The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1876-05-31
Resisting Officers,

6eSISt1ng OfhcerS.
Scarcely q day passes that we do not
read in our local police reports of acts
OF personal violence and abuse of police
officers, OF the part of persons taken in
arrest, as we'll as by their friends an
sympathizers in crime. Though these
occurrences are frequent, we seldom,
almost never, hear Of any punishment
inflicted upon prisoners or other per-
sons thus guilty of a flagranJ outrage
and violation OF the criminal law. Al
this hour, most worthy and efficient
officer OF our city police lies languish-
ing upon the verge of the grave from the
effects of personal violence inflicted
upon him while in the discharge of his
fluty. And this is the second time that
he has thus been maltreated and abused
by roughs ana rowdies upon whose
"pals" he was called to make arrests
Unfortunately this case of Officer HoL
LAND is not by any means the only one
Dfreeent occurrence.
1t is probable that arrests and identi-
fcation of persons in aorowd making "a
sudden attack upon officers may not al
ways be an easy matter. But when such
siolators OF the law are known and ar
rested they are seldom punished with
Rnydegree of exemplary rigOr. To such
an extent has this legal lenity been car
ried that an arrest OF any violent person
mas come to be considered as quite in
the nature of a common fight ON equal
grounds as between the criminal and the
Dficer OF the law. And when arraigned,
it may be for some triflng offense, the
graEer crime OF resisting the officer max
ing the arrest is frequently ignored and
disregarded.
The law is jealous of any acts of vio-
hence resorted TO ON the part of an officer
when making arrests; and society is apt
to whine and cry out when an offender
gets bloody nose or black eve at the;
hands cl "A officer. no matter how riot
Gus the Offenders resistance may have
been. And ohe law and public opinion
are apt to hold the officer vigorously to
his responsibility as to inf1icting
no needless severity upon the
person of an offender. They
seem to consider that while the officer is
amenable to the strict application of the
jaw governing arrests, the offender is
not bound by the same law, when an ar
rest Is made. And this is a serious mis-
take in the public mind. Many people
seem to think that because an ofiicer re-
ceives pay by his salary, it is in the line
Of his business and part of his contract
to receive all the blows and beatings
that rfotous and criminal persons can
conveniently inflict upon him while in
the discharge Of his duty. Whereas, any
resistance by the offender, or any inter-
ference by others, is violation Of the
law, no matter whether the officer is
personally injured or not.
The criminal law OF Ohio prescribes
the punishment OF $500 fine, or twenty
days in Jail on bread and water, or both.
ut she discretion Of the court, for resist
ing constable or ''other ofieero In the
discharge of his duty. Aud the State
law governing municipalities further
more prescribes $1O0 fine and from one
to three months in prison, one or both,
Cor using personal violence on police
officer. And yet how seldom are these
punishments inflicted.
It is the duty of the courts and Of the
community to firmly uphold the lawful
hufhorIty OF their ministerial officers
and official conseryaters Of the public
peace. The courts are generally quick
enough to arrafgn and punish for con-
tempts against themselves, as being a
contempt Of the law; and yet it is equally
contempt ef the law, as well 40 per-
sonaI indfgnity and injury to the officer,
to resist his authority, or to assault his
person. And for the vindication Of the
dignity ana sanctity Of the law, as well
ns for the adequate protection Of its
efieers themselves, courts should be
sqaaIly prompt and stern in furnishing
those resisting or abusing officers out OF
court as we'll rs IN the presence of the
Judges themselves.
In all this matter our courts have, OF
late, been entirely too lax and lenient.
They seem to have fallen into the CON-
mon view OF the matter, that in every
arrest, it is the officer on one side and
the rogues and rowdies on the other,
and each party must lock out for him
self. Tais sentiment reduces the officer
Csam the dignity Of his place as q