The Argus at KellyGang 31/3/1883
The Police Commission have drawn up their report upon the working and administration of the police force, and the document which is voluminous will probably be presented to His Excellency the Governor about the 10th prox. The report recommends that the force should be placed under the administration of three commissioners consisting of the present chief commissioner and two officers holding the rank of superintendents, the three to be placed on an equal footing. They consider that Inspector Secretan and Detectives O'Callaghan and Duncan should not, in the interests of the service, be longer continued in the force, and they practically recommend the dismissal of those officers. A precis of the recommendations of the commissioners will be found in another column.
POLICE COMMISSION
The Royal Commission appointed to inquire into the working and administration of the police force have practically completed their labours, and their report will probably be presented to His Excellency the Governor on Tuesday, the 10th prox. The report will be of a voluminous character, owing to the large amount of evidence that has been taken during the inquiry, and will contain a number of important recommendations for the re-organisation and future administration of the police department. The commission will probably recommend that the force should be totally removed from the sphere of patronage and placed under the administration of three independent commissioners, consisting of Mr Chomley (the present chief commissioner) and two officers ranking as superintendents, the three commissioners to be placed on an equal footing, and to hold a similar position to the audit commissioners. In the matter of promotions it is recommended that length of service and general efficiency are in all cases to be primarily considered, but in no instance should any appointment be made until the applicant had passed a probation and a satisfactory educational test in the matter of reading, writing, arithmetic, and other subjects which would become necessary to him in the proper discharge of his duties. In all instances promotions from the rank of constable to those of senior constable, sergeant, sub inspector, inspector, superintendent, and chief commissioner to be made from the ranks below. A slight change is recommended in the character of the uniform of the foot and mounted constables and a suggestion is made that the whole force should be properly drilled in the use of the rife and revolver. A lighter description of headdress than the present helmet is suggested, and the abolition of the gloves now worn by the men is recommended. The present hospital system is deprecated as unsuited to the requirements of the force, and it is suggested that police constables who are unwell should be treated in the ordinary country and metropolitan hospitals. The total abolition of the police hospital is recommended. An increase is suggested in the travelling expenses of police constables and detectives, and a recommendation is made to the effect that the allowances to married men living out of barracks should be slightly increased, and generally made more suitable. No appointments to the position of constable should be made of applicants over the age of 25 years, and all members of the force should retire on reaching the ago of 55 years, regardless of their rank. It is recommended that this proposal should only affect appointments made from the year 1880. A number of other recommendations are made, but they are of a minor character. With regard to the detective branch of the service the commissioners consider that it is in about as bad a state as it could possibly be in, and that it is thoroughly demoralised and disorganised, and they are of opinion that its total disbandment would be a benefit to the community. They therefore recommend this step to be taken without delay, not with the view of doing away altogether with the detective system, but with the view of freeing the hands of the three commissioners from all embarrassments in under taking the work of re-organisation. Instead of the present detective system the commissioners recommend that a force of plain clothes police should be organised and placed under the charge of the superintendent in charge of the city police. It is considered that the abolition of the present detective branch is absolutely necessary to clear the road for the new organisation. The commissioners believe that an amalgamation, such as that recommended, would at once do away with the jealousies and antipathies that at present impair the efficiency and destroy the usefulness of the two branches of the service. They also recommend that all appointments to the plain clothes detective branch should be made from the general forces, the men to rank as at present in the general police, but to receive additional remuneration commensurate with their increased responsibilities and the importance of the work placed under their control. The commissioners consider that in the interest of the service and the public, Inspector Secretan and Detectives O'Callaghan and Duncan should no longer be continued in the force, and they practically recommend their dismissal. A number of other recommendations are made in connexion with this branch of the service but they are not of a very important character.
| ! | The text has been retyped from a microfiche copy of the original. We have taken care to reproduce this document but areas of the original text may been damaged. |
