The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-01-29
CHIEF SMITH is
INDICATED IN i
CONTEMPT CASE
Controversy Between New
Haven Officials Is Brought
To Close.
CHIEF HAD TAKEN
ALL RESPONSIBILITY
Charges Made By Liquor
Prosecutor Included 3
Other Officers.

New Haven, Jan. 29-Chief of Po-
| lice Philip Smith was declared not
to be in contempt of court with Grim
inaI intent, this time at least, by
| Judge Hall, in the city court today as
the result of a hearing conducted by
City Attorney Moy1e,4 into the con-
troversy between Chief Smith and
Liquor Prosecutor H. M. Dickerman.
which had arisen over charges made
by the latter that the CHIEFS orders
to members of his force operated to
delay service of search warrants.
Three other officers were charged
by Mr.. Dickernan with contempt of
court but Chief Smith assumed all re-
sponsi bility. Mr.. Dickerman claim
ed that as he was an officer of the
court a police officer was bound to
obey the order OF the court irrespec-
tive of any order the chief might have
made as to procedure to be followed
in serving warrants. The court up
held Mr.. Dickerman that the liquor
prosecutor was an officer of the court
and warrant issued by the court
must be served by the police officer
to whom it. was given.
Recently, state policemen were
brought here by Dickern1an to see if
the liquor laws are observed. Tt was
reported that 80 search warrants were
handed to officers who said they would
have to ask the chief for instruct ons.
Mr.. Dickerman took up the matter
with the chief who is said to have
declared that warrants should be serv-
ed through his Office for various rea-
sons among which was that warrants
sometimes were of the "John Doe"
variety and were against places in
which more than one family lives and
as, a protection to police officers in
case. of false arrests.
Mr.. DickerInan formally complain
ed to the court and this led to an
inquiry by City Attorney MoyIe and
the hearing. Mr.. Moyle quoted from
the statutes to show what was said
in them about search warrants. He
added that he felt satisfied that Chief
Smith had no intention of dfsoFbeyfng
the courts orders but had believed
his orders to su hordinates that all
business must be transacted through
his Office were perfectly proper. Mr..
Moy1e said he believed the court could
overlook the matter this time. Mr..
Moy1e said that under the statutes a
search warrant sworn to by the prose-
cutor and two other persons could be
handed to a city policeman and it
must be served. The warrant in the
first place must be given for adequate
cause.
Mr.. MoyIe said that Chief Smith and
the other officers were perfectly frank
in the matter as they had come into
court to test the matter.
Chief Smith made a statement say
ing he was responsible to the city for
the efficiency of his force. To obtain
the highest efficiency he had to have
the cooperation of the men under
him. He had read the statutes to
mean that when warrant was hand
ed to an officer it must be turned over
to a superior officer for instructions,
it oftentimes being better to have
warrant served by one man than
another. The chief said that he had
no intention of Gobstructing the law.
The sergeants also complained of, ad-
herede simply to his instructions gov
erning the department
Judge Hall said he was satisfied that
there was no intent of contempt of
court and he would overlook the mat
ter this time but he wished to point
out that the LIQUOR prosecutor is an
oficer of the court and the medium
through which a warrants in liquor
case is issued.