The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-01-12
POLICE CHIEFS REPORT.


class Of criminals, however, have been
checked, and although the crooks have
stolen money from time to time, good
record of recovery has been made.
The Chief describes a number Of the
confidence games practiced, stating
that the horse-racing fake is the worst
Of all. He points out that only four
States in the Union allow horse rae
ing, and that Utah is one of those
States. He makes a strong plea for
the abolition by the State Legislature
of horse racing in this State.
Tho Chief voices the pressing need
Of more men for the service. We
haven't as many as one to one thou
sand Of population, but other States
have a much greater proportion.
Chief Grant reports that
AS a result Of the persistent work Of
this department during the year, we have
not one public house Of prostitution nor
one gambling nor opium den In the city
No such thing as a "red light" district
or "restricted'' district exists. Many
desirable citizens were once used for i'm
moral purposes, and for the alleged sale
Of liquor. Through tho passage Of the
rooming- house ordinance we have been
enabled TO eliminate largo percentage
OF undesirable proprietors, and by inves-
tigatlon prior to the issuing Of new IL
cense we are endeavoring to see that
only citizens who have regulations for
obeying tho. law are permitted to en-
gage In such business. We have writ
ten letters and sent copies of the ordi-
in this city. and am pleased to state
that without one exception all are lend
Ing US their support. OF course, evils
are sure to exist iD rooming houses and
other places, but gamblers. prostitutes
and their consorts have left this city
by the hundreds, While we cannot hope
to entirely eliminate immortality. we are
aiming to minimize It In the rooming
sib1e.
All this reads extremely we'll. We
are afraid, however, that the public
Judgment will be that the conclusions
stated by the Chief are on the whole
too optimistic. But the public will be
glad to know that this is the aim kept
in mind by the Chief.
He reports that there are 131 Ii
censed saloons in this city, but is in
favor of cutting this number down so
that there shall not be more than 100.
An especially favorable record is
shown by the report on the recovery of
stolen property. And altogether the
report is fair and satisfactory one.
There are number of detached ex-
hibits following the report, giving much
specific information about the work OF
the department. The little table show
ing the disposition of cases gives some
curious results. There were altogether
Ss07 arrests made by the department
during the year. OF these ITO re-
suited in convictions; 675 forfeited
their bonds; 274 were within the juris-
diction Of the State courts and other
jurisdictions; S045 were discharged;
1902 were dismissed; l72 cases are
pending, and "not held for trial'' num-
bered 1771.
1t would appear prima facie that
there is some lack of coordination be-
tween the city court and the police de-
partment, because Of such small num-
Der Of convictions, amounting to only
about one-eighth of those arrested. The
forfeitures, perhaps, should be reck-
oned in among the convictions, these
numbering 673, and also those "uot
held for trial." 177l, and by so much
helping the case for fair punishment
Of those arrested. But surely the items
discharged, 3045; dismissed, l702,"
altogether 4747, forming a good deal
more than one.haIf Of those arrested,
discharged or their cases dismissed by
the court, is too great proportion Of
unpuuished, For, whatever may be
said about the rule of law as TO the
presumption Of innocence in case
tried before court Of record, the rule,
as a matter OF fact. is quite different
in police cases, for the police make ar
rests, for the most part, on the evil
dent transgression charged; the person
is actually doing the thing he is
charged with when he is arrested, aud
as a rule, conviction should bo prompt
and sure.
The Chief of Police makes no COM
ment nor complaint upon this phase of
the work Of his department, vet while
prais!ng many who have aiiod in bis
work, he doesn u praise the city court.
And it is evident from the figures given
that there has been too much disposi
tiou oil the part OF the court to lean to-
wards mercy rather than justice.