New Britain herald., 1921-09-21
Member % The Associated Press.
MAYOR CURTIS Rid THE POLICE

q. +. Curtis. Mayor OF New Britain.
monarch OF all no surveys. high chief
OF the city. executive pieniopentiary of
tho commonwealth "a New Britain.
tho man who removed ono of hia com
missioners for failing TO agree with
him In tho matter OF handling n two.
platoon system for tho Ara department
and who has caused other reTnoVall
for less caused haa stated. IL wa may
believe tho Hartford Courant, and he
has been in tho habit OF pakine state
menta to that paper. that Rcnaldino
was murdered and indicates that the
evidence In the case was destroyed.
presumably by the New Britain police
who were FIRST upon the scene. lie has
stated this after another mysterious
murder. whom tho local police seemed
hopeless TO cope with n situation which
involved tho killing OF citizen and
tho hiding OF his body scarcely 100
feet from tho main street of tho city.
He has called In the state police. Ho
In right In doing everything possible
20 clear up tho murder, no In backing
up public opinion Mt tho timo OF tho
Renaldino affair-but tho wonder OF
u is that he has confessed the inability
OF tho local police. han confessed that
no beIieves that 1tenaldinA was muir
dered and that possibly the local police
destroyed the evidence and has not
done anything about II long before
now.
why did he not make public hin be-
iiefa when Renaldino waH found. why
did he not undertake to mt least forco
q deeper inquiry into tho AFFAIR." Why
does he now virtually confess that we
have an inefficient police force and
take no steps to remedy 1t? Why
does no seek outside help? He han
fashioned tho tool which In in tho
hands OF his law enforcing body. Ho
han helped make up the police de-
partmont. he. presumably. knew OF ita
alleged shortcomings. Why did he
leave the public OF New Britain ex-
posed to tho danger OF being made
quately safeguarded M Ions an no did
The remedy for an efficient force was
In his hands. as IL is now. what is nc
going TO do about IT.
Tho police may or may not DO in
eficient-ono or two OF them may or
may not be grafters as some imply.
they may or may not be mixed up as
rumor has II with tho rum ring, az in
dividuals,-but when tho public. which
also believes that Renaldino wal muir
derod. seea such q thing happen. when
u see1 another man killed by an auto
and the killers get away. when 1t sees
q body found. obviously murdered and
presumably killed very near. nearly
upon n main street. II begins to ask
why. Mayor Curtis action is clearly
forecnstcd. There should be an in
vcstigatior OF tho police department.
Ugly rumors which have been afioat.
and they have been n long time. should
bo run to tho ground and ferreted out
completely and publicly. Either ono
thinr or tho other would happen--a
complete exoncration OF the police or
tho Implication of some of them in a
nasty mess. But the public is paying
for n police force. for protection. II
ought to get II. ID should have had Il
long ago. III Mayor Curtis or anyone
else known reason for dounting our
policemen. and he has virtually laid
90. he should act now. IL II tho late
m far as Wrinkle ts concerned. but Il
may prevent a similar occI renee ~
q like nature.