The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1911-06-20
CHIEFS DISCUSS
POLICE PROBLEMS
Chief Holloway Attends a
Helpful Convention

After profitable and enjoyable
week spent at Rochester in attend
ance at the police chiefs convention
Chief ]. Frank Holloway has returned
to Morristown. The guests at Ro-
chester were given a good time by
the reception committee and visited
many points of interest around the
city.
Many important topics We're dis
cussed at the convention that were
of interest to Chief Holloway. Chief
Sylvester. of Washington, d. CI had
this to say of the juvenile courts: -
In larger cities and in many of the
smaller ones the house of detention
where the boy or girl or female first
offender of older years may be de-
tanned rather than in quarters where
the more hardened are restrained has
become ali accomplished fact and
with it moves hand in hand the ju-
yenile courts
In the course of a year the police
of the country must contend with
great army of vagrants," said Chief
Sylvester, and while rigid action
in some of the smaller cities and
towns has moved them on, vagrancy
is a national problem The difficulty
is in being able to distinguish be-
tween the vagrant by intention and
the fellow who is out by accident.
Woodyards and lodging houses in a
small degree repress but united pub
lie and police activity alone avail in
community only, however, to remove
the tramp to other fields of action.
A close study of the question prompts
the suggestion that there be uniform
vagrancy laws defining who shall be
regarded as such. Work and lodging
houses, strict enforcement o. the law
by special mendicancy officers, estab-
lishnent of police departments by
all railroads, the members to
ensrgetically cooperate with the mu-
nicipal authorities, and the abandon
ment by the public of feeding the
tramp at the back door should be
had
The probation system proved a
highly interesting theme for discus
sion at one of the sessions. A dozen
or more chiefs talked on~the subject
a ~
forth. The discussion was warm fol
lowing an address by Chief Cowles
of New Haven, Conn, who attacked
| the probation system and declared il
4 farce.
THE probation question:" saiC
Chief Cowles, lis a live one to-day
There are many views on its use
fulness or otherwise. 1t has dhe eff
feet of removing any fear that boys
may have of probation officers The.
are sympat thized with and they go tC
report to the officers oftentimes like
a lot OF wild indians, yelling anC
hooting They keep mp these weekly
trips until pretty soon they begin tC
regard them as a joke and fhey nat
urally become hardened and have nc
respect for the probaiS on offiper. The
know that if they get into trouble
some of their older friends will inter
cede for them"
Chief Sebastian, OF Los Angeles
told the officers of the sunrise court
in vogue on the Pao fic coast, how
early in the morning all prisoners
gathered in the night before are ar
raigned before the magistrate and in
case there are prisoners whom it is
not necessary to detaih they are re
leased. 2'his plan is helpful to those
in business who may be in condition
to go to work after their release.
Chief Holloway met other police
commanders from all over the coun
try, Canada and Cuba and there was
not a one he met who had not heard
of Morristown or had friends here.