Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-12-19
STATION.HOusE MATTERS.
TIE Action of The Police Commits.
sfOneFB as 10 Arbitrary ARRESTS.

TGe Action Of The Police Commits.
siOneFs as 10 Arbitrary Arrests.
Some days since the attention of the
Police Commissioners was called by the
press to the system Of arrest and deten-
ton Of suspected persons adopted by the
Chief Of Police and his detectives. The
general custom is whenever the autbori.
ties feel disposed to suspect a man for
crime, to arrest and lock him up in the
sla%tion-house without swearing out any
warrant or holding any authority Of law
for his detention. The names Of the
parties arrested were not put on the
docket, nor was any charge made against
them. They we're detained for days until
the detectives and others became salts.
fed IS to their guilt or innocence. The
trouble Of the system is, that there is no
warrant Of law for such arbitrary and
high-handed proceeding, aud although
no especial wrong is probably done, yet
such a system is we'll calculated to drift
into oppression. Numbers Of persons Of
this characters have been arrested and
afterward turned out OF the station. house,
the detectives or other officers being un-
able to find any evidence against them.
This was Of course a wrong upon the
unfortunate individuals. but owing to
their poverty, want OF social standing,
and probably utter worthlessness, they
never brought suit for damages, either
against the officers or the city, and if
they talked about such a thing why it
would be easy enough to pull them again
upon Che charge Of Vagrancy and order
them to leave the city. The officials
profess to think that such a systen Of
arrest AMI detention is absolutely neces.
sary for the purpose Of detecting crime
and apprehending criminals; but we
take a square issue with them upon that
point, and assert that the law gives am
pie remedies for all wrongs, and all high.
er law remedies are Objectionable. I'm
der the present system an officer could
wreak his personal vengeance, or his
~prejadices, by arresting those who are
obnoxious to him, because the arrest
depends solely upon the opinion or
will of the officer, or his judgment,
let the latter be good or bad. The
City Recorder should daily not only ex-
anime all cases upon his docket, but he
should also, as the Judiciary of the city,
order that all prisoners in the station
house be brought before him, Investigate
the charges against them, but undoubt.
ely each prisoner should have a speedy
trial, and be entitled to counsel and the
processes of the court in securing wit
nesses for bis defense.
At the meeting of the Police Commis.
%sioners held last Saturday for the pur-
pose of looking into and considering this
important subject, and which was at.
tended by Commissioners Leath, Frank,
Moore and Msgevney, Mr.. Commits
sionsr Magevney, ST., offered a resolution
to the effect that all persons arrested by
the police and detectives shall have their
names registered on the station.house
docket, and that the Chief of Police be
instructed to give his subordinates such
notice. This just and legal r~esoluti on
failed to be adopted for want ofA sec ond.
consequently the Objectionable ayttem Of
illegal arrest remains in full force and
blooms like a morning glory in the
spring.