A Central Police Museum and Exhibition
| DOI | 10.1177/0032258X4601900207 |
| Published date | 01 April 1946 |
| Author | Frederick T. Tarry |
| Date | 01 April 1946 |
| Subject Matter | Article |
A
Central
Police
Museum
and
Exhibition
PLAN
FOR A NATIONAL REGISTER, ITS OBJECTIVE: AND SCOPE:
By
FREDERICK
T.
TARRY, C.B.E.
Chief Constable of Southampton
AMONG the plans which the Home Office, police authorities and
chief officersof police will doubtless wish to consider in the post-war
period is that for a Central Police Museum.
The
idea is not new, and
but
for the war, which interrupted consideration of the recommendations
on the subject made by the Committee on Detective Work and Pro-
cedure (1938), the museum might by now have taken shape.
In
that
part
of its report which dealt with the application of science to the
investigation of crime, the Committee pointed to the need for some form
of national organisation for a variety of purposes which, so far as they
came within the terms of reference, could be summarised under the
following heads
:-
(a) Affording authoritative advice on police technique.
(b)
Arranging or providing practical training in Forensic Science
for prospective workers in regional laboratories who have
already received an academic training.
(c)
Collating and disseminating information as to new work in
regional police laboratories, in police laboratories abroad, and
at other centres where work bearing on police problems is
being done, including experience gained in current police cases.
(d) Co-ordinating and circulating information as to the available
facilities for specialist examinations of all kinds.
(e) Co-ordinating research work and arranging facilities for research
work in conjunction with universities and technical colleges.
(f)
Providing a central library of books and periodicals, and
collating and disseminating information from scientific literature
at home and abroad.
(g) Providing a central museum and sets of reference specimens,
and securing access to specimens retained in laboratories,
whether connected with the Police Service or not.
In
a sentence, the need is for a central institution, where the
scientist and practical investigator will both be at home, combining and
pooling their fields of knowledge and experience, and meeting on equal
terms.
A central place of registration is first required, with facilities for
easy reference and consultation with the best authorities, and with
n6
To continue reading
Request your trial