Alexander Duncan (police officer)

Alexander Duncan
CMG
11th Chief Commissioner
of Victoria Police
In office
1937–1954
Preceded by Thomas Blamey
Succeeded by Selwyn Porter
Personal details
Born Alexander Mitchell Duncan
(1888-09-25)25 September 1888
Mortlach, Banffshire, Scotland
Died 1 September 1965(1965-09-01) (aged 76)
Brighton, Victoria, Australia
Nationality Scottish-Australian
Occupation Police officer

Alexander Mitchell Duncan CMG (25 September 18881 September 1965) was a Scottish-Australian police officer. Duncan was Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police from 1937 to 1954.[1]

Britain

Duncan was born in 1888 in Mortlacha town in Banffshire in northern Scotland. His father, John, was a farmer and his mother, Elizabeth, née Mitchell.[1]

After completing his education in Dufftown, Duncan moved to London where he joined the Metropolitan Police in 1910. He served with the Metropolitan Police for 26 years; most of his work with the Criminal Investigation Department. Duncan rose to the rank of Chief Inspector and in 1935 was given command of the "Flying Squad".[1]

Australia

In 1936, Duncan was seconded to the state government of Victoria to inspect and report on the Victoria Police Force. The appointment was made by Premier of Victoria Albert Dunstan on the advice of the Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Philip Gamea former Governor of New South Wales. Dunstan ordered the inspection after the controversial resignation of the previous Chief Commissioner Thomas Blamey amid public allegations of widespread corruption within the force.[1]

Duncan presented two reports to the Victorian government which recommended a range of reforms, including detective training and the use of forensic science and changes to the promotion system and the deployment of personnel. The recommendations were accepted by the government who then appointed Duncan to the position of Chief Commissioner "with a mandate to introduce the reforms".[1]

Once appointed, Duncan began the task of dealing with "entrenched bad practice, poor leadership, maladminsitration and corruption.[2] Duncan made some headway in his term but was unable to address these problems immediately.[2] Duncan retired from Victoria Police in 1954.[1]

Private life

Duncan married Elizabeth Ann MacDonald on 1 September 1917 at Trinity Presbyterian Church, Lambeth, with whom he had one daughter.[1] In 1946, he was appointed a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George.[3] Duncan was active in the "Boy Scouts' Association, Melbourne Rotary, the Young Men's Christian Association, the Royal Humane Society, the National Fitness Council and the State Relief Committee."[1] He died in Brighton, a suburb of Melbourne, in 1965.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Haldane, Robert (1996). "Duncan, Alexander Mitchell (1888–1965)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Canberra: Australian National University. Retrieved 12 December 2012.
  2. 1 2 Past Patterns, Future Directions: Victoria Police and the problem of corruption and serious misconduct. Melbourne: Office of Police Integrity. 2007.
  3. "Duncan, Alexander Mitchell". It's an honour. Australian Government. Retrieved 12 December 2012.
Preceded by
Thomas Blamey
Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police
1937–1954
Succeeded by
Selwyn Porter
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