POLICE REGULATIONS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 252, 14 March 1913, Page 6

POLICE REGULATIONS.

mi;. iiKiiini.w uki'liks to

CRITICISM

( 'll l'i-i ell Ui'cll. \ Veil n esda y. Soii.e leceiil critiri-ms nt new |mlice i"ii- "ere brought under the notice of I he 11 <m. A. 1.. ! i i' ri 1 iii;i i). M inister of -lii>tii-c and Attoriiey-liencral. by a I'rc-s represent;!) i\ e to-day. and I lie Minister liiiiili' I !:<• following statement: - - "It in mis-latin;; facts to Miy thai i: l( . new regulations mean promotion |, v cx:11!i;na; ion aad i:<■; ~j,p. and it is exaggeration to ,u««-l that the elementary tests of intelligence which regulations prescribe arc in the hast glee dillicult. A glance at tin- new rules will show t'!at aparl :i!touctllci' trom the elementary educational (jttali-li(-;ltions tin' following 111:1 Iters are to ' :,t ' taken into con-idcr.Hion when the advancement of members of the force i.s being considered— (a 1 Seniority of service; (h) good conduct; and (c) zeal and integrity in the discharge of police duties. l'lirtlier. each ollicer in charge of a district is bourn! to furnish to the Commissioner recommendations in favor of promotion of senior and oilier sergeants and constables in their districts who have passed the prescribed test, and who are considered eligible for promotion to higher rank. The rules point out clearly that a 111:111 may be well educated and well conducted, and yet, owing to want of energy and tact and etliciency in the discharge of his duties, he may not be placed in the higher rank where these (nullifications arc essential. The object of providing simple tests of elementary knowledge is to enalile those who are charged with the duty of seeing that, tlie people of Xew Zealand possess a highly efficient police force to discriminate between the man who is, incurably dull and the man who possesses norma] intelligence. Here let me say that some of the most efficient of' the modern I>ritish police forces require them to pass examinations more difficult than those prescribed by the Xew Zealand regulations. Modern conditions make this necessary. Communications- are constantly 1 icing received from all parts of the world, business is becoming more complex and difficult, and the duties of tke police officer of to-dav are varied and complicated. He must be able to understand communications received and lie must be able to answer them intelligently. He is sometimes •called upon to act as clerk of the Court. lie has to take down depositions, prepare ir,formations and keep books. His daily duties require him to have some knowledge of accounts. He lias to prepare reports for his superior oflicers and for probation officers. Tie must know something of the I'olii-e ( Ifl'ences .Act. the Licensing Act ami the Crimes Act. A policeman is. in fact, the handy-man of nearly every oilier Stale Deiiarfitient. lie helps to prepare briefs for his superior odiecr who prosecutes in the Police Court, and it may happen that in country districts lie conducts prosecutions himself. This being so. lie must 1 have some knowledge of tie elementary rules of evidence. He is sometimes Inspector of heights and Measures, sometimes cierk to the Licen.-ing liench. sometimes Inspector of Fact ories. lie is (lie important man of the country village, having to perform iniillifanous duties in addition to doing the mere police work 01 preserving order and the keeping of his station books and accounts. In Victoria and in South Australia the regulations prescribe examinations in police systems such as those of the London Metropolitan, Glasgow and Royal Irish Constabulary. Tests of elementary knowledge such as those contained in the Xew Zealand regulations are prescribed as a stepping stone to a higher rank. Those who wish to see the standard of the force of Xew Zealand..raise ll , vrlll favor the regulations, which prescribe simple examinations. Those who-wish to sec the force stagnant, and who believe that political pull and intrigue are legitimate means of securing advancement, will de- ' nounce them in the stronge-t terms. To achieve an intellegent police force the new regulations will be acceptable, and , if lie gives liis mind to his duty he will : stand the test of the examinations with- ; out the least difliculty to the man who is intelligent. To the dull if will prove a block, and this was deliberately intended by the authors 1 of the new rules. Since (he new rules have been gazetted f have personally inspected the Wellington. Cliristehurch. Dunedin. I'alniei'sloll Xorth ami Timaru stations, anil at each place \ have invited oflicers and men possessing any grievance lo see me and make iheir complaint. Strange to say. not a single member of the.force has complained of the regulations relating to examinations. If the men have complaints why don't they speak out? They have spoken about other matters, but not. about examinations. The detectives, according fo newspaper paragraphs, are displeased. Tiic\ have not said As a 111atier of fact, (hey have been too precipitate. Certain necessary alterations had to 1 stand over fill the Commissioner paid a visit to the southern stations. Vpon his return to Wellington the position of some of the detectives will be dealt with, and they will then see. I hope, that they, are receiving full ju-tice. Apart from a few isolated eases (he bulk of the force is well satisfied with the new rules. Some misapprehension appears to exist as to the position of clerks. The regulations provide that 110 man shall be allowed to remain at clerical duty for a longer period than, four years without •.'lie -pi ciai appr.e,a 1 .if !.i:e Commissioner. This rule is designed to enable a greater number of men in the force to gain experience of clerical duty. The rule v. lii.-h enables a man to sjay at clerical dutv indefinitely prevents other men from gaining clerical experience. It is lo be noted here that the allowance at present enjoyed by men doing clerical work is not ' being taken awac in the case of officers now doing clerical work and who have completed or are completing their term of four year;. In some cases the Connnis-ioni i' will exercise (he -pecial powers which the regnlaf ions give him. and men will remain where they are. 11l -other eases, for example in the case of married men. they will be giccn suitable country stations, where !hey will be able to learn general duties, Xo police clerk will be sent, to do street duty except for misconduct, or inability. The chief objects of the regulations, as I have said, i- to ensure that as many odicers as possible shall have 1111 opportunity of passing through a course of oll'iee'dut v. Reference has been made to* (he applications of Defective Kennedy and Thompson to be placed in charge of the Amberley ami Ttakaia stations respectively. The reason for these applications is not hard (o find. Certain valuable per<|nisitcs are attached to both these stations. fn llie ease of Amberley. for instance. Kennedy will be able lo earn over and above his ordinary pay about CI OO a year for performing various services as officer in charge of that station. T think (hat, I have now dealt with all the points raised. The police force of Xew Zealand is a good one and an efficient one, but. it can be made better still. I am anxious to remove all causes of discontent. but. at, the same lime, in (lie in-jere-is of (be country, T am bound to sec that discipline is maintained, and thai a proper spirit of duty prevails. , For ten years, to my knowledge, now regulations were asked for and promised.

Mr. Bishop, S.M., in the capacity as lloynl Commissioner. condemned the old regulations. Accordingly. within six months of the present (iovernment coming into power, new rules were completed and published. They would have ('ecu ready before had if not been for the continued absence of Commissioner '' ullen on duly at Wailii. They are framed with due regard to the best police regulations in existence, and when in full working order they will. T feel cerlain. do much towards making tlic New Zealand .police not only a contented bodr of men. but also one of the most intelligent and efficient forces in the Australasian colonic*/'