JUSTICE, RECORDS, POLICE AND PRISONS
Apart from their statutory duties the Police rendered a variety of services to the public. Over 126,000 reports were investigated in which no criminal offence was disclosed. These ranged from the notifi- cation of lost children and property to requests for settlement of domestic disputes, in which the good offices of the Police do much to restore harmony. This figure is indicative of the high degree of public confidence in the Force and for this reason the reports are welcomed.
On twenty seven occasions the Police organized and conveyed parties of the St. John Ambulance Brigade to the rural areas to give medical and dental treatment, and inoculations and vaccinations. Assis- tance was also rendered by transporting the sick to clinics and hospitals, especially in maternity and other urgent cases, by delivering mail and by registering births and deaths. Cinema shows were also given to outlying schools and villages. This spirit of co-opera- tion was reciprocated by various members of the public who were responsible for arresting over 1,000 offenders during the year, in cases ranging from petty assault to murder.
The Force consists of a Headquarters and two main branches, the Uniformed Branch and the Criminal Investigation Department. The Uniformed Branch operates throughout the Colony in two territorial dis- tricts, sub divided into divisions. It also deals with traffic, transport, communications, and Marine Police duties. Within this organization are various units; they are the Emergency, Railway, Airport, Hawker Squad and Waterfront Searching Units. There are also radio equipped village penetration patrols and squad vehicles.
127