Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-02-21

pcan cities by Raymond -, rosd!ck.
FORMER commissioner OF accounts OF the
city of New York. was issued yest"r-
day by the Century Company, under
the title. European Police systems"
The material for MIR. FosdiCk'4 book
MAS drawn from extended personal in
curry ana observation in London. Liver
pool. Manchester. birmingham. Glas-
GOV, Edinburgh, Paris Lyons, Berlin.
Hamburg. Brcm.n. Dresden. Munich.
stuttgart. Cologne, vienna. Budapest.
tome, Brussels Amsterdam and Rot
,crdam TO tn" Investigation of the
subject and tn" preparation OF the
book. Mr. E0sdick devoted nearly two
wears.
Looking At the results Of hi, studies
from tn. standpoint OF america int.r-
"sts the striking fact disclosed j. the
uniform Integrity OF European police
nicn. Nowh"r. In Europe j. ther. any
sucn Phenomenon a. ". IA America
call system" General corruption and
faNoritism are absolutely unknown.
For this state az affairs, there are.
IN Mr. Fosdicit's Judgment. severn! roa-
son, firs, the head ~ European
police force IL Il trained and eNpc-
.l"nc"d MAN. armed with adequate
power European police administers
t!on - a distinct profession. II Is
seldom that man j. chosen from AN
unrelated lin" OF activity 10 head
pole" department. TN. chief %; a de-
-,oner the director, the project, what
ever his ti:i"-is generally iurist
trained In government work.
M:. FOsdicl. emphasizes particularly
the power OF the head OF the police To
discipline his men a. he sees lit
The usual attitud" OF European
city toward its police commissioner is
one oi trust. When. after careful Sc
Lection. II chooses man 10 head It's
police force, II cndows nim with ample
powers ana expects him to US" them
wisely. ONLY ia a few OF the provincial
cities OF England. In the Dutch cities
and in IN. smaller municipalities az
Germany l. there any disposition 10
tie thu hands OF tn" commissioner. q!
to prevent his exercising free and al
most unrestricted control over the men
who constitut" the uniformed force.
seldom l. thcr" an attempt TO surround
him with amy system Of checks and
balances. or To erect barriers against
the p"ssibl. abuse %! his powers Thus.
In London. the commissioner is the
nna! and absolute authority on all mat
ters of discipline. and while occasional
,nd"avors AZ" made IL secure from the
Home Secretary q reversal OF the com
missioncr's decision. such attempts
have invariably proved fru!tlcss. The
commissioners may levy fines, max"
reductions in rank or in rate OF pay,
OF dismiss uniformed members Of his
force and no court. trihuna! on Other
-Ntcrnu! body has power to review his
action This is true In nearly every
iargc city Of Europe"
Choose In" head OF your force with
scrupulous care cloth" him with fun
power. make him responsible. This
maxim was repeated 10y officials all
over Europe. \ commissions: who is
not free 10 take direct action when
reasonable suspicion falls on pariicu-
lar policemen cannot be held ultimate
- Ill Al iItu N
nj, force. In so far as the European
authorities have recognized this fact
and the recognition has been all but
universal they have placed their
Mngcrs upon the main key 10 the situa-
ton
Tn. second reason for the integrity
and efficiency of the European police
department is found In the careful Sc
lection and training OF the patroimcn.
The Continental policemen. almost
without exception, are taken directly
from the army. where they have served
as soldiers in the ranks. The English
cuustablcs. chosen from private life,
come for the most part from the coun-
try districts and have only in rare in
stances served in the army.
In the third place. the integrity OF
European police is ascribablc to the
fact that they are looked upon as pro-
tcctors OF law and order rather than
as guardians of public morals
There is little attempt 10 make Il
particular code OF behavior the subject
of. general criminal Legislation. The
high moral standards of a few peopi"
are not the legal requirements OF the
state Only occasionally is there any
movement 10 place upon the statute
books laws which serve only 10 satisfy
the conscinnccS Of those responsible for
them This is subject worthy of more
attention than can he given in these
pages 1t strikes deep into the heart OF
the police problem For example, the
public houses of London, within n four
mile radius OF Charing Cross. are
allowed to open on Sunday. by act OF
Parliament, between the hours of | and
3 =. NJ, and and II r. NJ. This par
ticular provision. which from personal
Investigation know to be generally
enforced, meets with the approval OF
I.ondon's citizens. II Is fair approXi-
nation to the tastes and standards Of
the majority. asked n high, official
at Scotland Yard, whose name in this
connection 7 am not 1t liberty to men
ton, what would be the effect on the
metropolitan police force If Parliament
passed Il law prohibiting the sale of
liquor on Sunday. 1t would mean the
Generalization of the force he replied
We cannot guarantee the Integrity OF
the police against the vicious influences
arising from uncnforcable laws. In
Berlin. where. as in most Continental
cities, no distinction Is made In the Sa 10
OF liquor between week-dnys and Sum
days, similar question propoundcd to n
police official Of high rank was greeted