The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1896-06-24
a STATE POLICE.

Referring to the easy escape of Blan-
tner, the murderer Of Mrs. Langfeldt,
in San Francisco, and of Durham, the
triple murderer of Santa Clara County,
the Los Angeles Times dwells upon
the limitations Of municipal police, and
makes a very strong plea for a State
police system. While we differ with the
Times" as to the details of such a
system if it were put into operation, yet
its contention for a State system is
strong, and, in fact, indisputa.ble.
The Record Union" twelve or fifteen
years ago preached the idea of a State
Constabulary system for California, and
has often treated of it since. At that
time it was suggested because Of the
prevalence OF ''y6ad-agent'' work in the
State, and the fact that remote and
sparsely settled counties were being ru-
ined in pursuing, capturing and punish
ing the robbers, though it was equally
the concern of all in the State to have
these Dick Turpins apprehended.
However, the arguments for a State
CDAAoLcAD lAAcAiy l4AGIf eAiA0 IlOW HiOfC dIOIl5
the same general lines. That is to say,
the pursuit of great criminals should
be matter Of State concern and charge,
otherwise the great criminals manage
TO escape because of the want of sys-
TEN in the present methods, which have
no head and no responsibility; because
it makes the officers of each county
independent of those of other counties;
and because it is in the interest of all
the people that crime should be stamped
out as far as possible, and that it shall
he prevented as far as may be by
n1ethodical and thorough means of ap-
pretending great rascals, which means
always are deterrent influences.
The plan for a State police suggested
by the Times" however, is far more
expensive and elaborate than is neces-
sary, and is based upon the system
which prevails in Australia The
Times" would have:
A State police force, with General.
to reside at San Francisco. and four
acknowledgements, to reside at Oak
land, Stockton, Los Angeles and Sac
ramento. Cities Of the class of San
Diego, Eureka, Fresno and Santa Cruz
to be commanded by Colonies, and such
places as Santa Barbara, Pasadena by
Majors with the smallest towns in
charge OF Sergeants. There would then
be complete network of police ma
chinery from SiSkiyou to San Diego
and from the SierraS to the sea-" and
the incentive to vigilance and bravery
would be the hope Of promotion and bet
ter pay
The Australian colonies are all under
a system of police regulations similar
TO that above detailed. The Inspector
General of Victoria lives at Melbourne
a city larger by 100000 inhabitants
than San Francisco. The next largest
cities are Ballarat, with a population of
$4,000: Sandhurst, SO, 900; MARLBOROUGH.
$4,000: Kynston, Castlenane. G,eelong
and Clunes, about 5000 each. The last
four are under charge of Captains. and
the lesser towns and villages under
Lieutenants. So lonely is the life of a
rural policeman, that he is constantly
on the lookout for escaping criminals. in
the hope Of a promotion, first to Bal
larat, or Sandhurst, and thence to Mel
bourne. The other colonies of New
south w a3eS, South Australia. Queens
land and Tasmania are under police
regulations closely resembling those of
Victoria.
With such a system in this State, the
escapes of Blanther and Durham would
have been quite impossible
This means very large force main
tanned at enormous expense-an ex-
pense the taxpayers of California, will
not consent to. 1t would really amount
to a small standing army There is no
need for that. The Record Union has
said, and it repeats, that six men at the
outside are all that are needed. 1t
would have the Chief of these at Sacra-
mento, close to the Executive office, and
largely subject to the direction and con-
troll of the Governor. There should be
one State Constable at San Francisco,
one at Los Angeles, one at Redding, one
at Truckee, and one in the Bakersfield
section. These would be related to all