The daily morning journal and courier., 1904-05-28
The Police situation.

To the Editor of the Journal and Courier: Noticing by your editorial in Fri days issue as well as by an editorial in
 an issue of few days ago that you had decided to enter the contest regard ling the rejuvenating of our police de- ipartment rather than the contest for a
 free trip to the Worlds Fair, thought
 that in justice to the police force
 might say few words in their behalf.
 for at the present time they seem to be
 a very downtrodden class of humanity. Although I am neither town-born, nor
 am I connected with our celebrated in-
 stitution of learning, have resided in lthis quiet village for some years, and
 have been in close touch with our courts
 and police department. l have read
 with some degree of amusement and
 considerable disgust the yellow journal
 headlines and sensational articles re-
 also the enthusiastic. if perhaps not
 sound. editorial arguments of some of lyour contemporaries.
 1 Our police force being, as is undoubt- ledly we'll known, political organiza- l tion. 1t would be impossible to make it perfect and there are undoubtedly some members who are inefficient and in- lcomDetent. As a whole, however, they have been able to keep the peace and | to protect the citizens against crime, as lit cannot be questioned that this city has been remarkably free in recent years from any crimes, except those of a petty nature, which occur every where. It must also be remembered lthat the members of the police force lare human, are working for their bread land butter, and not for glory, and that las long as their appointment to the force and the holding of their positions lis due in a large measure to what-inf1u Ience they can command politically. they do and will continue to fail to see cer- tain illegal performances, which to see land take notice of might interfere. in Isome way with their political influence. As far as the rejuvenating of the police force is concerned the installing lin the places of men of age and exper- fence. young men of no experience in police duties, would be simply to make the force worse rather than better, and mot abate any of the abuses which come from the nature of their appointment, and must exist until the department is taken out of politics entirely.
 As to the recent assault cases, there are certain sections of our city where had there been police officer for every lamp-post they could not have been prevented. as the assaults have been lover in less than moment or two, and with the amount of trees and shrubbery lin the yards and along the walks, it would be almost impossible for the of- ficer to have observed the assailant un- til the attack had been made and the assault committed. These assaults ap- pear to me to have been the work of a degenerate. and he will undoubtedly be shortly aDprehended.
 As Ear as the pool rooms and policy shops which are supposed to exist are concerned, before blaming the police de- Dartment it might be well to inquire. whether warrants for raid of these places are easily obtained from the prosecuting officers, which might ex- plain some things that have not as yet been fully put before the public.
 It also appears strange to me that MT. Webb and MT. Isbell should be call cd into the conference of citizens with out calling some members of the police commission and some of the officers of the force, for if these gentlemen could