New-York tribune., 1911-03-25
THE POLICE SITUATION
A Member Of the Force Believes the
Trouble Lies at Headquarters.

To the Editor Of TIE Tribune
Sir: ! suppose most editors arc men Of
fine education who have been or tho SUNNI
side Of Easy Street ever since they FIRST
saw t1e light They must take them
selves very seriously. because they as
sumo TO be authorities on everything from
baby milk up 10 now to dig 4 subway or
run this or any other government Yet.
and mind this, Z their pipes spring & leak.
with all their wisdom they must send for
plumber. for they don't know a rap
about pines. nor anything else except Just
xhat they have had experience in.
Thus when T read IN this morning &
issue OF your paper so much rot about
the police business II honestly got my
goat" Every policeman in this great city
has been saying right along that If the
newspapers kept on pounding the cop
hard enough the citizens would get their
pounding, and got it good as soon as the
toushs and criminals got the "cops" in 4
deep enough hole. Every lime 2 blackjack
falls on tire head Of citizen II 'ustifes
what we have been saving. DO you know
these facts-and Il YOU DO, WHY don't YOU
tell them fairly?
All plainclothes mon have been -sken
away from the police captain, 40 that
when he investigates crime ne must do IT
with uniformed mon. Thus 10 must send
men In Uniform VI 20 a ticket box 70 buy
tickets for Drizefghts-at least that's
how Dennis Brennan. of the e5th. does.
Now the magistrates threaten 20 lock men
m who ask warrants on such evidence as
newspaper clippings. and yet last week
all hands were fined for not making ar
rests when there is no way IN which ar
rests can 10 made Compare both items
of news and soc how ridiculous the situ-
alton is.
II a policeman has fight with q street
rsny all The gang Will dress MP and 20
downtown "a testify against him. The
whole gang. known 10 the officer n buns
End street loafers. vii. swear they work
in this place or that. and will even 20 20
rar as 70 say they are al,ar BOYS. The
Commissioner takes the greatest satiSfac-
ton On putting the policeman OF tho force.
and an tho newspapers say. "Hurrao.
another cluhber gone Then the rough
reciS" celebrate and threaten the next
nan on that post with the same frame-up
10 YOU realize what u Is for q cop" 10
no broke" 20 face his wife and family
and tell them he has lost out. though he
a. been in me business sometimes for
many voarso or course. he has made lots
of enemies. ao is no longer HounS ard
tts not like another bushes. where a
can get similar work elsewhere. lie -
simply down and out"
II you were trying - ruIe cit" or
count-v tre way these cops are being
ruled there would - . revolution. 10
subjects are 30 low as 70 stand for H.
Conlr'iseiorer Croreev calls us liars ard
nlarkguards and cant DO enough 70 hurt
us Mayor Cavno- took this city when
10 himself said f. was tho most orderly
one n tho world, thanks 10 Tho police
Then 10 began 70 tinker with tie Depart
mcnt that made New York the mos- order
lv ritv N the world. and nov il IS I'm fair
way 10 20 10 the other extreme
II YOU want 10 Hnon Just what tho mat
tor is With this department. call Your
stokers Up 20 run your l'notypes to-dav.
and YOU will see tie truth Tho police are
afraid % ,he criminals. and they Will stay
= fra'd til tbey are lacked Up a. Head
quarters. ard when that time comes they
will got on the job again.
ONE or THE BUNCH
New York. March %. 1911