SCOTLAND YARD’S WORK.

Manawatu Herald, Volume L, Issue 40040, 17 December 1929, Page 4

SCOTLAND YARD’S WORK.

ORIGIN AND HISTORY!

HOW DETECTIVES ARE “BORN”

All people are familiar with the expression “Scotland Yard has been called in,” and by it they understand that some of the best brains in the .world for criminal detection have been asked to help solve a mystery that has baffled the ordinary police. Less than a hundred years ago the Bow Street Runners were regarded as the experts in crime detection or “thief-taking,” while criminal investigation was also one of the duties of a constable. The two wobked in conjunction, the runners taking, the jewel robbers, leaving the murders to the constables. • When the runners ceased in 1839 there welre no regular detectives until 1842, says Mr. J. F. Moylan, the Receiver for the Metropolitan Police District, in his intesting book, “Scotland Yard and the Metropolitan Police,” in which he explains how Scotland Yard and the modern police system was established.

In 1842 occurred the .murder by Daniel Good, and the fact that he escaped arrest for some time led to criticism of the police. A reluctant Home Secretary was eventually persuaded to sanction, as a cautious experiment, the formation of a small detective branch —two inspectors and six sergeants—with an office at Scotland Yard. From the first the public showed a good deal of prejudiee against detectives, and it was .not until 1864' that tlietre was any increase in the permanent detective establishment.

Then came the bombshell —the great Scotland Yard scandal in 1877. Three of the! highest officers in the central office' were found guilty of conspiring with a gang of swindlers in the carrying out of fraudulent betting agencies. Following an inquiry extensive changes were made, and in 1878 the Criminal Investigation Department was created. From ‘this date exciting times have been the order of tire day.

In 1888 came the series of fien - dish murders in Whitechapel, popularly attributed to “Jack the Ripper.” Feeling ran high against Scotland Yard /and The C.I.D. for their failure to lay hands on this notorious murderer. Blit the public’s confidence -was restored by the successes in such cases as Neil Cream, the poisoner, and Millsom and Fowler, the Muswell Hill muruierers.

By steady achievement in the less advertised everyday business of thief-catching, the C.I.D. had, by the nineties, built up the worldwide reputation for efficiency in crime detection’ that is to-day unrivalled.* Mr. Moylan tells how a detective is “born.” “Bofh central and lo\cal detectives are recruited from the ranks of the uniformed constables, and every candidate for the detective branch must 'have done at least one year’s and not more than seven years’ duty in uniform. Subject to this condition any constable is eligible for the C.I.D 1 . He will he given a trial in plain clothes, and. if be acquits himself satisfactorily will be recommended ns a plain-clothes patrol, subject to passing a special educational examination.

“(Speaking generally, ' a 'C.I.D. case is one in Avhich the offence is serious enough .to be indictable—i.e., one for Avhich a person may be ''committed for trial. The. number of indictable offences■ reported to .the Metropolitan Pbliee has averaged between 15,000 and 16,000 a year since the Avar, and nearly all these Avoiild be investigated by the C.I.D. Thousands of cases are referred to <t lie C.I.D. for inquiry Avhich do not come before a court or are (even classified as a reported crime.”