The Detroit times., 1910-01-18
PETTY JElL0UsI[s|
H0NEYc0nb THE
POLICE Dept.
Constant Guerrilla Warfare 1stu.on
Detectives and Pstrolmsn ~
Within Ranks Of Each Results
in Gross Ineficisncy.
Supt. Downsy and Captains ~
Donnell and Baker Nlrss yss6s
and Carnival Of Crime Goss O..

Unsolved murder mysteries, ept
denies OF "holdups." burglar raids. n
which residence sections. one oflaR
another, are plundered at win. with
the raiders leaving the police with
out clue" lead to that insistent and
| oft-repeated question:
What is the matter with the poles
department."
It's an honest. sincere question from
the taxpaying citizen. "the man on
the outside"
Police Commissioner Croul knows
what Is the matter.
| Supt Downey knows.
! Chief OF Detectives Mcdonnell
knows.
And every precinct captain. every
precinct detective. lieutenant. cor.
geant. and even the patrolman who
has been ION tho job" long enough to
know anything about the police forco.
knows what Is the cause OF the In
efficiency In the Detroit police depart
ment.
1t is the old. old axiom Of the house
divided against itself"
The man on the outside--the tax-
payer who foots the bills-has right
TO know. And Police Commissioner
Croul could tell the whole story 70
the taxpayers--if he wanted to.
It's story that begins with "Jeal-
ousy" and ends with Intrigue" Il
| Is story OF petty. personal strife
within the department, which Is divid-
ed into "Tongs" which would put
Chinatown to shame.
Harpoon In Constant Use.
The local department Is q most
furtive institution. Half Of the men
In 1t are looking for the other half. 10
use the harpoon on the slightest
proyocatiA.
| Police politics" Is nothing more
nor less than a constant broil OF petty
feuds. personal spites, and jealousies
between officers and between depart.
ments.
And Commissioner Croul knows
that, only too we'll.
He grabbed the bull right by the
horns when he took ONCE. He un-
doubtedly planned TO find out JUST
WHAT WAS THE MATTER. And he
found out and he is right at this mo-
ment mixed up In the biggest brofl nj
1
| yet felt.
He probably pictured the detectives
or Fly cops" and the patrolmen IS
working hand In hand. In a united,
though occasionally ineffective search
for the enemies OF society. Instead.
he found the detectives fighting the
patrolmen. and the patrolmen fighting
the detectives.
49, hx.t In an
everlasting guerrilla warfare OF deeds
and actions. Let patrolman, or
squad OF patrolmen make a capture.
and the detectives belittle 1t, or even
go so far, as in the past. to try to dis
prove II.
Let detective be on the hot trail OF
good thing, and unless the patrol
man happens to be the man who fur
rished the tip. the ratro.man will lot
the Dick" work out his own saliva
ton.
Carries On Guerilla Warfare.
A detective far outranks q patrol
man. He can AFFORD to openly snub
9 patrolman. A patrolman can carry
on his little guerrilla warfare against
the Fly cops" only in delicate little
ways known best to the policeman.
Meanwhile, II a case" by which
might be meant the capture Of muir
derer. the breaking UP OF gang OF
burglars, or the arrest Of some particu-
lar thief, be "a detective case" with
the glory I'm the detective bureau In
the event of capture. no patrolinnn
| is going to break his neck to make
that capture.
On the other hand. IL an ordinary
copper" wants a man. a detective
doesn't pay any attention to that case
at all. It's beneath his dignity.
And so the guerrilla warfare goes on.
It's as old as the department. New
feuds. new factions, are forming every
day.
And. to stamp II all out, Police Com
missioner Croul handed the reins Of
rolice government over to John J.
Downey. superintendent through vary
ing administrations. through Demo-
cratic and Republican regimes. and q
man with his own list OF feuds and old
scores. And, as sample or the
strength and beautiful unity OF the
department on which Detroit taxpay-
ers depend for constant and con.
certed vigilance over their persons and
their property. nothing ould be more
Illuminating to the man outside than
real glimpse. INSIDE, at police head
quarters.
Downey DlsIikes Mcdonnell
Superintendent Downey cordially
dislikes Chief Of Detectives McDon-
nell. Cordial and dislike, harnessed
up. exactly describe the conditions in
police headquarters.
\ Superintendent Downey has the
same cordial feeling for Capt Al
,continped ON Page Niae.,