§ MR. J. G. TALBOTasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether he has made any inquiry into the conduct of the police with regard to the recent murder upon the London, Brighton, and South Coast Railway, with a view of ascertaining on what grounds they allowed the man Lefroy, who must have been intimately acquainted with the circumstances of the murder, to leave the place where he was staying, without their knowledge; and, whether he is in a position to communicate the results of such inquiry to the House?
§ SIR WILLIAM HARCOURTIt is a grave matter to pass judgment on the police. Although, of course, I have made inquiries into this matter, I should not consider myself justified at present in passing final sentence on the conduct 235 of the police in this matter. At the same time, it is right that I should state that, as regards the Metropolitan Police, they cannot be regarded as directly responsible in the affair. The knowledge of this matter did not come to the authorities of the Metropolitan Police until after the escape of Lefroy. The police constables who had to do with the matter before were Sergeants Potter and Holmes. Although it is true that they are borne on the books of the Metropolitan Police, they are, by an arrangement which has hitherto been made, placed at the disposal of Railway Companies, who pay these officers; and although it is true that they still remain nominally members of the Metropolitan Police, for the purpose of pension and otherwise, they are not acting under the direction of the authorities of the Metropolitan Police. I doubt whether it is a good practice at all that persons who have passed out of the immediate jurisdiction of the Metropolitan Police should continue to belong nominally to that Force while they are attached to bodies like Railway Companies. I doubt whether in such a case their connection with the Metropolitan Police ought not to be severed; for, otherwise, the Metropolitan Police become nominally responsible for the actions of persons who are not under their control.
§ MR. J. G. TALBOTasked, whether, as this was a matter that affected the public confidence in the Police Force generally, he would communicate the results of the inquiry to the House?
§ SIR WILLIAM HARCOURTCertainly; it is my desire that the truth should be known as regards all concerned. It is necessary that the public should have confidence in the Police Force, both in London and elsewhere.