The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-08-23


In straight-from- the shoulder talk
to the members of the police force yes
terday afternoon, Recorder Connell
pledged himself to back up every po.
liceman who discharges his duty faith
fully.
The members of the force gathered
In the recorders large office in the
early part of the afternoon in fun
dress uniform, and took chairs which
had been placed in readiness for them.
The officers occupied the front rows
and the patrolmen sat behind them.
The recorder emerged from his private
office about go o'clock and in response
to a command from Superintendent
Robling each member present arose
until the recorder was seated.
Director of Public safety +. l..
Wormser introduced the recorder,
briefly explaining that the policemen
had been called together that they
might understand what the policy of
the administration in regard to the po-
lice force is to be. Recorder Connell
adopted an easy. converse tional
method in addressing the assembled
policemen. He said:
II see before me many familiar faces
and also many strange ones, but
have every reason to believe that the
latter belong to mon who are Just as
faithful to their duty as are the older
members of the force with whom
am best acquainted. The position Of
a policeman, gentlemen, is peculiar
one. 1t does not merely consist. as
nf n
beat and drawing a salary.
"Whcn citizen takes the oath of
this city and of this commonwealth to
keep the peace and preserve law and
order, he takes upon himself great
duties and most serious responsible
ties. lie becomes a member of a con-
crete organization and the individual
opinion of the man is last. He has no
right to express one. He only knows
that he must maintain peace and good
order and that his duty is to do and
die and not to reason why.
"'rhe life of policeman is not one
that is generally sought after by a
serious minded man, who carefully
considers the daily peril in which a po-
liCeman is placed.
1T is important for mo. gentlemen
as the executive of this city. to he as
sured that you will stand shouldor-to-
shoulder and side by side with me, as
we'll as with each other. 1t is proper
that the director should have directed
you to he present today, that both he
and ] may look you in the eyes and
see what manner of men you are.
THE INDIVIDUAL POLICEMAN.
The individual policeman--what of
him. Is he only to walk his beat with
closed eyes and permit vice and crime
to exist, as long as they are under
cover? No, gentlemen, he is not. and
I want to impress upon you just as
forcibly as l can that from today the
individual policeman will be held indi-
vidually responsible for the suppress
sion of all forms of vice.
IF the individual policeman permits
gambling holls to be run wide-open, if
he allows street walking to become
rampant or if he permits houses of
ill-fame TO flourish, the record will be
kept against him and the punishment
which will follow will be severe.
The police department is the eye Of
the administration. Through it the
administration is kept Informed of ex-
listing Conditions, and you must re-
member that the administration could
be held up to ridicule through the me-
glect by YOU of your sworn duty.
81 want you to remember that the
purposes of this administration are
not empty talk. We are not holding
out the idea that this is an especially
superline and virtuous administration.
1t has made, and probably will make,
some mistakes, but let me impress
upon you the fact that they have been
and will Re mistakes of the head
rather than of the heart
when | leave this office for the
second time I want to have my hands
and my skirts Just as clean as they
were when J left II after my first term
as mayor. II there is a policeman in
this city, who, during the next two
years, makes it possible that my
hands should he smirched through no
fault of my own, | will show the pub
lie before I lay down my authority
that the blame should not rest on me.
'I want you to remember further
that the administra tion will always he
back Of the police department. want
you to understand that when you are
doing your duty there is no power this
side Of heaven that can have you
punished for IT,
"1 stand here ready to defend any
policeman who discharges his duty
faithfully, as long as my pocket-book
lasts Come to me, gentlemen, when
you are in trouble. You'll always find
me ready to help you, If you need help,
and you'll always find that I will treat
you AS you deserve to be treated"
The recorder was loudly applauded.