The Argus at KellyGang 26/7/1882 (4)
Royal Commission - Insp Secretan examined
Referring to the evidence given before the commission by Superintendent Winch, as reported in The Argus on the 6th inst, he said nothing could be more unreasonable than the suggestions Mr Winch offered for amalgamating the two branches, and placing the detectives at the Russell street barracks. He differed entirely from that officer as to the cause of any antagonism that exists between the two branches, and he gave an instance to show that it was entirely different to that alleged. Mr Winch was offered the position of superintendent in charge of the detectives when Mr Nicolson left that branch, but he declined it on the ground that the pay was not sufficient. This occurred when Mr Winch was stationed in charge of the Castlemaine district in 1869. He did not then recommend amalgamation but on his removal to the charge of the metropolitan district in 1873, one of his first efforts was to obtain charge of the detective department, as it would, of course, have given him an addition of £100 a year to his pay.
In this he failed, and ever since there had grown up a strained and unpleasant feeling between the men of each department. This had in a great measure been caused by the plain clothes police being allowed to interfere in criminal matters where they had no right whatever to do so. It was difficult to see in what way the plain clothes police system had worked so well in Melbourne proper. There appeared to be the same number of improperly conducted licensed hotels, the same number of disorderly brothels, and the same number of prostitutes roaming about the streets, and the same Sunday trading and larrikinism as usual. Referring to the hotels, it was nonsense to place all the responsibility on the licensing bench.
If the police always produced proper and clear evidence, there would not be so many half brothel hotels as there are, and no receivers of stolen property licensees. A good deal had been said about the detectives spending a lot of time in trivial inquiries, but although he had frequently tried to relieve them of that duty, Captain Standish and Mr Nicolson, when chief commissioners, refused to allow such duty to be transferred to the plain clothes police, on the ground that it was always done more expeditiously and satisfactorily by the detectives. Bad judgment had been shown, in his opinion, in selecting the plain clothes men. He was satisfied that there were many much more eligible men for the duty than those at present employed. There was no ill feeling between the two branches when Superintendent Ximenes had charge of the police in the city, and it had been occasioned solely by the personal ambition of Mr Winch, who displayed a total ignorance of the subject in his evidence on the detectives. He had practically no experience, and the plain clothes police were neither a credit to Mr Winch's administration nor to that of the general service. The duties of the detectives were wholly different to those of the general police, and required so much more caution, secrecy, tact, superior intelligence, and long training, that he could not see how any amalgamation would be beneficial to the public. He spoke from an experience of 23 years service.
With regard to the administration of the general police, Inspector Secretan thought there should be one commissioner at £900 a year, and two inspecting superintendents at £500 a year each, with a travelling allowance of 20a per diem. The two latter should be continually inspecting the various police stations in the colony at irregular and unexpected times, and they should report monthly, or oftener if necessary direct to the commissioner. The commissioner should himself occasionally visit and inspect some of the more important stations in the colony, and during his absence one of the inspecting superintendents should take his place. The police districts should be reduced in size, and placed in charge of a junior officer, which would do away with the present objectionable system of police clerks being placed in charge during the absence of the superintendent from his head quarters.
All serious complaints against officers and men should be dealt with by the commissioner and two superintendents, who should be constituted a board for the purpose. He thought, taking the standard of education he advocated, that the police service should be officered from the ranks, but character and efficiency should take precedence as against seniority alone or any other combination. This would encourage every man with any ambition to qualify himself for the position of officer, and would undoubtedly tend to raise the status of the whole service. He did not think the cadet system had proved a great success, for, with a few exceptions, officers who had risen from the ranks would compare favourably as to ability and character with those appointed from that source. He suggested four ranks in the police, viz, constable, second class sergeant, first-class sergeant, and senior sergeant, and they should receive 7s. 6d., 9s 6d, 10s 6d, and 11s, 6d per day respectively. This position should not be obtainable by men under 15 or 20 years' service. The present pay of 6s. 6d, per day was not sufficient for recruits.
Inspector Secretan will probably continue his evidence this morning.
end
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