POLICE METHODS

Hokitika Guardian, 29 November 1933, Page 3

POLICE METHODS

REPLY TO CRITICISM

HIGH PERCENTAGE OF; ARRESTS

WELLINGTON, November 27

- A reply .. to the criticism of police, methods in New Zealand, made, by Mi§s G. E. Baughan at the- annual meeting .of tae Christchurch branch of the Howard League for -Peual. Reform was given by the Commissioner ot Police, Mr AY. G. AA 7 ohlmann, in au interview to-day. Miss Baughan advocated the establishment of a criminal- investigation department the. use, of dogs to assist in the detection of---crime, as well as criticisng the police force generally. ‘•‘The of ,'crime, in ‘New Zealand do not bear out the criticism of the New Zealand Police;;'Force;”’'• the commissioner said. ~‘.‘The: - .perceil-1 tage. of, arrests to reported.' last year wasso.49;.per cent; .C.lt would; be interesting to. learn'of-.-a force with a. higher percentage. Regarding the two recent murder cases to which she refers,....would it not be wise, and perhaps even fair, first to await evidence of failure before pronouncing judgment?

“Apropos of a criminal investigation department,” the commissioner continued, “the trial of many important cases of crime ill this Dominion lias disclosed detective work of a quality sufficiently high to draw favourable : commont from even the highly organised force, which has been referred to as : a/pattern. This comment lias come : from men who. know.” ; I- ARRESTS FOR MURDERS..

S >Th regard to undetected murders Mi* ■ '\%fhlmann said that last year 15 murders were committed, and -13 arrests w£he made. Tim other. twq ; were the casting away of infants, am extremely difficult crime to detect. The commissioner admitted that it. would be helpful to have high powerful motorcar and wireless .sets' as they did in other countries, and .if another £20,000 a year as giyen to the police, it might be possible to do something in that direction, but what would the taxpayer say about it? he asked. There were features in New Zealand crime which had to be considered. Miss Baugh'an was. -placing the Dominion on the same' footing as countries with populations vastly larger. It should also be remembered that New Zealand did not have to deal with the international criminal and even the Australian criminal was .'pot a. menace here. As to the use of dogs, the commissioner said that a pair’of blood hounds only of a suitable type wouid cost £IOOO, in addition to that there was upkeep and the expense of a trainer. He said that ■there was insufficient scope to warrant "tlie carrying out of tlie suggestions made by Miss Baughan.