Los Angeles herald., 1908-06-04
WOOLWINE RAPS
THEPOLICE BOARD
PROSECUTOR SAYS C0MMIS-
SION MUST GIVE ORDERS
DEPARTMENT READY TO STAMP
OUT VICE IN CITY
Believes Violators Of Law Would Be
Punished II Governing Body
Would Express Such
Desire

II fragrant violators of the laws are
to be arrested and punished the ORDERS
must Come from the police commission,
declares Thomas l.. WoolWine, city
prosecutor.
Mr. Woolwine denies there is any
friction between his office and the
police over the latter's presumed re-
fusal to arrest violators of the liquor
and gambling ordinances. He believes
the police of Los Angeles will do their
part In making this clean city IL the
necessary orders to do so are given
them by the police commission, whicn
he blameS for some of the vice tnat Is
allowed to exist in Los Angeles
Mr.. Woolwine says he Will do his
utmost toward prosecuting persons VINO
are guilty of violating the law. but, as
he states, he cannot arrest and bring 10
Justice such violators, because his once
is purely for the purpose of prosecuting
Offenders and not seeking them and
arresting them.
Regarding his relations with the
police department he says:
From time to time there have been
numerous complaints made to this Of
flee as to different forms of vice that
the complainants alleged was being
conducted in the city, and in some
cases 1 have received letters complain
ing of a non-enforcement of the laws
in relation to gambling in particular
and have been told that many places
have been running in open violation OF
the law Complaint has also been made
to me that disorderly houses are al
lowed to be kept in violation of law.
Prosecution, His Duties
"These complaints have always been
met with the statement by me that my
field of labor is the prosecution of Of
fenses in court and that it Is the duty
of the police department to apprehend
criminals and secure the evidence look
ing to their conviction, and have re-
peatedly made the statement that II
the laws are being violated 1t Is primar-
lily the duty of the police department to
secure evidence against the Vioiators
and to make the proper arrests.
81 have made the further statement
that I believe the police department
can rise no higher than its source, to
wit, the police commission, and that
the police department will enforce the
law in every quarter where the police
commission desires 1t enforced. Ours
is a police department of ability and
experience. and I believe would follow
any order insisted upon by the police
commission.
.sThe only object have ever had in
making any statement in relation to
the alleged violation of the law is for
the purpose of letting the blame fall
where 1t should. 1 stand ready and
willing to prosecute any violation of
law brought to my attention IL the
proper evidence of guilt is also pre-
sented, but cannot be held responsible
for the ferreting out of crime and the
apprehension of criminals, and 1 be-
lieve that II the police commission
takes a firm stand for the suppression
of crime against any and all violators
of law that the police department of
this city can be relied upon to do
everything necessary to carry out this
purpose.
"There is absolutely no personal ami
mostly between the police department
and myself"