The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1876-09-07
THE POLICE or A CITY.

duty, or in uniform, take drink at
public saloon, and should never be seen
in one, except when called in TO perform
some duty They should be men Of
some dignity of person, and they should
invariably retain that dignity Of man
ncr and speech, while on duty They |
should have no Iayoritc lamp posts or
saloon corners to hang around but
while on duty, should be constantly |
moving about their given beat They |
should bear constantly in mind that it
is not simply the public which is on its
good behavior before them, but that !
they are likewise on their good behavior
before the public eye They should |
never draw their pistol from its scab
bard, in public except in case of ne.
ccssity requiring its probable use. They
should refrain, utterly, from the use of
oaths, or boistcrous language in sound
of the public ear They should permit
no familiarity of touch or speech with
them by others, in public nor should
they use amy such familiarity with each
other, or with others in public,
During II visit to New York Il friend
of ours one evening visited Niblo's thea
ter Between one Of the acts, he walked
into the garden, where he accidcntly
left his cane Returning afterwards to
get it, hc0skcd policeman if he had
seen it, The policeman instantly
went to IL place kept for the purpose
where he had locked it up, and handed
it to linn AS our friend was going in
the bar TO get drink, he asked the
policeman to join him, But the officer
politely declined, stating tito be against
the rules for him to take drink in u
saloon with his uniform ON Our friend
then asked him If he would not take
II cigar The officer again declined,
stating it to be against the rules for
him to enter II saloon with his uniform
ON, except when called in ON some duty.
We believe there is nothing we have
said above, that is not strictly cnjoincd
in the rules governing the police in the
older cities.
We call the attention of our worthy
Mayor and City Council to this subject
They have full power to establish and
enforce all such wholesome regulations.
a yolicc force has much to learn to be.
come all that n city police should be.
1t would be strange if they did not have
much to learn man can no more be
made an efficient policeman by his
simple appointment to the position,
than can the diploma Of itself make
the doctor, or the license the lawyer.
1t comes much of experience, but also
largely of obedience to well established
rules, The soldier can not 90 through
the dress parade without previous
severe drilling Neither can the po-
liceman know his whole duty to the
public unless he be taught that duty
and unless it be inculcatcd and en-
forced by regulations, the absolute an
thority of which he readily recognizes
The office of policeman is n responsible
one. 1t is lraught with danger, and
covered all over with dutitS difficult to
learn, and delicate to perform In the
main it is n thanklcss position. There
are enemies to be made, if the officer
efficiently performs his duty, or wilfully
or ignorantly neglccts it, Therefore, it
is i'll the kindest of feeling towards the
position, and the officer, that we have
said what we have. But the public
; have an interest in this matter, of para
mount importance. The duties belong
to the office, The qualifications pertain
; to the incumbent, The duties and the
qualifications should be found together
In the interest of our prosperous and
growing city have we addressed our
selves to the subject. This city is large
enough, this subject is important
enough, for us to have an efficient police
force, sufficiently large, uniformed and
governed by all the well-tried regula-
tons of older cities. True, our city has
only recently attained its present pro-
portions. But its citizens are of the
same race rs those of other cities Its
society is equal to that of any other
city. Refined and delicate women walk
its streets, and are entitled to protcc-
ton. We have the same wants, pay
taxes, and are entitled to like protec.
ton in person and property,
Let the constituted authorities of the
city move in this matter. They have
all the requisite power under the city
charter They are elected, under the
charter, to perform these duties. All
good citizens demand it, and will sus.
tain them in it. There is no more rea.
son today why Dallas should be without
police force, sufficient in number and
efficiently regulated by all proper rules,
than that it should be without its Mayor
and City Council.
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The worm ia greatly iniuriny tbo not