POLICE AND PEOPLE
GUARDIANS OF THE QUEEN’S PEACE: The Development and Work of Britain’s Police, by George Howard; Odhams Press, through Whitcombe and Tombs; 15/-. NE of the momentous events in the modern history of Britain was Robert Peel’s establishment of an independent, competent and honest -police force in London. For the pattern given to that force was copied throughout Britain, and in the colonies, including New Zealand. The most important result of the experiment was that the policeman became the friend, and not the enemy, of the citizen, and has remained so. The reasons for this step (the appalling amount of crime in London = and ineffective countermeasures), the fierce and bitter opposition it. encountered, and how it suc-ceeded-all this forms the highlight in George Howard’s excellent history. Though no man’s life and property was safe, London argued that the powers Peel proposed to give his police would endanger the liberty of the citizen. The new force had so difficult a time at first that the margin of success must have been small. Wise and determined control and the courage of the men won through. The book goes on to trace the development of the force throughout Britain, down to the employment of women and today’s scientific methods of detection. Detective story fans should really not be surprised to learn that "contrary to popular belief the suaajority of murders are easily solved.’ The cne
disturbing feature in the police organisation is the shortage of recruits. Compared with yesterday, there are so many more openings for young men, and the curious reason given by an Irish recruit for joining in New Zealand, that it is "a clane, aisy job," does not seem to be popularly endorsed. The illustrations -_
are many and excellent.
A.
M.
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New Zealand Listener, Volume 29, Issue 751, 4 December 1953, Page 12
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293POLICE AND PEOPLE New Zealand Listener, Volume 29, Issue 751, 4 December 1953, Page 12
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Copyright in the work University Entrance by Janet Frame (credited as J.F., 22 March 1946, page 18), is owned by the Janet Frame Literary Trust. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise this article and make it available online as part of this digitised version of the New Zealand Listener. You can search, browse, and print this article for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from the Janet Frame Literary Trust for any other use.
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