Norwich bulletin., 1916-12-30
Special to The Bulletin.)

New London, Dec. 29.-The frequen- cy of the activity of the state police in New London is not indicative of any ineficiency on the part of the local police force, and the state and city officers work in harmony. the one with the other, insofar as local officers can keep within their own Jurisdiction which is limited to the city limits, and closely confined at that, as there is no fund available to the police work on the outside. That is where the state polise assistance comes into play when properly and officially called. The state police made a raid only the present week upon a black-and- tan joint and with some degree of suc- cess, enough to break up the conbina ton. In that particular instance the local police might not have succeed cd as we'll. as they would be handicap ped as every mothers son of them are
 own to. the o1tside guard, whether in uniform or plain clothes. Whatever the state police does in New London. it is with full knowledge of the prose- cutting authorities and with no ref1ec- tion upon the local police force.
 The state police have wckred up eases of illegal liquor sales in New London and then plan the line of at tack and in a way that could not be dCCOInpllSn6u Dy LHe 1OCdl pOllCO 1OICC The state chaps, have been known to drive into the city in automobiles aft CT the sun has been down several hours and go direct to the places where the liquor laws are violated, duck past the guard, or he'd him up, and rushed right into the open bar room on a. Sunday evening, and escort the proprietor rhis representatives to the police station, with the shortest possible dispatch. Were the local po- lice to attempt such raid, they would have to- assemble some place from their regular beats and before they could possibly form the line of attack, the guard would be tipped off that the po- lice were making some unusual move, and the illegal bar would be closed forthwith, and the frequenters dispers- ed in short order.
 While the state police did some very active work in the raidins line, still the good work that resulted was of short duration, that is where there is room for local police criticism. It would seem that if the state police made out to close the business tenn porarily the local police ought to be able to make it permanent. But they don't, and the sale of liquor on an il- legal basis continues just as it did be- fore the state po1ise interposed. There is intoxicating drinks sold in many places in New London on Sundays and during the hours prohibited by law. and there is not a place of that kind but is known to every single member of the police force from the captain down to the latest supernumerary. There are licensed drinking clubs in the city that are nothing more or less than public bars and the police know. or ought to know, just what the rights of these clubs are. and they know that they are not of the kind that the law intended should be licensed It is cases like these that the local police should raid and put out of business and without the aid of the state po- lice.
 The licensed liquor dealer who keeps within the laws ouaht to be protected from illegal competition. That's what he forks over his half a thousand and more for and it is the duty of the po- lice to see to it that the liquor laws are enforced, and at least as much at tention should be given that phase of law breaking as to traffic and automo- bile. or any other laws. The law abiding liquor dealer is not given the local protection to which he is en-