The evening times., 1901-05-06
SEARCHING THE PRISONERS.
Women Offenders Causing No End of
Trouble in Police Circles.

Considerable comment has been occa-
stoned of late regarding the failure of the
police to properly search female prison
ers. On several occasions recently pris-
oneTs have reached the dock in the Po-
lice Court with articles considered con-
traband On one occasion a policeman
was struck over the head with bottle of
gin in the cell room Of the Police Court
by woman TIo had secreted the bottle
about her person and smuggIeI it into
the court.
That the condition IS a most serious one
! is readily TO be seen by those who are
familiar with Police Court scenes. In the
case referred to it would have been as
I easy for the woman to have carried a re-
volver or some other dangerous weapon
into the courtroom as the bottle and in
the hands OF a person as desperate as she
proved to be the affair might have re-
suited fatally
Section "a Of the Police Manual pro-
vfdes: ..AT persons who may be locked
Up at amy station shall first be thorough
+ Iy searched by the officer who brings
them IN, and all weapons and articles OF
property OF money found in their posses
sion shall be taken by the station keeper.
who shall make detailed descriptive list
of the same, and If all or any part there
cf be not wanted as evidence in court,
such as may not be required shall be re-
turned upon discharge. receipt therefor
being taken"
This rule is thoroughly understood by
the members of -the force and is rigidiy
adhered 10 so far as male prisoners are
concerned. With females it is different.
Under the old police arrangements the
search was necessarily made by the Off
b4r% he {rfr r0.TT7S-%iOT1 of modern
methods matrons were appointed and the
work deyolved upon them. Today every
maIron in the Police Department. with
the exception of one. is on duty at the
House of Detention. and there every priS-
ouer is properly searched Only the bet
ter class of prisoners such as first Of
tenders ana others OF greater or less
degree Of responsibility who may be
charged with a violation Of the law, are
confined at that Institution, however, and
the more dangerous and vicious element
is held at the statiouhouses. 1t IS need
less to say that the necessity for the
searching of this class of prisoners is far
greater than that OF searching at the
House of Detention. Still. with the force
available II IS practically impossible to
do So Aside from the matTOns whose
services are absolutely essential for the
operation Of the House of Detention. there
is only one matron available for duty at
the ten stationhouses- including the sub
station, throughout the entire twenty
four hours of q day This matron is as
signed to duty at the First precinct or
Twelfth Street police station, where there
is generally more necessity for her serv-
ices.
At the other stations. save In exceptional
cases. il is practically impossible 20 Sc
cure the services of matrOn- Conse-
quently at these stationhouses the arrest
of a woman who is not a fft subject for
care at the House Of Detention. presents a
serious problem If the policeman who.
makes the arrest follows the Instructions
contained in the manual and searches his
prisoner properly he IS almost certain to
be censured for subjecung her to the in
dignity. If he fails to do so he Is viOIat-
ing the manual and Is liable at any time
10 meet with most serious consequences
The police Of every precinct are in a
Quandary on the subject and contend that
il is i matter that should be solved for
them by those in authority, and that their
plain duty in such cases should be indi-
Gated.