The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-09-08
THE NEW ORLEANS DEMOCRAT SATURDAY. SEPTEMBER
rental OF the present location Of the mortgage
and conveyance Offices.

and conveyance Offices.
AN ANOMALY.
Chief of Police Boylan has complained to the
Mavor that the policemen detailed in the recor-
der's court fail to communicate to him, 90 chiel
OF police, the facfs connected with certain cases
in which the individuals arrested on bench war
rants are involved. The Mayor and Administra-
tor Diamond, as the head OF the police depart
ment, are considering the subject, which IL q
very important one, and per Sc, establishes con-
filct OF authority between the chief executive OF
the police and the recorders.
AS matters are, it would seem that the record
ers not only claim, under the law, absolute CON-
troll over the policemen detailed in their courts
to preserve order and serve processes, but deny
the Chief of Police or the Police Board aEy au-
thority over them.
Section FIVE, Of act No. 1871, creating the re-
corders' courts. after relating the jurisdiction OF
the courts, says: sand the Mayor shall, on the
selection and recommendation OF the sad re-
SHALL BE DETAILED
to serve in each of said courts, and be subject to
the control and order OF the recorders thereo1,
and not be removable therefrom without the con-
sent or said recorders, and shall provide Tor Gil
for the care and safe custody OF all prisoners APP
pearing therein"
In Opposition to the Recorders opinion it 10
contended that the court officers are, in fact,
members OF Iu6 pOlCb lUICo, iOI tuo ooGbaUu ohy o
clearly that the Mayor shall appoint persons on
the police force who shall be detailed in each OF
said COURTS that there Is only one police force in
this city and only one law establishing such .
force.
The Mayor and the Administrator of Police, it
is understood, for while
WERE GREATLY EMBARRASSED
about that portion OF section concerning the
control Of the recorders over the policemen. Tits
commended that they need not have been embar-
rassed atall, for while the section says that the
detailed policemen shall not be removable from
there is nothing in it which exempts these police
men from their responsibility to the Board OF Po-
lice Commissioners for any violation of police
regulations.
The phrase quoted means simply that the po-
licemen shall not be shifted At the pleasure Of
the board or of the Chief OF Police from the
courts to the beats. Otherwise who Ia to be the
Judge OF the official denquencies Of these police
men. The law certainly does not lay the right in
the recorders.
The law-makers gave the selection Of these po-
licemen to the recorders because, probably, it
was thought that the recorders we're
THE BETTER JUDGES
Of the abilities of the men to be entrusted with
the performance of the peculiar duties connect
ed with the courts, and II they we're made "not
removable except with the consent Of the re-
corders, IL was because experience, during the
and inexpedieDcy OF taking green man from
the beat to make him perform the duties OF q
court officer, and utce uersd, simply for purposes
OF favoritsm or petty vengeance.
Section of act No, 13l il not beautifully clear,
it must be admitted; but any other construction
that might be placed upon it than the opinions
given above, it IL claimed, would make it absurd.
In one particular it would or itself make little
kings OF the recorders. Any other construction
would establish the existence Of two additional
police forces, distinct from that created by act
organized under authority Of that act), and Of
which each recorder would be the head. Ger
tainly the act creating the recorders courts con-
templated nothing Of the kind.
And not only would IL have the effect stated,
but it has actually provoked conflict of author
ity between the recorders and chief of police, as
we said at the start.
The gravity OF the situation, and the embar-
caused thereby to the Mayor, the Ad-
ministrator Of Police and the chief OF police,
WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE
10 the people for the maintenance Of peace and
good order, will be apparent when 1t is said that
the chief OF police il not informed officially of
many arrests that are made by the court police
men, on warrants issued by the recorders. For
example, an affidavit is made before one Of the
he issues q warrant for the arrest of
the person charged with the misdemeanor or
felony, and q court officer is intrusted with the
The officer may, at his pleasure, bring
either acquitted fined or committed to jail: but in
neither case is the chief Of police informed Of
The arrest. Such cases have occurred, we are
told, and the Mayor thinks, and Administrator
Diamond thinks it is time that the matter
should be settled.