Lord Atkin on Scientific Equipment for the Police
| DOI | 10.1177/0032258X3500800313 |
| Date | 01 July 1935 |
| Published date | 01 July 1935 |
| Subject Matter | Article |
Lord Atkin on Scientific Equipment
for
the Police
On the
occasion
of
the opening
of
the Laboratory at the AIetro-
politan Police College, by
Sir
John Gilmour, Home Secretary,
on
loth
April, the following
speech
was made by the
Rt.
Hon.
Lord
Atkin.
"This
Laboratory," he said,
"is
a real increase to
the resources of civilization and social order. It was high
time that the police in every part of the world were equipped
with all the resources of science in order to meet criminals
who were themselves equippedwith allthe resources ofscience."
Lord Atkin went on to say that it gave him great satis-
faction to think that Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Thorndyke,
of whom they might have heard, were to be succeeded in the
eyes of the world by Doctor Davidson, the head of the
Laboratory.
" Speaking as a Judge," he continued,
"I
think it is
quite a sound thing that men who are going to take part in
Police work should be made familiar with the process and
powers of science, because science is more closely allied to
the
truth
than anything else.
It
gives its evidence impartially."
He hoped, however, that the opening of the Laboratory was
but
a first step towards the establishment of a great National
Medico-legal Institute.
Lord Atkin visualized the future of such an Institute as,
possibly, a branch of the University of London, a great teaching
institute as well as a Police Laboratory, where coroners, prison
doctors, advocates, members of the Police Force--even Judges
themselves---eould, and should, train for diplomas.
He said that evidence coming from a National Institute
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