The Washington herald., 1909-06-17
POLICE AS JUDGES
OF MINOR OFFENSES
Golden Rule" Chief Tells of
Methods in Cleveland.
ADDRESS BY MAI. SYLVESTER
Washington official Delivers An
nuoI Message as President OF Or
ganiEatiOn, and Discusses Question
OF Safe and sane Fourth Observ-
ance-WiH Probably Be Reelected.

Buffalo, n. Y, June 16-To-day's ses-
sion OF the convention Of the Information
al Association of Police Chiefs was taken
up with the reading and reference OF pa
pers. None caused discussion like that
of Cleveland's chief, Frederick c. Koehler.
He said that seventeen months Of trial
had proved his Golden Rule. or common
sense, method a success. The principle
Of il is that the policeman on the ground
is made the judge as to whether he shall
arrest the offender or not. He is encour-
aged not 10 make an arrest on a first Of
fense.
The result has been that against 30.41S
arrests in 1907. there were but zoos ar
rests in Cleveland in 1908 The first rule
Of the Koehler system is that a juvenile
is not to be imprisoned He is TO be
taken home. or his parents are TO be sent
for TO administer correction.
Chief James McSweeney. Of South Bend
Ind. moved that the association 90 on
record in favor Of the Koehler system.
Henry Behrendt. Of Lansing, Mich. and
Chief Kline. OF Wilkesbarre. Pa, backed
up the motion. The other delegates were
opposed almost to a man.
The Kohler paper did not even get to
the committee on resolutions, It was
ordered printed and spread on the min-
utes, however.
Humane side of Policemen.
B. J. Clark. OF Altoona. Pa. read a
paper on the human side OF the police
man. in which he said that allowances
should be made for the feeling OF author
lty which is common with newly created
policemen.
Thomas T. Browning. Of Ogden. Utah
asked the association TO go c9 record as
favoring treating the habituai drunkard
as is done In his city. Such drunkards
are posted in the saloons The saloon
keeper who sells 10 them is subject tc
fine and arrest. His license is revoked
on conviction and he cannot get another
The police are directed 10 keep drunkards
away from the saloon.
Thomas F. Farnan, OF Baltimore. spoke
on the Black Hand and kindred s1cle-
ties. He introduced a resolution that the
association 90 on record for a law re-
curing form OF certificate OF charactes
which an immigrant must produce be-
fore he is admitted into the country.
The committee on resolutions VIII make
it report tomorrow.
Address by Mai. Sylvester.
Maj. Sylvester. chief OF police OF Wash
ington, delivered his annual address as
president OF the organization. He dis
cussed the question OF safe and sane
Fourth OF July observance. telling OF
what had been done in Washington and
other cities.
The increasing fatalities. injuries. and
fires incident 10 the discharge Of FIRE
works and explosives on the Fourth OF
July, he said. have called for the re.
striction and abolition Of this indulgence
in some municipalities
Already several cities have enacted
measures prohibitive. Figures for ths
past six years place the killed at 1.3l'
and the wounded at $3.50. IN Other
words. six battles accompanied by heavy
losses. The movement for the abolition
of demonstrations Of the kind is progress.
ing. and the police have to do the work
II is 70 be hoped that lie people whC
are urging the proper regulating OF al
D ~--~~~ -@-N-NNN-@ - ff~I va AAhaA III Uh =
ment will not forget to urge ADEQUATE
police provision 10 accomplish the desired
ends.
The demand for protection that vii
protect is now more earnest than ever
To Prevent, Protect, and Detect.
Noises OF an unnecessary kind incl
dent TO life in the larger communities
have been receiving the attention OF thos,
who exercise city control during the yea
just closed and the police figure promi
nently as the means that must be relie,
upon to check them. Il is not the roI
Of the mills, the creaking of the drayi
under cases Of heavy merchandise tha
seem TO cause complaint, as these ar,
the barometers Of activity and trade. bu
the discordanJ music OF the huckster, IN,
rafting Of empty milk cans barking O
| dogs and Growing Of roOsters. all in tn,
early morning hours. have called fortl
storms of denunciation In some citie
| ordinances and regulations have beel
! passed for relief. and the police hav
/ been called upon 70 enforce them. Tht
scattering Of paper in the public thor
] oughfares and expectorating on the side
MaA>S are aApV AiS1V vAAVAtoCc III MANI
| Jurisdictions for which the police mus
make arrests
! The selection Of officers and the plac
4 Of the next convention has been deferre
/ until Saturday The feeling among tn
! delegates to-day was that Mai Sylvester
of washington, would be reelected presi
I dent
Harvey G. Carr. Of Grand Rapids
! Mich, who has been for years secretary
] treasurer Of the association, will retail