Putnam patriot., 1917-01-26
POLICE EFFICIENCY
Captain Ryan Addresses Mems Club
Causiic Criticism of Present Condition

Captain of Police, Joseph Ryan, de- livered an address before the Mems Club of St. Phillips church Wednes- day evening on duties and require ments Of policeman.
 The Captain, citing certain triangle tragedies, said that the police off cer is surrounded by triangle whose sides are gambling and prostitution erected upon basis of politics and whose apex is selfishness and graft, the policeman meanwhile trying to perform the du- ties of his office, satisfy contending In- fuences and hold his job at the same time.
 The various standards of morals makes the policeman's duties com- plex. He illustrated this by the in- born gambling instinct citing Eve as the first gambler willing to take a chance, eating of the forbidden fruit to find out what God meant by good and evil. He cited the instance of boys beginning their games and playing
  cards with the idea that as it was their own money Ut stake it was no cne's business what they did with it.
 Next he cited lotteries with the young man taking chance to win the prize that he might marry the girl he loved, the mother that she might buy a piano for her beloved daughter, the father, if he won, that he might pay of the mortgage on the home; from this on to the gambling in stocks looked upon as legitimate business.
 Thus the gambling instinct becomes so ing rained that to stop it is beyond the power of law, human or divine.
 Prostitution he cited as the most complex and difficult problem that the police have to contend with. "We stand amazed" he said, tat the rami. fications of this moral disease that makes men and women forget home, wife, husband, children and repats, tion. A human condition that causes us to lie, steal and even kill iu it's &C., complishment, and that causes the greater percentage of the disease of the land. This side of the triangle has broken more policemen than any other reason and is one of the immense bur, dens laid upon his shoulders.
 He isaid: "The policeman is SUD- posed to represent all elements of a community. Sometimes he is in the cons trol of reform elements and sometimes in the control of the anti reform ele- ments. In either case he is unable to properly perform his duties on account of public opinion.
 "The policeman is supposed to go straight under all conditions. The gang put him in office; they expect he will not see too much or hear too much; they expect him to enforce the law just enough to fool the public and at the same time let the gang have free hand.
 "Com petent honesty is needed in our police departments'couple with d broad spirit of humanity, a wide expe- rience of all classes of people, knowl- edge of the law and wisdom in ifs en- forcement, a sound judgment, cool head and a warm heart. The police- man should not be controlled by any element nor should he be afraid of public opinion. He should have the courage and wisdom to keep the crook, the gamb bier, the politician and refor mer where they belong.
 "Politics should be kept out of police departments. Until that time arrives police officials will have to do the best they can under existing conditions"