The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1889-05-31
THE POLICE AND THE PUBLIC.

The position of a policeman in
Honolulu is not a particularly envi-
able one. The hours are long and
wearing, the pay is by no means
muniicent, the duties are fire.
! quently arduous and disagreeable
as we'll as occasionally danger
Gus, and however faithfully an
officer may do his work, it is
reasonably certain that he will re-
ceive, so far as the pnblic is con-
cerned, neither appreciation nor
| thanks.
There are only two watches, who
are eight hours on duty and eight
hours off alternately, day and night,
week days and Sundays, month in
and month out, without any provi
sion for vacation. Public holidays
and festive occasions simply impose
extra duty on the police. Out of
the eight hours that an officer is off
duty comes the time consumed in
going to and returning from his
home, as we'll as in attending upon
| court, as a witness in the various
cases with which he may be con-
nected. If a member of the watch
which IS on duty from 8 p. m. to a.
m. picks mp a drunken man or
makes an arrest of any kind, he has
the satisfaction of knowing that it
will probably necessitate his being
in the Police Court the next fore
noon, at a time when he ought to be
at home taking his rest.
A policeman is expected to be neat
In his personal appearance, gentle
manly in his demeanor, we'll dressed
at his own expense-and at the
same time to be ready at any mo-
ment to tackle the most uproarinns
Of DRINKS, the roo-1--' ~,4o
there DKeS6sT desperate of
Yes or the most vicious of slog-
gers, and convey them safely to the
| Police Station without striking a
n blow, or the use of any coercive
! measures which could offend the
sensIbilities of the most fastidious
and exacting of ruffians. And fin
ally, a. suggested above, he is
frequently made to realize that the
general drift of public sentiment is
: uIr lstakably against him, in almost
l an case requiring a resort to ply
sic, .orce.
The police are frequently spoken
Of as lazy and inefficient. Doubtless
some of them deserve these epithets,
although considering the little en-
enlargement they receive, it is rather
a matter of surprise that they dc
The j. work even as we'll as we find to
be the case. 1t is the business OF
any citizen knowing personally OF
an. Instance in which an officer
fai or refuses to do his plain duty
to report the facts to those who are
resp 1nsible for the character and
discipline of the force, and then note
. the result. If no notice is taken Of
such complaint, and nothing done
about it, the matter should be venti
lated through the newspapers. Il
Is matter within our owr
knowledge, that the force has beer
purged of several inefficient members
within the last year. Whether this
has been due to complaints that have
been made, or to what the Marshal
and his Deputy have themselves OBJ
served, we do not know, and it is moi
material.
Amid all the general and indefinite
: growing, of which we have heard {
: great deal, we do not remember any
one relating a specific instance il
which attention was not paid to any
definite complaint, presented in
r proper manner. There seems to be
' needed a decided revival of public
: spirit and sense of civic duty, in the
! matter of encouraging and sustain
: ing the officers of the law.