the police enjoy a very high measure of public trust and esteem. A policeman is a. citizen acting on behalf of his fellow-citizens, and rendering service of the • highest value. There always have been, and always will be, complaints of the inefficiency of the force, for nothing human is perfect, but goodwill and appreciation of the police is not rare in England. “Where’s the pelisse?’’ cried Mrs Gamp. “If they greased their wh’skers less and minded the duties which they’re paid so heavy for a little more, no one needn’t be drove mad for scrouding so.” We all grumble like Mrs Gamp when a policeman is not on hand, but in normal circumstances we admit their worth. Sir (Robert Reel would rejoice were he to visit the organisation he created a century ago.