Norwich bulletin., 1919-01-21
ANOTHER new LONDON POLICE EPISODE

fire department committee of the court
of common council undertook to direct
the movements of the tiremen while
at work at a fire! Picture one of the
committeeman stepping UP to the fire
men holding the nozzle and ordering
them to do this or to do that, or crit
icize what they were doing, WELL
you've heard the story of the fisher
mans luck. The department has a
chief engineer and he is the head of
the working force and is held re-
sponsible for the work of the depart
ment, This committee is content to
guard and expend the appropriation for
the fire department They look after
the financial end and expects the chief
and his assistants to direct the actual
fire work, the working feature Of the
department. The same condition pre-
walls in all other departments, except
that Of the police.
| Il is about time the big men of the
present administration took a tumble
| TO themselves and not devote practic-
ally all of their official time in figuring
| out the most effective way of de-
mora1izing the police force, by pushing
out or pushing aside truly experienced
men, to make a place for interiors,
/ and in at least one instance where the
| selected one proves to have been a
thief and highwayman while on duty
to protect the people and their prop
| erty. It's about time the majority in
| the court OF common council called a
halt in the work Of the mayor chief
of police, and police committee, or
commissioners as their badges indl-
cate, or the policemen may be looked
upon as a terror instead of protectors.
If this is done now, it may not be too
late.
Since the criminal episode in the
police department the mayor-chief-of
police not the captain, or ever the
commissioners 70, has issued orders
that the lid be placed on the giving out
of police doings to the public, and has
barred the police blotter from the
gatherers of news for the newspapers
and ordered that no news concerning
the department will be given out ex-
cept as comes from the captain and
the lieutenant. This simply means
insofar as the public news goes, that
news gatherers will be free to print al
that comes to their drag-net and will
not feel in any way obligated to the
police department, or any part thereof
ITO suppress news matter that the po-
lice would not desire printed until ma
turity Every policeman knows ever
if the mayor and the committee do not
that no newsman prints any news thai
the police make request to withhold
temporarily or which would in any
way Interfere with any case upor
which the police were at work The
confidence that has existed between
newsman and the policemen is rarely
violated.
The self confessed highwayman- po.
liceman in his confession to Lieutenant
Beebe squealed on his pal. a member
Of the naval police patrol from III,
submarine Base. and as a result the
sailor will probably be turned over t.
the civil authorities for prosecution
which may result in his dishonorable
discharge from the federal service
and perhaps additional punishment
It 50 happens that the complaining
witness in the highway robbery case
the victim of the local and naval DO.
lice, is the angel with big wings He
too, is an alleged thief, and is in 1uot
| awaiting hearing on the charge O
stealing clothes from a room mate
| When arraigned in court the police.
man was not charged with highway
robbery, but rather with the Jesse,
offence of theft from the person anj
assault with intent to rob. The vic
tim says the sailor neld him M with
a club while the civilian cop took hi;
watch and money. The policeman wa!
placed under a bond of 1000 and tn.
| hearing set for Monday in the polict
court. The victim of the police, 70
robhirg his roommate is held in
bond of $3.50 for next Monday. Anotil
! er episode in the alleged reorganiza
ton of the New London police force