Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1915-01-14
LET POLICE HEAD
NAME PROSECUTOR
Kugel Says if Commissioner APP
pointed Prosecutor and Clerk
Friction Would Disappear.
SOME WOES OF PRESENT PLAN

Police Commissioner Kugel insists that
such friction as has repeatedly arisen be-
tween the police department and the
police court over prosecutions and ar
rests might he obviated by having the
police commissioner appoint both the
prosecutor and clerk Of police court
Then there would be a good chance
for honest cooperation" he says. which
would work 10 the advantage Of the city.
promoting efficiency and tending to do
away with anything like favoritism."
good many business men and others
actively interested I'm civic affairs are
coming to think az Kugel does on this
subject More than ordinary concern has
been aroused by the recent assertion of
City Prosecutor Anheuser that the police
made arrests as warnings and display Of
power.
KugeI Denies II.
This assertion was made when Anhcuser
failed 70 prosecute a certain alleged re-
sorter brought In by the police after
raid. Krgel vehemently denied Il and
denies II now. lie says the police never
made IN arrest under him except such
ms they felt ought TO be made. lie calls
to mind the fact that a certain saloon
portsncc IN way, was arrested two or
three times during the last campaign
and has been arrested two or three times
since. hut has never been prosecuted nor
iias he ever had a complaint filed against
him
Further back than this. during Ryder's
regime as police commissioner. IL IL re
called that Ryder once introduced
resolution in the council demanding an
official investigation OF the police court
administration, The resolution came up
at n meeting with six commissioners
present. The vote stood, for the resolu-
tioa: Ryder Kugel. Withheld. Against
81: Butler. McGovern, Hummel. Mayor
Dahlman was out OF TIE city. At the
next meeting Ryder again introduced his
resolution and the vote stood as before.
Tho mayor was present at the next
meeting and for tho third time Ryder
brought in his resolution. Promptly the
mayor stood up and read from his little
commisslon-fotm-of-g oyemment book a,
section providing that ali recommended
tons for Investigations should be made
by the mayor, and on this occasion the
mayor did not see fit 20 recommend an
investigation.
Ryder turned over his resolution to the
mayor and that ended H.
Trying 20 Please the city.
II am striving and shall continue TO
strive to give the people OF Omaha ex-
actly the kind of police regulation they
demand" said Kugel II said this to a
clergyman who called on me the other
day. representing the Ministerial assoc
citation. believe. / explained to him
my ideas and what was attempting to
do, and he said at the close OF our inter-
view that he believed I was on the right
track, was enforcing the law as nearly
az Il was practically possible 10 do So
told him, and l repeat. that public
sentiment Is the highest law after ALL
and that when the representative inter
ests-the business men. the people OF all
pursults-made II clear TO me that they
wanted a radically different sort OF po-
lice administration than was giving,
would do my best to 'veer around TO
their wishes, but that thus far no such
demand had been made.
sane Law Enforcement.
I'm strong for tho saHest possible en-
forcement OF law. And believe We have
come pretty close 10 that now know
NhAt thoAe vices SUBJECT 10 police regulo-
tion are held down TO the minimum. and
that, as ! see IL, is az far IS human
agency can 30.
Two things shall never be counter
anced under my adminIstration--and do
not exist today in Omaha OCCASIONAL
gambling and what are commonly known
as Joints. Whatever gambling there
may be In Omaha. 10 not in 'dens' or
Joints or saloons. You may bet on
that
No. some day tho people Of this city
will wake ND to the utter folly OF the
present system OF having the police court
prosecutor and clerk appointed by any
other person or power than the head OF
the police system of the city. There
would be very little room for misunder-
standings about prosecuting persons ar
rested In resorts II that were the case