Evening journal., 1915-03-08
MONDAY MAR. 8. 1915
POLICEMEN AND sELF-PROTECTION.

xArILMINGTONIANS are moved profoundly by the
wv tragedy occurred in our city on Saturday at
That the arrest OF man suspected OF CRIME
that was FAR from capital should have been attended by
the killing of policeman; the serious wounding OF
TWO other members of the force; the slight woundins
of vet another policeman and civilian and the
lodging of three bullets in the body of the fugitive
~eads moro like the events attending the exercise OF
tho police power on the border of civilization than
,hoso attending it's exercise in of the oldest and
most orderly States in the Union.
1t goes to show what hazardous calling that OF be-
ing policeman is and what personal risks he is called
upon TO take in exchange for the comparatively small
compensation he receives from the public 1t also em-
phasizes the fact that "A policeman should have the
greatest possible latitude in the Of his weapons for
purposes sol-deionse and that when he kills or ais
ahlts fugitive who draws a deadly weapon against
him he should have the moral support of the COM
munity which he serves and seeks to protect
There is no rule for telling what denizen Of the
underworld will do when he is confronted by arrest
He may submit tamey, he usually does, or he may
set up the desperate sort Of resisance as was
the case on Saturday. policeman must be made TO
feel that organized society will support him in what
ever steps il may be necessary for him TO take to pro-
tect his life and person when he is dschargng his
duty and encounters armed resistance. If he finds
himself confronted by situation In which criminal
draws pistol a knife upon him, he should be justi-
fed in feeling that II he use his pistol the lawess VIC
tim of his shot will not become martyr by virtue OF
maudlia senn mt and that he himself will not he
pilloried public opinion for having successfully met
armed force with armed force
The understanding that local police had several
opportunities to shoot and kill the who on Sat
urday slew Patrolman Tierney and wounded four or
ave other persons They refraned from doing so be-
cause they wished "to take him alive We expect
their forbearance due largely to uncertainty as to
what the public attitude would be with respect to such
1 had
and If they had felt at liberty to shoot to kill soon
as the fugitive drew weapon should have had a
dead crook and desperate our hands instead of a
dead policeman of admitted ability and popularity and
Two more valuable members of ice force hover
ing between life and death in local hospital
The inhiction OF violent death is deplorable in an,
circumstance When, however, it narrows down to
question whether the life that is to be jeopardzed Il
that of policeman who enforcing the law or that o
n crook who is defyng the law think we voic
public sentiment when we say that everything tha
can be done should done to protect the life of tn
policeman who is enforcing the law.
II should be the policy Of Police Department
strongly supported by public opinion that when
criminal who is confronted by arrest draws a psto
o- knife aga st an officer Of the law the pre-
sumption is that he draws it to use it and tina
The officer is fully justified in going 10 any eS
Irene or roprissl for the protection OF his ow
life The immediate enunciation of such policy. wit
iue notice TO the underworld that it exists that it
supported By public opinion and that it will be az
hered TO- viii go toward putting an end to pisto
lotng an knfe-totng and prevent repetitions Of ii
ieporabe tragedy that occurred on Saturday in wnc
fhe serious damage was done the wrong side.
other words the mere drawing Of a deadly weapo
against polceman should be ample warrant for hi
10 exercise his discretion in the matter of shooting
kill and carry with positive assurance Of publ
support in the exercise Of that discretion.