Richmond daily register. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1917-1978, 1921-12-28
JUDGE LILLY THINKS
PATROL Law ENOUGH


llClll vi al SldlN NOhSee%c
force in Kentucky seems to be
growing rapidly with the great
increase III crime and daring by
criminals. 1t has been proposed
that a force be organized to OPP
crate anywhere in the state, on
the plan of the Pennsylvania
state constabulary or the Cana
dian mounted police. The Lex
ington Herald fathcred the idea
Others have taken it up lately.
and a new law by the incoming
Legislature, providing or such an
organization, seems to be very
probable.
Judge Grant L. Lilly. formerly
of Richmond. now in Lexington.
thinks that there Is a law on the
statute books now which will
cover the situation. He writes III
the Stanford Journal about II a
follows:
| read with much interest your
able editorial OH "A State police
Force" which appeared III re
cent issue OF your valuable paper.
| concur heartily with your flea.
Perhaps it is not well known
that there is such a law ON tht
books now and has been for
Shout one hundred wears. 1t l.
3,cadcd and known as the Patrol
: Law. and in section $3.50 Of the
Kentucky Statutes. This law
was primarily for the regulation
. of the slave. but it also applied
generally to all people. After
the Civil War and the freedom OF
the slave. all the language OF the
, law in which the word slave oC-
CURED, was stricken out. but the
law otherwise was lett intact. II
! did not appear i'll the wording oi
the statute that the said patrols
had the power OF sheriff to
make arrests but this power did
belong to them and was cXercis-
cd BY them. To make certain
that they did have such powers.
the legislature at its session OF
I 1920 passed an act which did give
! them such power. See Acts 1920
page $40.
/ Sec. $3.50 reads a. follows. to-
wit: County courts may once III
each year. divide their respective
counties in Is many districts as
the public peace and good order
OF society may require. and APP
point in each district Il company
of patrols. to consist of one cap
tain and not exceeding three men
to continue i'll service twelve
months unless removed by the
county court for neglect OF duty
or improper conduct. None but
discreet and sober men shall l.
appointed patrols they shall
take an oath before a justice q
the peace, faithfully and impair
TALLY. and diligently to perform
! the duties OF patrols. But patrols
shall have jurisdiction co-exten-
isivc with the county.
Sec. 1871: The county court
J shall prescribe the number OF
4 hours in each month the said
company shall be on duty i'll their
/ bounds.
/ Sec. 1872: Patrols shall visit
! all suspected places OF unlawful
assemblies within their respec-
tive precincts. $50
Sec 57S5: Provides for the
payment of the patrols by the
fiscal court not exceeding Sl.OU
for each ten hours of services
rendered, except for cities OF
more than one hundred and fifty
thousand population they shall be
paid 500 per month.
The act of 1920 above referred.
to reads as. follows. to-wit: Saia
patrols shall have the same right
and same power to arrest, search
and seize, as now given by law
to the sheriffs of the Common
wealth and shall be subject to
the orders of the county court.
Patrol and police mean the
same thing. \ patrolman is
policeman and a policeman is {.
patrolman. 1t means to search.
guard. protect. This is all that
a state policeman could do. The
powers of the patrol provided for
by the sections of the statute
above quoted are ample to pro-
tect the state: Nor is county
TO be embarrassed by a general
law regulating a. state police.
They have the power to lay the
county out into as many districts
as may be necessary to preserve
the good order and peace of So
ciety and may appoint a captain
r Il 4