Perth Amboy evening news., 1912-04-04
A policeman who lie drunk while

A policeman who lie drunk while
on duty, however, is a decidedly diff
terent proposition. There are a
limited number Of officers and each
one ls responsible for a large terri
tory. If a murder ls being commit
ted in ONE back alley the street
cleaner owes no responsibility to the
public, whereas the policeman IS sup
posed to be on hand to preserve the
peace and make arrests. If he is
drunk how can he do so?
with the officer lying in the gutter
stupefed, thieves can hold high car
nival In a dozen houses and never
be molested; or a fire may break out
in the middle of the night and gain
tremendous Roadway before discov-
cred, while the policeman lies in
some doorway sleeping off his stupor.
Yet there are those who would say
that no more attention should be
paid to a policeman being drunk
than to a street cleaner.
Then too, there is the punishment
that is to be meted out to a police
man who has pleaded guilty of being
drunk while on duty. OF course, he
is very sorry and invariably prom
ises never to do it again. The plea
is made that, for the sake OF his wife
and family. he might be saved from
disgrace, What a pity It is the Of
hcer does not think of his wife and
family before he allows himself TO
get into the condition hat brought
him to his unenviable position.
Warnings and reprimands are get
ting to be rather worn out. The
policeman who wants to get drunk
while on his beat has got so he can
discount the consequences. What
the force TO have such matters
hushed up? Are they not
aged to go ahead and do the same
thing If they SO desire, feeling CON
hdent that in the end their pitiful
plea for another chance will be heed
ed, the matter will be overlooked,
and they be allowed to continue on
the force in good standing?
But look al the matter from the
taxpayers standpoint. A few years
ago an appeal was made to the peo-
pie to vote for an increase in pay
for the policemen, on the ground
that they preserved the peace of the
city and endangered their lives in
the enforcement Of the law. Their
plea was heard and the people grant
ed them the increased amount which
meant a heavier tax bill. Surely
the people are entitled to the protec- |
ton they pay for under the circum-
stances. A policeman goes on the
we'll knowing knowing the danger IN
volved and he must also realize that
his Job will be no sinecure. The
people have a right to demand that
the mon give their best services
while on duty. Recent robberies
throughout the city show that this
kind of service is badly needed.
But perhaps what is needed even
more than this are public officials
who have backbone enough to look
past the policeman's pitiful plea and
realize the duty the man owes to the
public at large. we need Il llttlS
more of the Roosevelt spirit. We all
feel sorry for the unfortunate ones,
but there are times when our feel
iugs must not stand In the way of us
doing our duty. If there are police
men on the Perth Amboy force who
are in the habit of getting drunk
while on duty, or at any other time
for that matter, they are in the
wrong place and the force would be
a great deal better Si without them.
1t may he h2ru for an official to tell
them this, but 1t is a duty these E
icials W to the taxpayers, neyerA
theless.
We believe that publicity in every
instance where a policeman is found
drunk is justified. The people are
paying the policemen for the ser
vices rendered and they have a right
to know how they are behaving. We
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