National Republican., 1886-09-16
STEALING FROM THE pn1vArEs.
Detectives Get Credit for Arrests They
Never Make.

Never Make.
The police are still complaining about
the way the detectives "crib" their cases.
The REPUBLICAN, once before gave a state
ment OF this trouble. For time the trick
wrs checked, but II has broken out again,
Recently several arrests were made by on
GERS Of the sixth precinct and instead Of
their receiving credit Tor the work they
were confronted With n statement that the
arrests had been turned over TO the de-
tectlVes VINO claimed the cases, although
they did not make the arrests or assume
eny responsibility In the matter. A warrant
was short time since sworn out for the
arrest OF boy for stealing an earring. The
warrant was sent TO police headauarters
from the police court, and instead OF being
turned over to the sixth precinct station,
where II properly belonged and in which
place the offense occurred, the warrant fell
into the hands OF the detectives. Two or
three days later the officers OF the sixth pre-
cinct were notified that a warrant was at
headquarters for them. When the warrant
was received IL was given to au officer to
serve. The Official, believing that he was
the first man TO possess IT, went to the
house to arrest the party. lie was aston
ished when told that two detec-
tives had been there on the same
N, H9 II
dawned upon his mind that the detectives
having the first "whack" with the warrant,
and falling to find the party, gave up the
job and turned the warrant over TO the OH.
GERS for them to make out of IL what they
could. The way OF the detectives Is best
understood as told by an officer, who saws
'that frequently police information about
the arrest OF party Is sent through the
telephone, and as all dispatches pass
through police headquarters they can be
readily caught and advantage taken.n
Again, an officer leans that a party Is
wanted for an oifense committed in
his precinct. He asks his fellow.
officers TO make on arrest OF the party for
him. He is surprised to hear that when
the party is arrested by comrade that a
detective has stepped in and cabbaged the
policeman, THAT detective has the right
to stand ut the telephone and order officers
TO arrest parties for him. Every officer
who makes an arrest does so on his own
responsibility, and is accountable for his
acts while making the arrest. Should an
officer In arresting party for q detective
have occasion to shoot his prisoner In self
defense or main him the officer would be
accountable, not the detective"
"Ilow could all this trouble be counter
actedN" asked the reporter.
"Let the major issue an order that an
officer In making an arrest be allowed to
carry the case ON his station house blotter,
and the party asking the arrest to bq made
put down us complainant. This would
give everyone chance to stand on a
level. IL an tfllcer did not desire
the case he might be allowed the privilege
to turn the case over to the man asking
for the arrest to be made. l dou't think It
the right thing that when an officer has
made an arrest upon the merits OF the case
and by his own hard work and risks that
another party who gave no aid or encour-
agement should step in and take the case
away from him. Another thing should DO
stopped, and that is the sending OF war.
rants from the police court to police head
quarters late in the day. There are bailifTs
at the court, and they should be made to
bring the warrants to the proper
precinct station where they are issued. Tho
way II Is now Is this: IL l swear out war
rant In the police court this morning won't
get II until tomorrow (twenty-four hours
eftelwards). Another practice that ought
to lie discontinued is that Of lieutenant
tsnatching up big warrants and serving them
timself and taking the case. This makes a
bad feeling among the officers, and causes
them to think that they are not trust
worthy"
Heretofore the REPUBLICANS advice has
been found to be solid. 1t does not want
"to run the police department" but dees
want the police officials to see that 1t can
pointout abuses existing under their noses.