Los Angeles daily herald., 1875-03-20

| tl9n manifested Dy SeVeral members oI
| the police force of our city. When l
moved the Mayors Court opposite to
the Pico House, in December last,
most of the policemen refused to take
prisoners there, alleging that said Of
flee was too much out of their way.
This was mere pretext, but as L in
tended to move the Mayors Court
and office near the Jail as soon as /
could secure a suitable building, L did
not complain. On the 25th of Febru-
ary the Honorable Council ordered
the police to take all prisoners before
THE MAYOR
For trial, as soon as tie Mayors
Court would be fitted up. have gone
to considerable expense in fitting up
in proper and convenient manner
the Mayors Court and office in a
building on Spring street, opposite
the very door Of the Jail, and have
now occupied said apartments a
couple of weeks, to the knowledge Of
all the policemen. In the presence of
these facts some Of the policemen still
pc rsist in taking prisoners before the
Justices of the Peace, TO the prejudice
of the revenue of the city. | will cite
no names now, as ] desire to give
these policemen chance to reflect
and change their course while it is yet
time, but | will give
A CASE IN POINT.
On the night of the 10th of March,
three persons were arrested by
the police, one of which was
brought before me, charged upon oath
with disturbing the peace by shouting
in the streets, using obscene language
and resisting the officer who was ar
resting him. The defendant pleaded
guilty and was by me sentenced and
paid his fine. AS to the other two
prisoners, they were to be brought be-
| fore me this same day 9th instant)
| at half past o'clock in the afternoon.
| made it my duty to be on hand at
the appointed hour, but they failed to
appear, although waited for them till
near 3 The following day / heard
that those two prisoners had been
taken by the police before Justice of
the Peace. Some of the policemen
have never brought one single pris-
oner before me.
AS you are all aware, the charter of
this city, article5 5, section 3, gives the
) Mayor
A CONCURRENT JURISDICTION
With the Justices of the Peace as to
all offenses committed within the city,
whether against the laws of the State
or the ordinances, resolutions, rules or
regulations of this city. The police
men are paid by the city, and all fines
collected from prisoners arrested by
them ought to go into the city fund.
If prisoners arrested by our police are
| fined by Justice of the Peace, such
| fines go the county fund, to the detri-
ment of the city. We are here
THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
PEOPLE
Of this city, and the law gives us,
among other powers, the following:
"To provide sufficient police force
for service by day and by night with
in the limits of said city; to maintain
the same out of the general fund Of
said city, and to make such rules and
| regulations for their appointment,
government and control as the said
Council may think best. See
Article 4, Section l, paragraph s..
This Council only is responsible to
the people, and it is it's duty to see
that the public money is not wasted.
1t is this Council who engages the po-
licemen. and this Council alone is en-
powered to regulate, govern and con-
troll the police.
THESE SUB-OFFICERS
Take upon themselves to disregard the
law and your instructions, and only
act as they think fit. They complain
that oblige them to swear to their
testimony and that l will not send
prisoner to jail without a commitment;
that with the previous Mayors they
never used to bother aUith that, as one
of them remarked in Court. If 1 re-
quire such formalities it is not for my
own pleasure. If consulted my own
convenience l would much rather dis
pense with them. But | must carry
out the law, and the law is that no
person in this country can be sem
fenced to fine or imprisonment unless
it be on sworn evidence; and further,
that no person can be deprived of his
liberty without some warrant for so
doing.
THE QUESTION,
Then, that wish to submit to your
consideration is the following: Are
we to be governed by the police, or
shall we stand by our rights and our
duties? Shall the police dictate to
this Council, or shall they be made to
understand that being paid with the
public money they are the servants of
the public, and not the masters? Who
should hold the authority, the Mayor
and Common Council who abide by
the law, or the policemen, their serv-
ants, who act contrary to law?
P. BEAUDRY, Mayor.