Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-01-12
About Our Police Force.

The cOWardly and brutal murder of Mr.. Hlrth i,
In a settled portion OF the city, at an early hour
Of night, has stirred the public to an inquiry
into the condition and effectiveness of the
police force that may result In good. One effect
of this murder has been to weaken the conf
dence of some in the police force. No doubt
this feeling does injustice to the police but it
exists, and 1t crops out wherever and when
ever the murder is discussed. The peaceable,
law-abiding citizen must depend upon the police
for protection, especially when he is called upon
the streets at night. The circulation of the
statement that one sergeant and two patromen
were engaged in conversation but two or three
squares distant while the murder was being
committed has added to the censure that is Wis
TIED upon the police. This story has been denied,
and probably 1t is not true, but it is mentioned
here to show the state Of the public mind
general feeling of uneasineSS prevails, and peo-
pie credit aDy rumor that goes to confirm their
fears Now, while certain share OF RESPONSE
bility for the murder, or rather for not prevent
ing 1t, will be visited upon the police in the
minds OF many, there is much to be said In their
behalf, and the people of Washington must
look at both sides Of the question. In the
first place, all the police authorities agree that
the force is not large enough to patrol the city
as 1t ought to be In order to give proper protec-
tion to lives and property. 1t seems difficult,
hO"SNOi, W Outdlu lHClttiSt, ituu, biltlGlOft.
1t is to the interest of the citizens to have the
present force employed, to the utmost possible
limit, in the actual duties OF policemen. That
this is not done, every person familiar with the
distribution OF the force knows, and yet the
fault does not lie with the police themselves.
whenever Cabinet officer, Senator, or some
other high public functionary, gives an evening
entertainment of Lany kind, it is the custom to
Call for a liberal detail of policemen as
guard OF honor at the honorable gentle.
mans residence. Some evenings-and this has
often OCcurred-two or three of these receptions
or balls are going on at the same time, and then
as many separate attachments of police are
required. There is no earthly need for such use
OF the police, and in the unprotected state of
the city the custom is an outrage upon those
citizens who pay taxes, but do not figure at the
grand receptions. The policemen thus detailed
are not used to keep the peace 1t is not pre-
tended that there Is any such necessity for
them. In fact, the Hon. Senator or Cabinet
Minister would resent the idea that the arm Of
the law was needed to keep his guests in order.
For these occasions the police are required to
brighten up their uniforms, buy new white
gloves and look their best. Then, arrtv-
ing at the door OF the residence to
which they are ordered, they are put to the
mental service of opening carriage doors for
SoAAhhS 6uSoeo, anu dltCl nave dll
arrived the men who ought to be patrolllng
their beats are drawn up as if on dress parade,
and kept for any other mental service that may
be exacted OF them. After having closed the
Carriage doors Of departing guests, the detach-
ment OF police is dismissed for the night and
their beats are left TO the mercy of the lawless.
The police despise this society duty. Some of
them have rebelled against 1t In the past be-
cause they regarded it as degrading, but now all
the members of the force know that they must
obey. There is some power high enough to re-
quire 1t. The officers who have charge OF the
force would much prefer using their men for
their legitimate duty; the citizens would prefer
1t, and why cannot this useless and senseless
custom be abolished? To abolish 1t would in
crease the efficiency of the force and add to the
protection of the citizen.
1t should be added that while the police force
IS not large enough to adequately patrol the
large amount of territory to which they are
allotted, they have on all occasions of emergency
acquitted themselves creditably. The prompt
detection and arrest OF the guilty parties in the
Hirth murder Is an Illustration of this point
In fact we believe that our police, since it was
organized as metropolitan force, has in no
murder case failed to bring the criminals to
justice. In these days. when the police of other
cities fail so conspicuously to get a clue to the
perpetrators OF murder upon murder this is
fact that speaks well for the efficiency of our
force.