New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-07-09
Ultimately the Policeman May Not
ONLY Protect You From Criminals
but From Yourself as WeM

peopled by 5,253sS5 suspects. Every man,
woman and child in the city, TO the man who
must keep crime down to the minimum, is a
potential criminal TO the policeman there is
no hard and fast line between the law-abding
class and the criminal class He knows tina,
an unexpected change of circumstances,
temptation coupled with the possibility OF
escape from detection or the force Of circum-
stances against which the average man finds
1t impossible to struggle, may change the mos.
respected citizen into a violator of the law.
1t is for this reason that Secret Service m.a
keep close watch upon the movements Of
every expert engraver, on the theory that they
may be seeking him soon as a counterfeiter
why every cashier or teller in Wall Street as
sumes the appearance Of a probable embezzler
to the patrolman who marches up and down
that thoroughfare; why every employed man
is looked upon as a possible thief or hold-up
man.
Necessity, temptation and possibility Of .s-
cape from detection all work hand in hand.
police experience has proved. TO create crm
mails. The man who has the stamina to face
the three requisites of criminality and defy
them ordinarily does not have to do 50. /:
Is with 1ull knowledge Of this fact that Com.
missioner Woods hopes to strike deeper at the
cause Of crime than police officials heretofore
have done by having the police aid in rcmov-
ing the causes of crime.
Commissioner Woods is cndeawring to teach
his men that poverty, unemployment. bad com
partnership and improper moving picture OF
theatrical entertainments make for crime and.
as consequence, are Of IMMEDIATE police in.
terest. Instead of continuing to be the repre-.
sentative of the law only-the Furnishing force
the Commissioner is endcavoring 10 cause
the patrolman to become an element for COOL
IN the Immediate neighborhood in which he is
assigned
wherever II IS possible the patrolman is ex-
pected to keep boys and girls out of bad com
pany, to aid them to meet the problems Of lack
OF employment, to report the evil saloon and
prevent the congregation of criminals there
and IN other ways take steps to prevent crime.
just as he heretofore has taken steps to brns
the criminal to Justice
Recently went through the records Of rs
arrests and discovered that only twelve of
WIZ iiee from criminal rec
ordS,' said Commissioner Woods. cit IS df.
hcuIt, sometimes, to decide Just what serves
TO thrust man into the criminal class. but It
Is evident that once he gets there il is still
more difficult for him to get out again.
The police cover the entire city and. if left
alone on post for reasonable periods. learn to
know the individuals with whom they come in
daily contact. Trained to be observant they
come TO know people with mnuteness impos-
Siole IN others. They learn the habits that
make citizen useful member of society," an
easy mark menace to the public Their find
lngS may easily become of great worth to the
city. II would not be unreasonable TO have
them go step further and report their find
lngS to proper organizations for the purpose
or aiding those whose feet they find Slipping
INTO the mire Of crime.
Many youth and many girl whose asSo-
CITATIONS are pushing them toward disorder or
crlmnaIlty might be preserved. to his or her
great benefit and that of the community
through such efforts as might be made along
TINS line | am sure that the results would
more than repay the cost of the venture"
And, just to prove that his theories are not
theories alone. the Commissioner is working
out these plans in detail The patrolman Of
the future, if he has his way will not only
protect you from criminals but from yourself
as we'll