The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-01-22
| NJ GOING TO HAVE
HARMONY IN THE
POLICE DEPT.
IF. III. CRoUL
Commissioner, in Frank Talk, Con-
firms Times Revelations as To Jeal-
Ousies Among Members Of Force,
and Promises Speedy Remedy.
mo Talking Rule Construed Too
Literally By Policemen, He Says
Complaints Will Diminish.

Palice Commissioner Frank II. Croul
said. Saturday morning:
Il am going 10 have harmony and
friendly relations In the police depart
ment. am going To have spirit OF
lhelpfulness between one ofiicial and
another. And l am going to have IL
right away"
Commissioner Croul said. frankly.
that he knew there we're ieaiousIes and
dissensions in the department. and the
way In which he added that they were
going to disappear for the good OF tho
department, at once. was significant.
II don't know much about this
down criminals | am going TO learn.
handle them. YoH shall see, very
the men Of his department
"You shall see the men helping one
another, in the common cause.
ALSO, there will he falling OF Of
ordinance complaints" continued the
commissioner, In a straightforward.
shoulder, honest talk about the,affairs
of the police department
II believe that strict enforcement
OF the ordinances is a good thing. It's
good for the police department. and
it's a good thing for the city. u
makes the police department step
lively, and 1t makes the citizen wake
up TO the fact that the ordinances must
be obeyed. 1t has resulted In more
care on the part of the citizens. Side
walks that were never cleaned on. are
being cleaned; sidewalks are not be-
ing broken by drivers who throw
hitching weights on the walks. Short
hitching posts, which cause damage
suits against the city, are being done
away with.
There is no question. though, that
1.-THE ordinance campaign has been
tabused and overdone. That can't be
helped, at first. Some policemen are
bound to be overzealous, and TO turn
lin petty complaints. have thrown
out any number Of petty complaints
fright in this ONCE.
"But, on Friday. a general order
went out to every police captain 70
carefully survey every ordinance COM
plaifft turned in. Those that are petty
or uncalled for. or have reasons
known only to the officer behind them,
will not be taken to court.
THAT will be one reason for fewer
ordinance cases. The other reason
is that cases will Alturally dwindle
because the citizens are becoming
more careful In their observance or
the ordinances. When a man Is sum-
moned to court, even IL he is not fined,
he would often give IS not to be In
court, on account of the time involved.
and the bother Of 1t.
"I believe, though. that the common
council should at once amend the Or
finances. There are a lot OF dead-let-
ter ordinances. suitable for a town on
200 people, but not At for big. grow
ing city like Detroit think that
law that cans be strictly enforced II
a bad law, working harm to good laws.
It will be a mammoth Job for the coun.
ell to amend the ordinances, but IL
should be done.
"As to the start Of the ordinance
campaign being overdone, that Is
most natural thing. II was necessary
at the beginning to have the confusion.
and the withdrawal Of policemen FROM
beats. | felt that many ordinances be
ling ignored ought TO be enforced, and
that the mere announcement that they
were going to be enforced would not
have the effect that serious. earnest
campaign along that line would have
| didn't want to ask the courts TO id
lust matters so that such thing could
be accomplished. l knew that the
courts would adjust things. And as
soon as the natural result OF the Hood
of ordinance complaints resulted In
congestion, Judge Connolly suggested
a plan which has done away with the
congestion. We have had excellent
support fro mthe courts. l. think, too.
that the newspapers have been very
fair. Ieexpected criticism-it had 70
come. But welcofe fair. honest criti-
eism. II does lot Of good.
THE kind OF criticism that I don't
regard as good for the department 10
the kind to disrupt disvipline In the
department--to make one man say
about another: That fellow has been
shown up or That man isn't mt.
But II fair criticism should be OF
state OF affairs that does exist. and ~
known to exist, even to yourseiff
was suggested.
THAT is fair criticism" replied the
commissioner.
/ "This ordinance business will adjust
itself" ne added. But even though
tbere have necessarily been instances
where It has been overdone the gen-
eral public favors II. You would De
surprised II you knew the number q
complaints that I get, personally, over
my telephone People call up aekinH
THAT I send officers TO make complaint
tcontinued ON Pnge Two.)
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Marine Merger Rumored.