Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-09-14

and In most cases a charge OF assault
which Is far from being technical
The theory Of the regulation IS that
the policeman must use his baton only
when his own life Is in danger. and
that n must be prepared 10 prove In
every case that its use was justified
IN the terms Of this regulation. Prac-
ttcally h must wait To be- hit before
he can hit The advantage which ac-
crues from getting your blow In
fust" is reserved for the tough. who
eagerly avalls himself OF the privil-
eye which the law allows him.
TYPICAL CASE.
A striking instance OF the handicap
which this regulation Imposes on tho
police WAS related I'm the evidence just
given before the royal commission by
Sir Edward Henry CHIEF commissioner
OF the metropolitan police A police
man named WOrsley was attacked by
a rough. The fellow first aimed a
blow at Worsley, which the policeman
succeeded in warding off. The rough,
who was spelling for a fight. then made
rush at Worsley and tried TO kick
him Worsley Knocked the night out
Of him by a blow on the head win
his little truncheon. Then the logged
him OF to the lock-up. and In a police
court next morning charged him with
assault, The magistrate dismissed the
charge, on the ground that he already
had been punished sufficiently by that
one knock on the head.
SYMPATHETIC JURY.
The man subsequently sued the POI
liceman in the county court for DAM
ages and a sympathetic jury awarded
800 10 him. holding that. although the
circumstances justified the policeman
In using his truncheon. ne was not
justified IN striking him on the head
with it. II seems that there is po-
lice regulation which forbids "a police
man hitting an assailant on the head
with his truncheon when he possibly
can strike him on the legs OF arms
with Il. In giving his evidence. Sir
Edward Henry entirely justified the
Policeman. Il was very difficult he
said. to stop a man who was aiming
a running kick at you by striking him
over the legs or arms To make such
blow effective required greater
adroituess and judgment than the ore
binary man could exercise IN the heat
Of a tight. But according 10 the Brit
fish theory the policeman should az all
times conduct himself as the servant
and not the master of the public. And
Worsley should have risked being
kicked into insensibility rather than
risk violating a technical police regu-
lation
TWENTY PER CENT LAID OUT.
The result OF this coddling OF the
London hooligan-the equivalent OF IN
American tOugh--is seen Goo the police
statistics. There are roughly about
$500 policemen I'm London, and the
annual reports Tor several years back
show that $500 men on average arc
required 10 20 ON the sick list every
year because OF injuries inflicted on
them by violent prisoners. This Is
very nearly 20 per cent or tne tol"i
force. and Il must boz borne loo mind
that a London policeman is not report
ed ON the sick list until hc has been
away from duty for az least lhieo
davg. The total number or men tom
porarily disabled undoubtedly is many
times greater. This, too, is me aver
age for the whole of the London al7-
trlct. A magistrate for the straiiord
district. which Is by no means the
moet turbulent in London made the
statement from the bench the other
day that fully IS per cent of an tho
poiicCmeu boz that district were inca-
uacitatcd constantly for duty py me
uries received in the execution OF thrH
duty.
LONDON HOOLlGANs.
The fact les that the London rough COM
sidcrs Che police fair game. LOT uH
20 out and do a policeman d, says
to his friends after "a night Boo tho
public house. and he sallics forth ana
nssaults the first unfortunate BOBBY
whom he meets His first move l7 20
obtain possession of the whistle by
which the policeman summons assist,
anca and which Be- attached to cniu
around his neck. That obtained h'
h fairly sure uf uninterrupted Sport
for the British workIngman as RUE
looks on policeman beating ha PEE
gltimate pastime. and seldom lnl't-
feres 10 protect the victim The po-
llceman usually fights as best ne may
with his hsts. Tor the fear ni "ihelal
pains and penalties prevents MN from
drawing his tuncheon. lila asaAu-
ants are not Handicapped similarly
They always are equinued win heaNl-
N buckled belts which make eNcellenl
Weapons OFTEN they have knives M
nine cases out of ton they are warned
bv "a sympathetic crowd Of the approach
~ police rcinforcements ana escape ln
time
"POLICE BRUTALITY
srt. ,e-,,tt A. ~ courao that the Lon