Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-08-27
The Honolulu Policing Problems

One of tn" principles Of American jusrI"e Is It"
assumc Innocence until guilt Is proved This has
reference to the cmlove Of the morning paper held
for automobile stealing On this pa ticuIar point
al will agree.
But there is Il marked difference opinion on
the methods that should be pursued in dealing with
The automobile stealing epidemic.
The morning paper went at the proposition
ia manner fat promised well. But when the paper
Itself is the first 10 crawfSh the first arrest
made while the offer Of reward was still wet on the
paper in which it was prned--the net result is not
much better than the policemen who have gone out
and found nothing
Distinct from this little side show has been the
atfitnde of the governors Of the Honolulu AutOmo-
tiie Club These gentlemen after discussing the
Mutation have concluded that motorcycle Off
GERS needed. They have been we'll convinced
Of this that they have appeared before the super
sisors and requested the additional appropriation
The method of the automobile club is of course
the bushes Eke way. 1t does not meet with a
Nholehearted response from the public because the
admi- ist"atioE OF the police department has not
been such to establish confidence in the manner
IN which these officers will be han led after they
are placed on the force. In other words the public
lacks confidence in the police bee the sheriff
cks the qualities or at least ha" not shown the
qualities which the head of police department re
Quires TO properly command situation.
FREQUENTLY the remark has been made that the
police force is inaGc1uate to the demands made
npon 1T The sheriff has asked for more men at
lines, but his general attitude is one of pigheadcd
IMPOSITION to those who suggest that his policing
Of the city could be improved. He probably inter
pfets this as standing by his men, The public in
lerPrets it incompetence because it brings about
no Improvement for the city.
The need of Honolulu police at the present time is
IDENTICAL with Honolulu needs when the road build
ing program for this county was before the legis-
lofure, namely comprehensive plan, businesslike
and easily understood program for policing this
tify
We can spend our time calling names and cas-
ing around the bushes trying to get" the other
iellow all We please, in the final analysis the whole
Proposition will revert to the necessity for the
prehensive plan And the man who should be able
70 present that plan is of the sheriff himself
While politicians of certain type and chronic
faction breeders take delight in haggling over the
petty features of any line of city management the
average citizen has only to be convinced that he is
being given competent and honest management in
city affairs and he will'supply the necessary money
to provide the men
Sheriff Rose has only to convince men who know
good management when they see it, that he has a
plan equal to the task he has in hand. He will not
lack for cooperation any than those in charge
Of the roads and the water and sewer departments
did, after comprehensive program was whipped
INTO shape.
The people of Honolulu are willing to pay the
fu price Of proper policing of the city. All they
want to know is that their money is being used to
pay men who know their business and are something
more than political pensioners. This is the spirit
II Aufnr Tl,,b
question of the additional motorcycle patrolmen.
II the head of the police department will recipro
cate with real life-sized campaign of efficiency
and intelligent grasp of the work that has to be
done, the average man ill not give seconds
thought to the chickering's growing out of the hold
ing of morning paper employe as an automobile
thief
Il FINANCING THE WAR