The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-09-01
UNPROTECTED TOPEKA.

dark and rid them of the thugs, tho
highwaymen and the moral perverts
who have become the terror Of the
town?
1t would seem SO.
Ono thing Is certain. The city po-
lice force as 1t is constituted and con-
Quoted at present seems totally In
competent to cope with this situation,
or to discharge any of it's obligations
in maintaining the peace with the
possible exception of pursuing with
more or less success the festive boot
Logger and tho persistent jointist. and
also rounding up the unfortunates who
harm themselves more than they do
society by drinking liquor to excess.
There was something Of an epidemic
Of holdups in Topeka this spring, and
Of burly negroes and beasts Of white
defenselsss women who might have
business on the streets at night. Then
there was something of q cessation to
their activities. Probably the glare Of
publicity that was turned in their d.
rcction was responsible for this. Sure
ly their fear of interference from the
police was not. for they're at it again
and their depredations are worse and
In some instances far more revolving
than anything of the sort that has ever
before happened in Topeka. Unspeak-
able outrages have been perpetrated
recently against men and women by
these ours right in the heart of the
city. And not only are holdup men
and thugs of the worst type plying
their trade again without let or him
drance. but the burglars. the house
breakers. are also busy in the pursuit
Of their profession, and absolutely un-
molested. Indeed, Topeka now ap-
pears to be a veritable mecca for
criminals Of the worst type. the most
dangerous that society has to war
against.
1t is unreasonable to suppose that
a police force of the numbers that To-
peka possesses can patrol a city Of
this size adequately at night. or even
in the daytime, for that matter. One
Of the crying needs Of the city, it Is
to be conceded. is a larger police force,
and salaries for patrolmen and Of
ficers that will attract men of suffi-
Gent intelligence and resourcefulness
to discharge the onerous duties Of
such positions. - --s--..s-
But 1t would be puerile for anyone
to insist that the present outrageous
condition OF affairs in respect to the
crime wave that Is overwhelming To-
peka just now should be blamed in
whole or. perhaps. even in part on
the premise that the police force IL
not as large as 1t should be. or the
size of the city demands The impor-
tant fact remains that the police force
il no smaller now than 1t has been
during any time in the last decade.
And does any Topekan recall that
within that period, except for the last
year or SO, the city was overrun with
holdup men and burglars? This is q
question that almost answers itself
with q negative. Crime OF this sort
has never run rampant In Topeka be-
fore. And SO the present police force
must stand charged with the indict-
ment of be-. : woefully incompetent
and unable to cope in any way with
its larger responsibilities.
What's the reason? There can be
but one answer. 1t is not to be found
entirely in the fact that most of the
men in Topeka who had become ex-
perienced in police work and famil-
lar with the methods and ways OF
criminals have been dismissed from
the force within the past two years
and their places filled with others who
are absolutely inexperienced in police
work, and therefore untitled for the
tasks imposed upon them. This 10 .
contributing factor. But the real rea-
son must be that those who are con-
cerned with the direction and manage
ment Of the police force seem to labor
under an obsession that the major
functions Of a Topeka police depart
ment concern only . rigid enforce
ment Of the prohibitory law and con-
slant crusade against what little there
i is Of the social evil In this city. This
IL essential police work, 1t u true. And
1t is one that the decent people OF To-
peka are interested in having accom-
plished.
But the mere fact that 1t IL generally
known both at home and abroad that
the Topeka police force IL used almost
exclusively for these purposes IL no
more than an invitation to the GRIM
inals of other types. the thugs, the
highwaymen and the burglars. ia
make Topeka their stamping ground
These criminals are a. shrewd az they
are brutal. They are quick to take
advantage Of such . situation They
know that they have little to feal
from q police force which concentrates
the bulk Of its powers in rounding ny
jointists, .bootleggers and the woman
of the streets and houses OF uI-fan>
who are az much sinned against -
they are guilty Of shining.
1t 10 . serious condition Of affairs thai
confronts the people Of Topeka. What
measure OF safety II accorded to women
| who perforce must travel the streets
alone at night when .. woman with .