The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-04-12

/. Another hold mp.
Peaceful citizens mr,le TO toe the mark
before a couple of desperadoes, their per-
sons seized and searched robbed OF money,
lives threatened, all In the early evening,
almost upon the street. in the city of
| Providence.
| No policeman about--not the police
mans fault-polcoman can't be in two
places at once
True enough-but, Mr.. Mayor, you had
better keep quiet this time before you
explain TO the taxpayers and citizens gem
orally of your city that "no one is to
blame"
Maybe no one is to blame If so, we all
know it. But don't again undertake TO
excuse the police department. Some one
must be responsible. 1t is not "A question
of sentiment or charity. No one will be
disposed TO tar and sCathcr the particular
policeman who was patrolling the beat
Saturday night and was somewhere Mt
some other part of it than where his scr
vices would have been most useful at the
time OF the latest robbery. But don't cx-
cuse him. Don't excuse anyone
lt is no time for excuses or explana-
tions
The police department is paid 60 protect
the lives and property of the citizens of
Providence 1t is responsible to the citi.
zens for life and property, that they shall
he safe from criminal design The Job
the police department. Is intrusted to do is
not more than half done, as appears. II
is nobody else's business to do the other
half and nobody is to be hold accountable |
If IL is not done, or not properly done. ex-
cept the police department. Absolutely |
nobody, positively nobody. The response |
bility can not be evaded or avoided and |
no friendiiness can relieve the police de-
partmont Of it. There can not be two
"'' w Vi"o PiopoSitiou
For the police department, for its good
conduct. its efficiency and the success of
It's work the Chief Of Police is directly
and solely responsible. Tho taxpayers of
he city and citizens generally have moth
ng TO do with the individual patrolman.
% excuse him or to blame him for any |
hing. They have no concern with the
aptain of the district. They look TO the ,
'hicf of Police. They demand results
rom him. They demand security TO life
nd property from him. They demand ,
hat he shall so organize and manage his +
,rcc of officers and men that the house .
older may go to the grocery for pint of !
liik OF an evening and not be stopped o
ierc, held up at the point of pistol, and q
'bbed. They furnish the Chief of Police c,
ith all the money he asks for and all the
on he asks for. They do not dictate his
ethods but they do demand of him pro- A
ctlon. If he fails to furnish it he ought
be retired and his successor promptly %
pointed That is "A complicated opera.
IN but we should say that the present IN
lief Of Police must by this time recoe Mt
70 his weakness, his inability, his peou- "a
+ uniitness To properly manage tho
lice department OF the city of Provi- br
nee. and If ho is a good citizen who at
lily has the interests of the city and of CT
iellow-citizens at heart for something
ne than the salary he can get out of $.
m by retaining an Office be is not able az, az,
I'LL, he would Just naturally resign with DE
waiting for public Indignation to rise
7 higher. !