Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-10-05
THE POLICE SITUATION.


The citizens meeting, held in the hall
of the Chamber of Commerce Friday
night, was much discussed yesterday,
and among other things it was said on
the streets that the police commissioners
were resentful of some Of the remaks
investigation of the force until the pro-
posed mass meeting has been held.
We hope the board will do no such
thing. They shouldn pursue the eve
even tenor of their way, and not allow
themselves to be disturbed by criticism.
1t would be well, no doubt, for them to
wait and arrange programme which will
enable the citizens committee to appear
before them and present any proof or
offer any proper argument they have
mind to; but to pursue the other course
would be a blunder. Rather let the board
heartily invite the active cooperation of
every good man and woman.
There is some criticism of the boards
action in permitting Captain Angle to
resign, and it may be that they erred
there. nevertheless, we NU IiOt pSAASNS
their course was taken with any purpose
to foreclose the investigation they have
begun No doubt they were influenced by
kindly NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. doing credit
to their hearts. Yet by doing SO they have
taken the risk of being misunderstood.
In the matter of the vacant sergeancy,
it was expected that the board would
have filed it by the election OF
Wyatt, without any application from him,
or else left it untitled until their investisa-
ton is complete. Upon the whole we
daresay, the latter course would have been
the wiser one. No doubt Mr.. Holdcraft is
a worthy and capable officer, but it is
impossible not to recognize the fact that
Mr. Wyatt is a factor in the situation
here and the people would regard it as de-
appreciation of his services His is the
case of man whom the people love for
| the enemies he has made.
The citizens meeting held in the hall of
the Chamber Of Commerce night before
last voiced public sentiment in demanding
liiIiL tLS lilNSSllSalloli NAV lllC OpSltt-
lions of the police force, and into the de-
| linuuencies of its officers and MEMBERS
shall be continued and prosecuted with
vigor. We know enough now to render it
| important that we should be told every
| thing. After ali the stir that has been
| made it would be pity to stop short
of a clean and complete job. That the
| people expect of the board; that they be-
lieve the board Will give.
! A good deal of the trouble in which our
growth of that rankly mistaken policy, to
/ which the Dispatch has called attention
\ time and again, under which the authori-
ties required citizens to produce evidence
for the police to act upon. Bring US the
evidence and we'll arrest the man. they
would say in too many msdemeanor
cases. We have ever protested that that
was wrong; that citizens should not be
required to do detective duty. Had q
contrary policy prevailed gambling houses
and houses of resort for dissolute men and
women would not have given SO much
1 trouble here.
Nothing will satisfy the Richmond pub
lie now but an exhaustive and hearty
| Investigation into police affairs. That
done. the bad men on the force can be
punished; tho incapable ones removed,
while the greater number who are worthy
arc sent on their way rejoicing.
There cnn be no turning back now.
It.Forward" Is the only word that viii be