St. Paul daily globe., 1894-04-30
Pioneer Press. May +, 1s10
ST. PAUL'S POLICE PROTECs
TON

There is one feature of the present
city government which even critics are
compelled to admire. and that is the
protection accorded to life and property,
and the comparative infrequency of the
more serious forms of crime. 1t is prob,
ably true that not another city in the
country can show a record eqnaling
ours in this respect. when all the cir
cumstances are taken into considera-
ton. The police force is small in pro-
portion to the population. Its increase
has been contemplated: but. if we con-
slider the number of Off GERS and men
actually on duty and the area and pop
ulation of the territory which they must
cover, they will be found to have as ar
dunus task as any force in the country.
Notwithstanding this, the preservation
OF public order is marred only at long
intervals by the occurrence of notable
crimes. There is an occasional drunken
shooting or stabbing affair in the shady
quarters of the city, and a little pilfer-
ing here and there from time to time.
But it ast9nishes the resident of Chicago,
ST. Louis or any other large city who
removes TO st. Paul to find that these
are so infrequent as to be the subject OF
extraordinary sensations when they
occur. Deadly assaults and public rob-
berries are almost unknown. while IL has
been long since a single case of success
ful burglary was heard of. Life and
property, always held by slighter ten
ure in large cities, are almost as secure
IN st. Paul as In the quiet of some
country village.
We may boast. therefore. that we
have succeeded in achieving one of the
two purposes of city government-she
financial purpose and the protective.
And this happened. not because the
criminal element of our population IS
less numerous and active than that of
other cities, but because the repression
OF crime is stern and intelligent There
Is no better poiiced city in the United
States than st. Paul. Every rascal is
spotted as soon as he enters the city
and gets his orders 10 leave, if a dam
gerOus character. before he has been
here half day. The native criminal
element is kept we'll in check and under
such close and constant surveillance
that it dare not venture far. For this
we are indebted to the existing manage
lment CT our police force, OF which, 10
whateFer criticism it may be open, it
may a. least be said that it does IFS duty
and saves US from evils that beset other
great cities. 1t would be a calam-
ity 10 have this police supervision,
made effective by years OF the
most careful building up and
by familiarity With the situation,
broken down for no worthier object
than to make places for new men.
Other departments of the city govern
ment might be better for a change. but
a revolution IN this could scarcely fail
TO be for the worse. And especially
must this be true of any reconstruction
of the police force for the mere purpose
of filing election promises. 1t is 4 valid
objection 10 the candidacy of Col. Kie-
fer. aside from those al r eady presented
tina the IS openly committed to the re-
moYal OF the present police officers, and
has limited to his audiences everywhere
tnat new men would be needed through.
out Ii will not strike the average
voter as worth while to exchange the
remarkable security which he now en-
Joys, the certainty that his property will
not be molested or his home broken
into, for the reign of terror that would
knevitably follow the appointment of
force OF green policemen, ofiicered by
inexperienced and therefore necessarily
incompetent men.