The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-01-20
ANOTHER
CAUSE or POOR
POLICE SERVICE
Commissioner CrOuls Iron Hand
crushes Enthusiasm Out Of Force
Who Expend No More Energy
Than Compelled To.
Policemen Willing To Work Heads
Of for Man They Like, But "Ils
Down" When Lashed.

In spite of the fact that $50 men
IN plain clothes are patroIinK ma
streets. every night, In search OF suss
pieious characters. and in the hoDs
OF actually catching some assaulter
IN the act of attacking a woman or
GIRL the attacks continue. and make
the extraordinary efforts OF the DO
lice department look futile.
There's a reason. The police de-
partment Is making an extraordinary
EFFORT; a splendid display. but the In
dividual men OF the department are
not making the extraordinary EFFORT.
because they are disgruntled and dis.
satisfied, over petty Quarrels, friction.
and really deplorable state OF az
fairs In the department.
| Without perfect harmony, and the
right sort OF spirit in the department..
the best formed plans OF any poncel
commissioner, or any superinfeodent.
are bound to fall fat
There have been plenty Of instances
TO show that Police Commissioners
Croul is not popular with the mem
bers OF the force. Some OF the men
stanchly defend some OF his institu-
tions. but the men object to the gen.
eral way in which things are COM
Quoted.
Commissioner Croul's ideal Is to
make a standing army Of the police
department. And II cannot be done.
A police department is a collection OF
individuals each to do his own duty
as events transpire. A standing army
may be filed with jealousies and
with malcontents, but, when II ia
hurled against common enemy, no
man can hang back. He is forced to
do his duty, and his whole duty.
But any member OF the police de-
partment holds In his own hands the
ability to make or break a commits
sioner.
A policeman, bound only by fear OF
lstfict treatment and discipline, Is his
own boss when he gets out on his
beat The department can force him
to walk his beat regularly, TO ring
in at certain times, and to try all the
doors on his beat, but the depart
ment cannot make him do his work.
A popular commissioner and popu-
lar superintendent, will get the maxi
mum of work out of every man, be-
cause the man wants to work hard
forvhis superiors. II he doesn't want
to work hard, no amount of discipline
and no amount OF surveillance can
make him do 1t.
An official OF the department ex-
planned, months ago, that the cap.
tains we're pushing the lieutenants.
the lieutenants were after the SER
geants, and the sergeants after the
patrolmen, In a way to make the lat
ter work as they had never worked
before under any police administers
ton.
But the kind OF police work that
counts, the kind that causes an en-
thusiastic, hardworking patrolman TO
make 1t his business to be on the spot
where he is wanted. and at the right
time. is not BEND done.
II any one doubts that the police
men of Detroit are deliberately lying
down." on account OF what they re-
gard as unnecessarily harsh treat
ment, let him talk to the policemen
themselves, the rank and file OF the
department. and the MEN WHO
MAKE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT
A SUCCESS OR FAILURE.
Moreover, the same spirit or op-
position that runs through the ranks
OF patrolmen. exists In the detective
bureau.
Not a detective on the force will
lever forgive Commissioner Croul for
his action in giving the whole detec-
tive force the worst calling down
that they ever received. His "call"
may have expressed the commissions
ers feelings. but it Is not the kind
OF talk that is going to send each
individual man out to work his head
of for the commissioner. The fam
Gus committee of $50" patrolling the
streets. was sent out to work won
ders. They COULD have worked won
ders, too, II the spirit were there.
Such a number OF men. out with the
determination to deliver the goods"
could not prove anything but sue
cessful.
But the $50 haven't their hearts in
their work, and are going through
stereoptyped form Of duty.
Commissioner Crouis abilities are
recognized by every man on the force.
II would not be a hard matter for
him TO rally every man on the force
to his support.
But the iron hand Is absolutely In
reflective against the policeman pac-
ling his lonely beat, with nothing to
do hut think over extra duty. extra
cost OF uniform. and the fact tnat
he is regarded as a mere cog IN
big relentless machine. instead OF an
individual engine for stamping OUT
crime.
Estabrook's Expensive Stable