The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-08-24
Police Outrages In England.

Police Outrages In England.
There ia some satisfaction in knowing
that stupid and wanton arrests are
made by the police elsewhere than in
American cities. But even this consola-
ton is discounted by their results to the
offending officers in less free and easy
lands than ours
In London Truth of August a couple
Of paragraphs are devoted to a case in
point. 1t came 10 light through an ac-
ton for damages brought in a county
court at Birkenhead, and the offenders
were the New Brighton police. These
are the facts as Truth tells them:
The action was brought by two young ladies
against constable and inspector OF the county
constabulary stationed at wallasey for damages
for false Imprisonment The two ladies' It ap.
peared. were members Of party which had pic.
nicked on the sandhlls. Another member OF the
party was arrested for trespassing on adjoining
rolf links. and the ladies accompanied him TO tho
police station In order to protest against the action
Of tho constable. On arrival at the police station
they were at nrst kept outside. but were ultimately
ounittcu ana tOiu tney must ConbiucI 'nombSlNoS
under arrest They were searched and placed In
the cells where they were detained for the night,
although their friends offered bail. and were taken
next morning to the police court in custody OF
policeman. The charge against them was for re.
sisting a constable In the execution OF his duty.
and II was at once dismissed. The result of the
County Court action was that the police withdrew
all lmputatlons upon the plaintiffs. and agreed to
verdict against them for ten guneas and costs In
each case"
Truth goes on to say that the police
were lucky in getting off 80 cheaply.
Il fancy If the matter had been left to
jury it remarks, they would have had
to pay much more dearly for such out
rageous interference with the liberty of
the subject. 1t hopes that the matter
will not be allowed to drop with such
petty compensation to the injured per-
sons, and actually takes the ground
that, together with one or two other
agGressions on the self-respect of mere
private individuals, the incident warrants
a general overhauling of the New Brigh-
ton force.
One can imagine the establishment
OF New York policeman if he found
himself compelled TO pay damages
even trivial damages-for unwar-
ranted interference with the liberty of a
citizen. So callous are we on this sub
jeot that it is only rarely that police
man is even transferred for insulting
conduct toward citizens or for unjusti-
fab'e arrests. Even cases of brutal
clubbing attract hardly more than pass
ing notice. Once or twice recently
when City Magistrates forced such
matters upon the public attention they
found at least some of the superiors OF
the accused officers occupying the dis
tinct position that the policeman could
do no wrong and that the dubbed man
had either deserved what he got or had
wlfully dubbed himself to get the po-
liceman into trouble.
There are two reasons why police out
RACES can never become customary In
England. One is that the combative
Briton cannot be made patient victim.
He cannot be made see or think that the
easiest way is the best. If weakling
in England should take the position
frankly stated by young man in the
Tombs police court, this city. few
weeks ago, that he would not prosecute
an alleged clubber because if he did he'd
be driven out of the city. he would find
scores of sturdier characters ready to
make his grievance their personal affair.
They would do so from selfish motives, If
no other; they might be the next victims
If abuses went unpublished. Letters
would be written to the Times, questions
would be asked of the Home Secretary
on the floor of the House of Commons,
"LABBY' would write biting paragraphs
about the case in Truth, and the condi-
tons would not down until the police
were scared into a wholesome sense of
the rights of subjects" and the limita-
tons of their own powers.
The second reason, which after all
is perhaps only variation of the first
one, why police abuses cannot flourish
in England is that there juries and courts
are always on the side Of those whose
personal liberty is infringed.
In matters affecting personal liberty
and dignity does the American public
lack solidarity?