The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-12-20
CITY CLUB STUDIES
WOES OF POLICEMAN
Leon &. Cooley Pictures Him
Hedgcd About by 1877
angel" Rules.
URGES PROBATION SYSTEM

Policemen constituted the beginning and
The suding but not the middle or the CITY
Clubs second saturday luncheon ycster-
day Commissioner Arthur Woods baf-
fed by the Ban case and the detective
bureau, OF which he has just taken per-
sonaI charge. couldn't attend but he sent
three deputy police commissioners IN
stead An eX-deputy police commissioner,
Clement J. Driscoll. was also present.
The interudo was furnished by DR..
Woods Hutchinson. who demanded mini
mum wage OF 80 day for every grown
man and fresh air for himself and his
auditors He got the fresh air.
THE psychology of the cop Is simple.
said First Deputy Police Commissioner
Leon q. Cooley, speaking first. "He wants
fair play. lie doesn't want to be pun
ished when h. hasn't done wrong and ne
wants others punished when they do
wrong
"A policeman came to me the other
day mad clear through. lie said AN
other man and ! were caught on post
admit H. Same offence for us both
He has a poor record have clean
one He got fined one days pay and
go; fined two days pay. That's not fair
II ", both had been fined three days
shouldn't have said a word
This man had a just grievance IL Is
the same when the court doesn't stand
back OF the policeman
THE responsibility is often on other
people for conditions that lead the po-
liceman into the attitude OF mind where
ne will be dishonest.
There are 737 rules OF the department
all designed. as some one has said, 20
make an angel. For breaking these there
are Just three penaltics--reprimand fine
and dismissal If a man is off post IL
now costs him sl2 out of a salary of 500
TO $40 month--and II doesn't matter
whether he was or post two minutes or
two hours.
'If YOU get down late to your office
nothing happens but let the policeman
anywhere from SO to $40 fine happens
And 1t comes out OF the living OF the
pollceman's family.
I'VE are tied hand and foot by legis-
lation We are now trying what some
call a probation system Since | have
been trial commissioner !; has worked well.
Only one out OF ten policemen with
suspended sentences has come back as a
second offender.
II have been a stickler for truth tell
ing at the police trials and have been
lenient in serious cases where the man
told the truth. \ policeman was charged
with drunkenness. ono Of the worst pos
sibe offences. In such cases men have
been wont never to plead guilty. for II
Is a breaking charge'-one entailins dis
missal from the force.
This man pleaded guilty. but showed
clean record and that he was not 4
drinking man. suspended sentence for
one year. giving him TO understand that
if so much as heard of his taking a
drink in the year I would put him on
the force. Seven months have passed.
and he hasn't taken drink yet. I
don't think he will. Wasn't that better
than disgracing him for good and Grip
ping his family?
Why can't We leEalize this police rro-
baton system. II il needs leSalizing? Why
can't the policeman have the same Chanc1
10 mend that the criminal does p
DIR. Hutchinson on schools.
DR.. Woods Hutchinson. the doctor-au-
thor. whose recent plea that the walls
OF the schoolhouses be torn down was
fresh in the audiences mind. said:
The schools should include in their
curricula things for which boys and girls
used to he punished-such as playinc
truant. The reason was aptly put by
the parent who wrote 10 ask that John.
ME might have a holiday in order that
he may learn something
My prescription for tho present in
dustrial unrest would he minimum
waSe of SO day for every grown mar
and the head of every family. [Isolatet
with 81 n day minimum. has been ap
piled AT the Ford factories. where thi;
year there Mere 14.s00 men at work
200 less than last year. In spite Of th'
profit sharing the profits have been a
per cont, I believe.
'If any one here" said Dr. Hutchin
son at q sudden tangent, ever heard q
fresh air | wish We might have n little
] will attend free Of charge any one wht
catches cold because OF it,"
shortly thereafter cold air was 10 h
felt about the feet The doctor woun'
mn with some observations as to the rel
atively small number of criminals. The!
constitute, he said. usually but one
fourth OF l per cent. of us, and could w
have n policeman to look after ever.
criminal our police force would b.
greatly diminished.
Commissioner Of Charities Kngsbury
on his way out, was plucked back for
speech by the voice of Frederick III
Within. the chairman. SO Mr.. Kngsbur.
eaid that most of the men who are he
ing taken care OF by the police ought
rs Dr. Woods Hutchinson indicated, 4
he cared for by the Charities Department
as physically or mentally unfit.
There is something wrong" cried MI
Kingsburv. when the small boy says
Cheese II, the copv The small no
should feel that the cop is his b
brother"
Clement Driscol asked himself a rhe
torical question. namely, What has Ney
York done to give the cop the right po.n
OF View" This he answered 10y Sayin
that II II were not for the politician
the hospitals would be so full OF gang