5 MARCH 1932, Page 3

Strengthening the Police

. A marked recrudescen.ce of crime, especially robbery with violence by motor-bandits, and an increase in the number of murders in which the guilty persons remain at large, have occasioned more than a little doubt about the efficiency of our police methods. Few people would wish to have the police forces of the counties and county boroughs brought under the direction of the Home Office, as in most Continental countries. But it is widely, felt that the many separate forces might work together more closely, especially on the detective side, The Home Secretary will thus have general approval for his proposed committee of representatives of the Metro- politan, county and borough forces, who are to devise new methods of co-operation. In a small country like this, with the telephone and the motor-car, there should be no great difficulty in the way, provided always that local jealousies are subordinated to the main purpose for which all police forces exist, namely, to detect and

arrest offenders as quickly as possible.