CANADIAN-MEXICAN POLICE HEADS HOLD
IMPORTANT OFFICES IN INTERNATIONAL
ASSOCIATION

AT THE three-day convention of the Paci-
fic Coast International Association of Law
Enforcement Officers, held at Portland,
Oregon, July 14th, 15th and 16th, 1941,
delegates from Canada, Mexico and the
United States elected Brigadier General
Miguel Z. Martinez as President of the In-
ternational Association of Police Officers.

Commissioner T. W. S. Parsons.

Commissioner Thos. W. S. Parsons of the
B. C. Police was elected 1st Vice President.
Other officers chosen were: James S. Egan,
U. S. Department of Justice, 2nd Vice
President; R. H. Wootton, Salt Lake City,
3rd Vice President; Arthur A. Akina, Ko-
hala, Hawati, 4th Vice President; Martin
T. Pratt, Portland, 5th Vice President and
John M. Walker of Olympia, Washington,
Secretary-Treasurer.

Highlight of the convention was a midday
parade through Portland’s downtown sec-
tion, and tens of thousands of Portlanders
braved the heat wave to witness the colour-
ful pageantry of three nations. On a pranc-
ing white horse, Leo Carrillo flashing-eyed
motion picture star, was grand marshal of
the parade, in which the flags of Canada,
the United States and Mexico fluttered. In-
cluded in the marching police teams were
the Vancouver (B.C.) Police Pipe band, a
picked body of B.C. Provincial Police, the

WINTER EDITION

Mexican Police band, and Mexican motor-
cycle squads and entertainers.

The Portland police were represented by
their motorcycle squadron and drum and
bugle corps. Among the marchers were also
a detachment of U.S. Naval reserves, Port-
land air base soldiers, the Bonneville Dam
guards, and sheriff's posses on horseback.
Planes from the 55th Pursuit Squadron
droned overhead.

Each night of the three day convention,
an international fiesta was held in the Mult-
nomah Civic Stadium, where ten thousand
people heard the world famous Mexican
police band play national airs of the three
countries, and witnessed thrilling demonstra-
tions of markmanship by picked Mexican
pistol squads, and breath-taking tricks by
dare devil police motorcyclists from Mexico
city. Last but not least, the soul-chilling air
raid defence demonstration staged by a
squad of British Columbia Provincial
Police—amid the concussion of bombs and
the screaming engines of U.S. army air-
planes overhead—struck a high note in
Portland’s history of programmes.

Commissioner Parsons of the B. C. Police,
in his address to the assembled delegates,
chose the subject: “War problems of
Police”, in which he discussed the possibility
of an international police force. “Canada,
United States and Mexico are not enough”
said Mr. Parsons “we must go south and

finally accomplish a solid Amercian front”.
He told how fifteen thousand British Col-
umbians had identified themselves with the
problem of civilian defence, and visioned
a definite post-war problem for police
officers, when he said “where at present
there are five policemen, perhaps twenty
may be required to guide, help and direct
the inevitable readjustments which follow
every great social upheaval”.

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Telephone 124

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NANAIMO, B. C.

Pacific Coast International Association of Law Enforcement Officials. Left to right: President-elect

General Miguel Z. Martinez, Chief of Police of the Federal District, Mexico; Retiring President

John P. Duggan, Asst. Chief of Police, Butte, Montana; First Vice-President Thomas W. S.

Parsons, Commissioner, B. C. Police, and fourth Vice-President, Deputy Sheriff Arthur A. Akina
of Kohala, Trerritory of Hawaii.

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