The Express.
London, England, 1866-02-19 00:00:00

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LONDON, MONDAY. FEBRUARY 19.

A RICENT unfortunate

hay drawn

attention to a system adopted by the Metropolitan
Police, which is scarcely defensible on the grounds
which ,have been alleged in its justification. It
seems that it is the practice to send out, at least
in certain losalitim, for we are not informed wh♦
they the rule is general, a certain number of eon-
stables in plain clothes, that is in disguise, but
still oa duty. One of these officers a week ago
accosted a respectable musician, returning late at
night from a professional engagement, near Syden-
ham. Very naturally the wayfarer took his in-
terrogator for a garotter, and refused to stop.
When the constable declared his authority it was
thought only a " dodge" of an ingenious footpad,
and when he produced his staff it was mistaken for
a bludgeon. So when he attempted to seize the
" enraged musician " he was prostrated by a stab
with a knife, which the other believed he was
using to defend himself from attempted robbery,
if not•murder. This unhappy mischance has been
the occasion for a number of letters from persons
who declare that their bulimia leads them into
dangerous localities at late hours, that they carry
arms, and will use them without scruple against any
one who may attempt to stop them, whether
he snorts himself to be a disguised policeman or
not. This state of things was brought under Sir
Gamins Garr's notice on Friday evening, and the
Hosts Szcarrsav replied that the system had
been adopted at the time when garotte rob-
beries were frequent, and when it was found that,
as the operators took care to avoid the neighbour-
hood of policemen in uniform, the only way of
checking them was to employ policemen in plain
clothes.
We do not in the least doubt that the motive
has been excellent, but we must strongly doubt the
discretion of the method. It is probably quite
true that for the protection of the public by the deter
tion of evildoers, the employment of policemen in
plain clothes was necessary, and that it may even
yet be sometimes useful. But the purpose would be
quite effectually served though policemen when in
such disguise were forbidden to act as police. If
they actually see a deed of violence done, they are
entitled, as the private individuals whose character
they assume would be, to interpose and aid in the
defence, or in the capture of the offender. If
they hear the noise of a scuffle they may rush to
the spot and there take the part which any private
person would be bound to take in suppressing
crime. If they see anything suspicious they may
make sharp note of it, and their evidence will be
useful in completing the chain necessary foe con-
viction. If there are doubtful characters hovering
about, they may give warning, or watch from a dis-
tance, or take means to identify hereafter those
whom they suspect. AU this would be legitimate
and within their functions, as well as entirely con-
'Went with the character they assume. And such
proceedings as am would perfeotly rum the
duties for the sake of which they are directed to
assume disguise. But when they attempt in the
disguise of private persons to perform official
duties, they are immediately in a false position.
They then demand snbmiuion to an authority
which no private person is entitled to exercise, and
which every private person is justified in resisting.
They are avowedly practising a falsehood, and
they have no right to complain that they are taken
for what their appearance professes to be, and are
refused credence when they assert that they are
something else. It is clear that it would never do
to lay doe .1 the rule that every passenger, what-
ever the hour or place, is bound to submit to stop
and be searched by any stranger hi frieze or molc
skin who chooses to assert that he is a policeman
in disguise. Yet this is actually the doctrine which
the police authwitiss must maintain when they
direct-the constables to exercise their official powers
at a time when the ;.r official character is purposely
made undiscoverable.

In whichever way we take it, nothing but evil
can follow from such a role. If the public are to
heed the consideration that disguised policemen
may chance to cross their path in lonely places
and at late hours, we may be quits sure that
the brotherhood of crime will speedily take
advantage of the hesitation and uncertainty
thus produced. If on the other hand those
whose business or pleasure leads them to be
in dangerous localities think proper to carry
arms for their defence, we cannot expect them
to pause in the use of such weapons on instant
emergency, till they have weighed all the probabilities
in the interesting analysis of character suddenly
submitted to them at a dark oorner, and deter-
mined its affinities to Scotland-yard or Seven
Dials. We do not defend the nee of deadly
weapons on suspicion. But we must take human
nature as it is, and we cannot shut our eyes to the
fact that many persons do carry deadly weapons
in such circumstances, and are not to
be expected to retain perfect self-possession
when an ocoaaion seems to arias for their use.
What we want, then, is, that the police authorities'
and Sir G. GREY shall remove one occasion for
such use which they have themselves established.
They will find the distinction to which we have
adverted a sufficient guide to all difficulties of the
question, and all the advantages of secret detection