The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-01-21
TYRANNY ANOTHER
CAUSE OF POOR
POLICE SERVICE
Commissioner CrOul's Iron Hand
CruShes Enthusiasm Out of Force
Who Do No More Than
Compelled To.
Policemen Willing To Work Heads
on for Man They Like, But Lie
Down" When Lashed.

In spite OF the fact that $50 men
In plain clothes are ~patroling the
streets. every night. in search OF sus-
picious characters. and in the hope
OF actually catching some assaulter
In the, act of attacking a woman or
girl. the attacks continue. and make
the extraordinary efforts OF the po-
lice department look futile.
There's a reason The police de-
partment is making an extraordinary
EFFORT; splendid display. but the In.
dlvidual men OF the department are
not making the extraordinary effort,
because they are disgruntled and dis.
satisfied, over petty Qunrrels. friction.
and a really deplorable state OF al
fairs In the department
Without perfect harmony, and tile
right sort OF spirit In the department.
the best formed plans OF any ponce
commissioner. or any superintendent.
are bound to fall fat
There have been plenty OF instances
to show that Police Commissioner
Croul is not popular with the mem
bers OF the force. Some OF the men
stanchly defend some OF his institu.
lions. but the men object to the gen
eral way in which things are con
Quoted
Commissioner Crouls ideal is to
make 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 1t Is
hurled against a 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
strict treatment and discipline, is his
own boss when he gets out on his
beat The department can forcephim
TO walk his beat regularly. TO ring
I'm 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
for his superiors. IL he doesn't want
to work hard, no amount Of discipline
and no amount OF surveillance can
make him do II.
An Official OF the department ex-
planned. months ago. that the cap
tains were pushing the lieutenants,
the lieutenants were after the ser.
geants, and the sergeants after the
patrolmen. in a way 10 make the lat
ter work as they had never worked
before under any police administra'
ton.
But the kind OF police work that
counts. the kind that causes an en-
thusiastic. hardworking patrolman TO
make Il his business 20 be on the spot
where he is wanted. and at the right
time, Is not being 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
denartment and the MEN WHO
MAKE THE POLICE DEPARTMEN /.
A SUCCESS OR FAILURE.
Moreover. the same spirit OF OPP
position tnat runs hlo"6h 'nO i"iih'
OF patrolmen. exists in the detective
bureau.
Not a detective on the force will
ever forgive Commissioner Croul for
his action In giving the whole detec-
tive force the worst calling down"
that they ever received. His cali
may have expressed the commission.
er's 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 commissioners. 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.