The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1888-01-19
ABIGAIL OPINION.


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What . Fable Prosecutor Thinks Of tho
Tcstiinony Of Police Officers.
II could have my own way about II,
should always present the case Of the
prosecution without the testimony OF
police officers or detectives Not be-
cause / consider them unreliable as
witnesses or because their testimony is
any less deserving Of credit than that
Of any other person, but simply because
Of a sort Of popular prejudice against
them which insinuates itself often into
the jury box. and serves to acquit many
a thorough scoundrcL The average
citizen must certainly appreciate the
necessity Of police officers and detect
ives, and often finds them Of great
value and assistance to him, and don't
understand why he should allow him.
self as a juror to be influenced by this
prejudices prejudice which originated
with the hoodlum element. and which
has been sedulously cultivated by tho
criminal lawyer. have known men
who at least pretended to be decent
and respectable citizens to be car
ried away by the vehement TRADE
made BY the prisoners attorney
against the police. when. in fact.
the officers in the case not only had
done absolutely nothing to deserve any
abuse. but had really discharged their
duties rs good men and true. ! havo
had considerable experience on both
sides OF the counsel table. and have
found the policeman rs rule to DO
honest and straightforward. and to real
ize the obligation of an oath as fully as
the ordinary witness. His testimony,
Of course. is generally damaging to tho
accused. but it would hardly be ex-
pected to be otherwise. II patrolman
early in tho morning finds a man with
a watch and chain stolen from my
room during the night. 1t is only
reasonable to suppose that his swearing
to that fact should 60 hard with the
prisoner on his trial, yet a little poison
Of abuse of the police in general skill
fully injected into the jury by the law
yer IN the case may secure an acguittal.
Cases doubtless occur where the officer
is SO well assured Of the guilt Of the ac-
used, especially If he be hardened of
fender, that his testimony is to some
extent tinged with his personal opinions
or feelings in the matter. yet in this re-
spcct he differs not at all from other
persons. Idoubt if any man who has a
personal interest in any criminal
case on either side can be q
wholly truthful and impartial wit
ess. Human testimony is after all
only an expression Of human
nature. which is any thing but perfect
AS usual thing, officers are not ex-
perts in any particular line, yet they
are expected to be statesmen. jurists.
diplomatists, doctors and every thing
else. and under all circumstances and
in all cases to be absolutely impartial
and imperturbable. and to discharge
their functions with . judgment and
discretion rs nicely balanced as .
chemists scales. In reality, all that
the Office calls for is physical strength,
fearlessness and a moderate quantity
Of what is called "horse-sensc. If =
man possesses more than these, he can
certainly do better than walk beat in
al kinds Of weather at sevcnty-fiye
dollars month. As for the profess
sional detective. have found that his
calling rather causes him to appreciate
the value Of truth than otherwise. and
that he needs to be feared and dis
trusted only by those who are fit sub
iects for his work. That he dcvotes
himself to the task Of ferreting out
crimes and criminals for the good
of the commonwealth is no reason why
he should be any less truthful than the
physician who prizes into all manner oi
uncleanliness and pollution for tho
good Of humanity. or the lawyer who
searches diligently for every nice tech.
nicality to keep his client from paying
. just debt. For my own part, would
take the oath Of detective as readily
rs that of any other man.-Sk Loui.
Globe Democrat