The record-union., 1892-11-30
THE SRERIFF,S OFFICE AND THE
POLICE FORCE.

THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND THE
POLICE FORCE.
a correspondent in yesterdays REC
oRD-UNIoN presented some very sensi-
bic views concerning the suppression of
crime in this city. We are not permitted
to give his name; could we do so, he
would be recognized as one of the very
best authorities upon the subject in the
United States, a man of long extended
experience in dealing with the criminal
classes, and whose opinion has great
weight on all subjects related to them.
Our correspondent pointed out, in re-
ply to our question referring to the ap-
parent license given to law-breakers to
do as they please in this city, and asking
If this thing has not gone far enough,
that we have the means at hand to correct
the evil. The police force is small, rent
by the jealousies of cliques and controls,
and its efficiency therefore greatly i'm
paired. 1t is, moreover, the creature
very largely of political creation and
manipulation, and hence the force is not.
and has not for years been up to or any
where near the standard that in other
cities is required in the personnel of the
men, the discipline essential and the in
dependence and permanency that must
characterize effective forces of police.
This has been the condition of police
administration in this city for twenty
years. 1t is not at all surprising, there
fore, that police surveillance of the GRIM
inal classes and the detection and punish
ment of offenders, have been the mini
mum, while as a natural result the pro-
lection of life and property from criminal
assault has been very slight.
Our correspondent deplores these con-
ditions, but does not place the blame
wholly upon the police department. He
fixes large share of it upon citizens who
have consented to the conditions, having
the power to change them, and who have
not only not done so, but at times urged
and demanded that lawlessness shall not
be interfered with.
The writer Of the letter then points ont
remedy, one perhaps temporary, since
we will soon have what it is hoped will
be an independent police force. and one
not subject to the evils that affiict the
present one. This remedy is the full ex-
ercise of his powers by the Sheriff. 1t
has so long been accepted here that the
Sheriff is to take no action within CITY
limits for the suppression of crime, or
the punishment of offenders, that it has
passed into the form of an unwritten law.
and, as consequence, the chief execu-
tive officer of the county, who is equally
by the people OF the city chosen to office.
and to them owes as much as to the peo-
pie Of the county not living within the
municipal limits, is rarely heard OF mani
testing the authority with which he is in
vested.
In San Joaquin County, our CORE
spondent points out, that a very
different practice obtains. Within Stock
ton the Sheriff is as much Sheriff
and conservator of the peace as
he is outside of Stockton. The
city, in his estimation, is as much part
of his jurisdiction tor all purposes as is
the county without the city limits. The
Sheriff who holds to this view acted ac-
cordingly, and assailed crime wherever
he found it regardless of lesser authori-
ties. If the police co-operated with him,
well and good; if not he acted independ-
emily. The result has been that Stock
ton, instead of being the refuge
and resort of the criminal classes,
is Stunned by them. The jail
bird, the professional thief, the thug,
burglar and cut-throat give the city a
wide berth. The law when invoked is
enforced, rascals are run to earth and pun
ished with celerity and certainty. So
beneficial has been the action of this
Sheriff that for twenty-one years the peo-
pie OF San joaquin County lave retained
hlm In the Office. There is no political
power that can oust him outside of the
people; no pull swerves him: no threats
daunt him, and despite the dangers he
has braved, the reckless characters he has
encountered, and the hundreds of Grim
inals he has brought to punishment. no