The Washington herald., 1912-08-04
HOW THE CHURCHES NAY
HELP THE POLICE FORCE
OF A GREAT CITY

Mr.. r. Fulton Cuttings recently pub
llshed lectures on THE Church and So
cial Service" are OF more than ordinary
value. because they recite principles
gathered out OF a citizens wide expert
ence In municipal settlement work What
he says about the part that the church
might play In the truant school, and IN
the suppression of child labor, and IN
all matters of recreation-where both old
and young require to be taught what
true recreation isis most suggestive
As an example of the authors whole
manner end method the passage IN
which, out of his own intimate expert
ence, he outlines feasible mode Of CO.
operation between the church and the
police is most suggestive and timely.
Mr.. Cutting recites some pathetic ex-
pressions of individual policemen. Some
times children get lost on purpose" says
an officer, because they know how good
a cop is going to be to them" Again.
sChief of Police Knapp was asked II he
had received any help from the local
clergy No help he replied, only COM
pla.nts They could help immensely. II
only with their appreciation and encour-
agement TO individual members Of the
force" And here IS what a Western
clergyman says: THE hardest thing I
have had to contend with has been the
attitude of the churches in my own
ward They have actually less to do with
each other than opposing political par
ties The most difficult task is to bring
into line the Christian forces of my own
practical conclusion:
sIet Us attempt to visualize an ideal
relation between the church and the
understanding that the former is
sufficiently intelligent not to demand
revolution, and the latter amenable to
reason. The Christian people Of com
munity would have committee on
policing. its members on terms Of social
intimacy with both the superior and
subordinate officers. the various churches
establishing such a relationship with the
representatives Of the force detailed TO
their immediate neighborhood. This
committee would be organized with an
experienced social worker as its execu-
tive officer, and would be large enough
TO provide for subcommittee on the law
on places of amusement-on gambling
or the social evil-on Juvenile delin-
-quents-on the saloon-on the tail-on
relief 1t would have big brothers and
big sisters. The head of the force
would make frequent reports to the
Mayor for publication, tabulated SO as to
make the statistics illuminating, enabling
the committee and public to guage the
value of the method being employed to
promote virtue ana 10 repress VICE rre-
quent meetings would be held between
the police head and the committee to
discuss projects for increased useful
ress and to report upon the progress of
the general programme. Occasionally,
citizens meetings would be called in
enc of the churches to give the officials
sn opportunity to present to the COM
munity any new project for police use-
fuiness, and to provide opportunities for
~ 80 al In H.
GERS whose courage and efficiency had
earned for them the commentator Of
their fellow-citizens. Social functions
would be arranged to cultivate better
acquaintance between cooperating par
ties The committee would exercise its
common sense in carefully abstaining
from trespassing upon any Of the pre-
negatives of the police or from attempt
Ing TO intrude into its domain; the po-
lice would afford the committee the full
EST information compatible with its re-
lation to the community as a whole"