The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1916-09-26


that when left police headquarters
there were fewer saloons In Detroit
than when | began. and the saloon
license was more valuable because
there were not so many OF them.
Also IL made II easier for saloon.
keeper 10 obey the law, because his
rivals were doing t."
Mr. Croul did not care TO com
ment upon the need OF a thoro
cleaning up In Detroit, because he
said hs did not know how bad con
ditions were. He knew that there
were plckpockets. thieves. burglars,
white slavers and slayers in the city
because he could deduce that from
their victims and from the long list
OF unsolved crimes OF all kinds from
daylight automobile hold-up games
down. -
Would Clean Up City
81 could not clean up Detroit in
day or a week." he said, but
would do II IN time and that would
depend upon how much / found 20
do"
Mr.. Croul Is a man who does not
care about making record Just for
the sake OF record That would
not be In line with his modesty. his
determination and his contempt for
the personal pronoun, first person.
THE title that goes with the OF.
fee should be changed" said Mr.
Croul. and should be peace COM
missioner rather than police COM
missioner. for that really better de-
scribes II. n is his duty to stop
crime and not make t.. When
was commissioner many attorneys
came 70 me and asked me to get the
police TO get evidence for them In
civil cases, divorces mostly, but they
never succeeded l argued that we
could find enough crime OF our own
without hunting up the .shortcurn'
ings OF a husband or wife, and so.
because wouldn't let the police de-
partment spy upon them. the repu-
tation Of many a man and woman
has been saved and possibly crime
has been averted."
That bright light shall shine
upon the police affairs and the pub
lie may know what their uniformed
guardians are doing II Frank Croul
becomes police commissioner Is in
dictated by his actions before as we'll
as by his statements OF the present.
Also the individual policemen will
be discouraged from acting as Judge
and Jury In case and Diminishing IT.
Never Suppressed a Complaint
I'm my administration never sup
~ -, do
10 me- said Mr.. .Croul. "All com
plants went TO the prosecuting at
torney and were dropped only II in
bis opinion there was no case.
wouldn't pass upon II nor would |
permit the patrolmen to do so. That
would be dangerous. used my
judgment at times In minor AFFAIRS
where a man had been detained long
enough to sober up or something OF
that kind. but never until l con-
suited with the arresting officer. IT
was not safe 10 set such an example
10 the men.
81 also discouraged the officers
from making his friends among the
bartenders and the crooks. II was
dangerous for the policemen, gave
the crooks confidence and really en-
couraged violations OF the law. On
the other hand, the policemen never
got any information from these fell
lows that ever did them any good.
| wanted them 10 make friends with
the men and women on their beats
and inspire confidence In the people
that they were being properly guard
ed wanted the people 10 feel that
II WAS safe 10 call a policeman and
that he would serve them"
Frank II. Croul. In the opinion OF
the reporter who sat an hour with
him I'm his office, Ia a highly capable
citizen, a perfectly clean one In
every sense, not prude nor an ex-
tremist, but strong. wholesome.
healthy-minded, patriotic American
citizen, who loves decency as much
as he hates crime, whose bigness
lies not alone in his bone and tissue,
but IL in his modesty as well. He
appears to be the type OF man who
says. "I'll do the best I can" and
whose best is the best there Is.