The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1915-07-30
The Constructive Work Of
Policemen.
" On. FRANK CRANE
tCopyright. 1915. b. Frank Cransl

The idea that will bear best fruit in
the public mind regarding the Police
department, 10 that the first business OF
the policeman is to help the people and
not to punish them.
TO be sure policemen are to. make ar
rests upon occasion. and II need be TO
use force in maintaining order. They
are the representatives Of the punitive
and coercive power of the public.
But that is small part of their Office.
1t Is a narrow view Of their calling, and
hence dangerous view. It rouses an
tagonism. 1t lowers their standing.
They become no more than bailiffs,
turkeys, or executioners.
There is a larger conception of the
pOliceman's function. It is that he stands
for the whole orderly power of the city;
he is the embodiment Of all the city col
lectively means to its individual citizens.
He is to help, not to hurt.
He is to serve, not to command.
He is the symbol of civic protection
for the law-abiding against the encroach-
ments of the lawless.
The Department of Health in Chicago,
in recent bulletin, seems ia have grasp
ed the possibility of the constructive
usefulness Of the police. It announces
that the different branches of the city
service, including the Health Depart
ment, the superintendent of police and
the superintendent of streets, are for
mulating plan by which the entire
police force of the city will cooperate
toward the great work Of sanitation.
That is, in addition to looking after
violations of the criminal code, the police
shall give to the Health Department the
advantages of their knowledge of the
physical conditions in the various dis
tricts they serve.
The health authorities at present are
occupied in attending to complaints.
They are so busy doctoring symptoms
that they do not have sufficient time to
do preventive work, which is of vastly
more Importance. They are compelled
to depend upon voluntary or pickup as
sistance.
The police could report to the Depart
ment Of Health such violations Of santa
ton as come under their notice without
adding heavily to their duties.
Furthermore, when the people begin
W IcdiZc tIl6t tHc pOuCc arc cu86xcQ
in preventing disease and preserving
health, they will for the most part work
with the officers and most evils will be
corrected by the citizens themselves
without the slow process of serving no.
tees and following these up by court
prosecutions.
Fly-breeding manure piles, garbage
cans, and unclean premises will be
abated upon the simple notification by
the patrolman.
Something is gained by the division
of duties into the various departments,
but more would be gained by intelligent
cooperation. If every policeman were
a sanitary officer, the efficiency Of the
sanitation department would be more
than doubled.
Every effort should be made to make
the public feel that the policeman is the
big brother of all, not the martinez Of
the criminal courts; that he stands for
the health, order, peace, and security Of
ALL
The criminal element is very small.
Most people want to conform to the law.
To assist the law-abiding is of more val
ue than to pursue the law-breaking.