Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-06-14
SPECIAL OFFICERS GIVEN WIDE
DUTIES IN ENFORCING LIQUOR
AND OTHER LAWS.
MAY CALL TO AID ANY
COUNTY PEACE OFFICER
Attorney General cosson Issues In.
struetion to County Attorneys, Sher.
IFS, Mayors and Chiefs Of Police Re-
aardira Enforcement and Co-opera-
tion-puties Not Confined to Liquor
Laws.
,necia, to rtmes-Republican


|. Des Moines, June 14.-Attorney Gen
eral George Cosson today sent out the
following letter to county attorneys
sheriffs, mayors and chiefs of police
and together with the letter PAM
phlet containing the laws recehsis
passed pertaining to temperance ana
also the provisions on law enforcement.
The letter follows:
II am enclosing you a pamphlet con-
corning recent laws relating to the SAFE
of Intoxicating liquor and the enforce
ment of the law including the Weop-
KENYON law. the red light law and
SYNOPSIS of laws passed by the thirty
third general assembly commonly
known as the Cosson laws and j espe-
cially direct to your attention the spe-
cial agent bill found on page Il OF the
pamphlet. You will notice that he IS
given very large powers. section
provides: -,
".Said special agent or agents shali
have the same power in any part Oh
the state to make arrests and file m
formation and otherwise enforce the
law Of the state as any county a1tor-
ney, sheriff. marshal, constable, ponce
officer or other peace officer IN each
county. and in the performance OF TINS
duty he may call to his aid any county
attorney, sheriff, marshal, constable or
other police or peace officer
No Officer Relieved.
CAS- shown by section !. however;
this does not relieve any local officer OF
any duty enjoined upon him by law.
while the special agent is given
great power in every part Of the state.
nevertheless it will be the purpose OF
such special agent and the policy OF the
department of justice to cooperate
with county attorneys. sheriffs, mayors
and police officers and to that END we
invite your CO. operation and communl-
cation either direct to G. A. Brunson,
special Agent, State House, Des MONIES
or to the attorney general.
.While the law provides that the
agents shall be appointed by the gov
ernor. vet in the practical administra-
tion thew work under the department
Of Justice, the governor, OF course, re-
serving the right to exercise his au-
thority in any special case II he SO de-
sires.
A. to Special Agents.
conditions are such in many parts
NJ the state that 1t will not be neces'
sarv 70 call for the services OF such
special agents. Wherever possible, tne
department will be more than gratifeo
TO have matters looked after entirely
by local officials: however, where the
problem Of law enforcement IS more
difficult and the facilities for enforce
ment Of the law are not adequate. to
the extent of our ability we shall be
glad to cooperate with all county at
torneys, sheriffs mayors and the police
officers. The object to be attained If
the enforcement Of the law with at
little friction and difficulty as possible
but nevertheless it should be under
stood that the law must be enforced
at is demonstrated over and over
again in every county in the state ina,
large part Of the prosecutions TAI
because the police officers do not un'
derstand the value of evidence. LIE,
me therefore suggest to mayors ano
county attorneys the ACCESSIBILITY Of
urging upon your police officers great
er care in the matter Of securing evil
dence.
"The authority OF the special agen'
is not limited to the enforcement OF
the LIQUOR law but extends to the en-
forcement of all laws not especially en-
Joined upon the others by statute. The
LIQUOR law is to be placed precisely
upon the same basis as other laws bu
inasmuch as there are more violations
OF this law, necessarily more consid'
Grafton is given to its enforcement.
1--WE are especially anxious to SCI
that all so-called dry territory become!
dry in fact as well as in name at al
early day as possible. We will ther
be better able to cooperate with loca
officials in communities where a pre-
ponderance of the sentiment favors tn
| open saloon.
II suggest to the sheriffs and police
Officers that in all cases where seriou!
offenses are committed and the Grim
inal is not apprehended, but makes hi!
escape, that copy Of the description
of the offender be sent to the specia
agent"