The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-01-25

and perform all duties cnjoined upon
them by ordinance.
Sec. 247. The several members OF
the police force shall have power and
authority without process to arrest and
take into custody any person who
shall commit or threaten to, commit In
the presence of such officer or with
In his view any brench Of the peace
or any offense directly prohibited by
the laws OF this state OF by any ord
nance
From these laws conclude. per-
haps foolishly, that the police are to
be the police OF the city. They are
not the law makers of the city or the
interpreters OF the law. They are no.
wnere instructed TO enforce such ord
inances as the mayor or city attorney
may see fit to suggest The city
council has power TO make such laws
as Will ielp In the suppression Of
crime but the police are the paid spe-
cialists OF the city in the real busi-
ness OF detecting and suDpressing
crime. | may DC in error but figure
out that we have in the city a law
making body, the council; law in
terpreting body, the municipal court,
and law enforcing body, the police
We do not ask any one OF these to
perform the functions of all taree
and we do not thank any of them for
trying to do It.
Now the police have certain things
to do. They are to arrest all lawbreal-
CTS OF whatever stamp OF disposition.
They are to do this whenever they find
law-breaker The mayor has no
right to object II you perform your
duties. The people cannot complain.
You are only enforcing the laws.
In order to cure some law breakers
you arrest them every time you catch
them at the business. You do not
arrest drunkard but once a month
The So fine he pays today does not
mean that this particular individual
may not be on another drunk tomorrow
and not be liable to punishment. The
payment OF 81 or S5 fine is not n
license to break the bicycle ordinance
all the time for a month. Then nv
what reasoning are the privileged and
protected classes allowed for a single
fine to break the law all the month
Why not fine them every time they
are caught at 1t, and they can be
caught every day.
We have the finest kind of a city
gambling ordinance.
Title 10, sec. "a. whenever any
peace officer OF said city mas reason
able grounds for believing that In anv
house or place In the city the busi-
ness OF gambling Is being carried on
1t shall be lawful for such peace of.
ficer to enter such house or place
with OF without warrant and such Off.
Ger is hereby authorized 10 seize all
instruments or devices there found for
the purpose OF gambling and to ar
rest any person having charge of suca
house or place and all others there
found engaged in playing at any game
for money or other property"
II gives you authority to seize "all
instruments and devices there found
for the purpose Of gambling" All opin.
Ions of former city attorneys to the
contrary, you will be upheld by Judge
Murphy II, in the performance of your
duty, you break down doors which are
not opened at your command. In the
of November 2. 1905, Ito cite
only a, single instance), the case of
Joseph Bott, proprietor OF the Little
Queen saloon, on a charge of allowing
In his saloon. was reported
It seems the evidence showed tha. the
officers we're denied admission to tho
saloon. Thereupon Judge Murphy
said:
You officers were much more pa
lent In this matter than | would nave
been, IL / were denied admittance TO
a place of business as you were.
think you would have been perfectly
Justified in breaking down that mans
loor and shooting him If he made any
resistance to you In the pursuit of
your duty"
That's pretty fine sense 7 am sure
ne would be willing to upaold you in
he pursuit of your plain duty.
1t may be interesting to see what
The city ordinances say of the duties
IF police officers:
City ordinances, title 8, chap I, sec.
|. 1t snail be the duty of the chief of
police and he is hereby authorized and
to diligently enquire into
my and all violations of the city ord.
nances; he shall use due
iiligence to ferret out all disorderly
houses IN the city, etc.
/ can't imagine why this special sub.
ect was handed to the chief instead
# to the city dog catcher. This alb
;urd ordinance will Of course be omit !
ed in the revised ordinances.
City ordinaces. title 8, cnap. 2. sec.
/. Every policeman appointed and all |
'fficers and members of the police |
orce shall take an oath for the faith |
ul performance of his duties in con-
lection with his office and shall sec |
hat the ordinances of the city are |
complied with; 1t shall be the duty of |
ach policeman to watch the conduct |
II persons of known or suspected bad
haracter and shall report such per-
ons to the captain of police whose
luty 1t shall be to report to the chief |
# police without delay
There is no justice In this. What
light under high heaven has the city
o demand such absurd duties of its po-
Ice? Doesn't this, by right, belong
o the city surveyor, or the city hall
anitor?
But after all, aren't we debating an
subject? These very men
gno are protected by the police do not
rant the police the right 20 place
olice power above the law except in
heir particular cases They would
trenuously object II the police per-
nitted the stealing of any property be-
onging to a gambling house Yet
the right of the police TO
rotect them in their law breaking.
he very next step is the granting of
he right of police to annul any other