Perth Amboy evening news., 1921-02-19

er that one hardly knows when one has passed
from one to the other. he is hardly qualified
IN sneak to the really rural sections of New
Jersey. This state has every problem that
.,nfronts the law enforcement bodies of Massa-
cbusetts. New York or Pennsylvania and. in
addition, it has problems OF its own. 1t is
freely admitted that the constabulary in the
states mentioned have given wonderful service.
il such a force can be so successful there
it can be equally successful here.
Sheriff Kinzley concluded his remarks by
saving that 1--WE have passed out OF the era
of the man on horseback" The sheriff is
mistaken. 1t is doubtful If we ever will be
able to eliminate the horse. Take South Jersey,
for Instance part of the state with which
Sheriff Kinzley apparently is not very familiar
a man on horseback could penetrate far into
the nine belt over narrow roads a foot deep
with sand, where a motorcycle could not pos
siblv go. A man on horseback can cut across
aeIds. go through woods and ford streams that
would BATTLE a policeman mounted in any other
manner.
We have the value of a man on horseback
demonstrated right here in Perth Amboy. This
patrolman on his horse can cover an outlying
section of the city at all seasons of the year
that would be impossible for the motorcycle
policemen. If the mounted man can be of such
service to a municipality. how much more SER
vice can he be to the state where the highways
and byways are not as well kept as are city
streets. 1t is foolish to think that criminals
will always stick to the main, heavily trav-
elled highways.
Sheriff Kinzley recommends that sentry
booths be established at strategical points on all
improved roads and he would even go so far
as to have trained detectives under state juris-
diction, who. after a crime has been
would be able to follow up and apprehend the
criminal. Such a body would be available to
county prosecutors and mayors. Cooperating
with the detectives. the sheriff said. men on
motorcycles might patrol the state highways
After all, then. Sheriff Kinzley would have
what really amounts to a state organization
only without the mounted men.
As for the detectives. would it not be better
to take steps to prevent crime in the first
place rather than plan TO catch the criminal
after the crime has been committed? And
if the state highways only are to be patrolled
it stands to reason that the criminals would
make their getaway easily enough by using
the side roads.
As a matter of fact, it is admitted by all
that New Jersey needs some kind of a
state organization to be used in suppressing
crime. Why beat about the bush as to the
most advantageous kind of a state force to
have? The so-called constabulary that can go
anywhere at any time has proven its worth
in neighboring states where the problems are
almost identical to ours. Why not. then, give
New Jersey the real thing in the way of a
state police force and make a thorough job of
putting an end to all this lawlessness in all
parts Of the state?
Practically all Of the state oranges, repre-
senting the farmers, have gone on record in
favor of a state constabulary; the women of
the state have declared in favor of it and In
every city there is a large element who want
it. With the need so pressing for some or
ganized authority to enforce the law through
out the state, now is the time to give the people
this service for which there seems to be no
satisfactory substitute.