The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-07-03
A sECoNDl rDVCV -~x-~-r.--


and criminals are wise enough NOT To
TO DO their work in his presence, he is at
once reported for neglect of duty by
some enemy or Paul Pry, who delights
TO have grievance against policeman.
By tables which | have had prepared,
Tor your examination, the name of each
DAY and night policeman. the length of
his beat. and the extent of the area coy-
cred by him can be seen, as well as by
map prepared for the same purpose.
You will observe that the night police
men form two bodies and divide the
watches between them. AS these men
must faithfully patrol their long beats,
day and night, however hot, or cold or
stormy it may be, and notify the signal
officer at the City Hall of their presence
at particular points at stated intervals,
III Will be seen that the conventional pic
ture of the lazy policeman exists mainly
In the imagination of his detractors
Having placed before you the facts
felatlngs to the service required of the
police, it is proper that should inform
you that short time ago, after consult
ing with the sheriff and obtaining his
consent. proposed, throughsa prohibit
tlon friend, to those claiming to be es-
peclally friendly to the law. that rhey
should select several good and tried
men upon whom they could depend for
effective service, to be appointed special
| deputy sheriffs to enforce the law. The
sheriff agreed with me, not only to ap-
| point these men, but also to suspend his
present deputies, thereby placing the
proposed appointees in full possession of
the ti3ld; and pledged myself to support
and aid them in the performance of their
qutles by every means at my disposal.
In order that there might be no reasona-
| bic excuse for neglecting this offer. I
promised to sign the petition for the an
| pointment of these men, whoever they
might be, prov1dedI was assured by the
| signatures to the petition that they were
endorsed by prohi bitionists; and to re-
move suggested difficulty I promised to
be one of their bondsmen If net results
IN the enforcement of the prohibitory
law are really the point now at issue,
this proposition should be accepted, and
neglect to accept it will leave grave re-
sponsl blllty resting upon the shoulders
OF those who claim to desire its rigid en-
forcement AS nothing, however, NAV
come of this proposition, I shall request
the appointment of special committee
to consider the creation of special police
officers to take the entire charge of the
enforcement of the law.
AS the character of the police has been
assalled, it is but right to say that. in
my opinion, the force as a whole is un-'
surpassed by any force of similar size in
the country. That persons having
charges to make against officers may
have an opportunity to present them, I
shall convene the police committee at
the Mayors office at 10 o'clock tomorrow
to receive them: and assure such per-
sons that if they produce eliminating
evidence against any officer on the force,
that officer shall be promptly dis
charged. If they have evidence not so
soon available, by notifying me of the
fact, l will arrange a hearing convenient
for them. If men who have made insin-
uations and indirect charges against
officers, fail to avail themselves of the
opportunity now presented to them. it
would seem that in the interest OF good
morals, they should hereafter hold their
peace.
With respect to my own responsibility
IN the matter of enforcement, it seems
proper that should speak. This is not.
as l understand it, question OF anato-
my, but question of Judgment. | am
not ignorant of the fact that the Mayor
can order the marshal to close every
place where liquor is sold within a spec
flied time, and that the marshal under
such an order may, nay, without doubt,
would employ the entire police force in
endeavoring to accomplish it, however
impracticable it might be; but mayor
who would be SO unwise as to give such
an order, under conditions at present
existing, would be worthy of impeach-
ment. There are other crimes besides
liquor selling, and if the mayor is re-
he is responsible for the existence of all
the other crimes; indeed, cranks with
one idea have. from time to time,
charged him with being responsible for
most of the crimes unfortunately com.
mon to city of 40, 900 inhabitants: the
last being smoking, and the stability of
an important part of his anatomy has
been gravely questioned, because of his
supposed Indifference to anti-tobaccon-
lists
1t has been asserted that the mayor is
able to close up-and if to close up.
suppose TO keep closed up, for if not
kept closed up the closing would be
fruitless-I say that it has been asserted
that the mayor is able to close up with
in "a hours, every drinking place in the
city.
As such splendid achievement has
never yet been accomplished, not even
by prohibition sheriff backed by pow
but regard the assertion as fattering,
indeed modesty compels me to
suggest that it is to hattering;
and that it should be regarded as the
enthusiastic expression Of over-mastering
friendship.
have said that should ask for the
appointment of a committee to consider
the expediency of creating special police
officers to conduct the enforcement Of
the law, which am satisfied our present
small force cannot do to the satisfaction
of those all too prone to criticise it,
without seriously neglecting other duties
In this connection several thoughts sug-
gest themselves. If the entire burden of
enforcement is to fall upon the police,
the city should stop it's support of the
sheriffs, who cost the county annually,
on an estimate, $50, 900. The city's por-
tion of this large sum would be $12,0 200,
or enough to support IA special police
men. An appropriation should be made
sufficiently large to enable the mayor to
employ as many police officers and de-
tectives as he may deem necessary to
secure the rigid enforcement of the law.
The records show that the sheriffs
have made 2,S76 seizures for the year
ending June 80, 1924, which shows that
whether the work is we'll done or not,
it lis an extensive one. The officers so
appointed should be subject to removal
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