The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1902-06-21

y" ouo Ouhudy Law, almost uni
versally violated throughout the
Parish, among liquor dealers, and
in some few instances by others,
The Grand Jury is determined to
enforce this law as we'll as Others
and it urges upon each peace Off
GERS in the Parish the necessity of
his reporting violations. The'Dis.
trict Attorney should file infor.
nation against these offenders
and the Sheriff should arrest anv
person attempting to Violate this
law as we'll as any other law. Ifl
these, officers are unable to enforce
the law the Grand Jury will cheer
fully assist them whenever infor-
nation is brought to it's notice.
The unpopularity of a law among
those who see fit to critlclse the
statues in certain instances is no
excuse or reason why an officer
should neglect his sworn duty.
Ii any particular law is treated
with impunity it will have a ten
dency to bring other statutes into
dlsrepnte.
OFFICERS AND THEIR DUTIES.
The Grand Jury regrets to be
compelled to report that many
peace officers of this Parish and
it's towns show an apparent ignor.
mace of what constitutes a violation
of the law and Police Jury and
City ordinances that is lamentable
in the extreme. If their testimOn-
les before the Grand Jury is to be
accepted as a basis tor passing up
on their executive abilities, we are
forced thereby to conclude that
they are either incompetent, ignor-
ant of their duties or passive in
regard to their sworn agencies un-
der their commissions. Only when
acting under the orders of their
superiors or when executing a
direct mandate of the courts do
they show any efficiency and even
then it is not of q variety that
wdnld commend them. We find
that private citizens have to ap-
pear before the proper officers and
swear out affidavi.s for criminal
offences and furnish tie State wit.
nesses when the crimes were know
of by officers of the Peace. UnfOr.
tunately, ,some officers seem imbued
with the mistaken idea that except
IN grave cases they cannot make ar
arrest unless armed with written
warrant, an order of court or al
affidavit sworn out by some ag
grieyed citizen. We have posi-
tive evidence of instances where
the Law was openly violated in tn
presence and within the know
Hedge of these officers and DO ar
rests have followed. In many in
stances law breakers are immun'
against arrest until their crime
are brought to the attention 0
the Grand Jury by citizens. II
', no instance has a violation of tn
law been brought directly to GU
attention by any officer voluntaril
and their actions in many instaI
ces appear as absolutely nnwillin
RI witnesses when summoned befor
us. Even while the Grand Jur
J. was in session and investigator
r crime and abuses of the law, pos
tive evidence of instances Whel
J. the law was openly violated !
9 the presence Of peace officers can
to our knowledge, yet no arres'
were made and no report to Il
8 Grand Jury. In a general va
J, the private citizen knows more
It the violations Of law than does Il
It average Officer, and We learn'
o more from the evidence OF the Ia
q abiding citizens when called y
n fore MS than we did from G
= officers; hence We are forced to :
g natural CONCLUSION that the canse
g either ignorance Of their dutis
incompetency o. wilful neglect
Y duty Whatever be The cause