South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-07-30
JEALOUSY HAMPERS
CRIME PREVENTION,
Is FISHERS VIE W
Local Detective Says Rivalry
Exists Despite Universal
Oath of Office.
BY JOHN CoRCoRAN.


Times coRcerning the adv.sibility OF
detectives using the sO-called trick
disguises iu running down criminal
and a general discourse on police and
detective activities furnished by
Capt Of Detectives Horace NJ Hamil-
ton and Capt. "Jim Shock is the
bs sis Of the following interview with
Deiw!n Fisher. general manager o.,
the John y Euespert Detective
Agency. o. this city
Realizing the importance Of the
opinions OF representatives OF such
a widely known agency IN this sec
tion az the country. &c was thought
advisable 70 obtain their attitude
Although plainly showing an unwill-
inEness 20 talk a falling with the
majority Of men connected with po-
lice and detective work. Mr. FISHER
finally felt 80 his duty 70 az least ex-
press his own personal opinion.
Long Experience.
Having had about IS years ex-
perfence as a police officer. under
sheriff and detective. Mr. Fisher IS in
q position 90 view this subject from
several different angles
In years gone by" Mr. Fisher be-
gan. there was a keen rivalry and
jealousy that existed between Sher-
ifs. Police Officers and. Detectives.
which az times seriously hampered
the work Of prevention Of crime and
the capture Of crooks and criminals.
Fortunately this condition has al
most ceased 20 eXis Each and
every officer takes practically the
same oath when he Is sworn IN, and
while some may take precedence
over others. yet we are all sworn 10
perform the same duties. which
makes US all equal as far as the
term implies.
The officer in uniform performs
his duties IN TSlblic places where
open violations OF the laws are
likely 10 occur. while the plaip
clothes man or Detective. performs
his duties in crowds which are in
Tested BY pickposkets or I'm other
places where secret vices are carried
on. and arc usually detailed on cases
after the crime has been committed
in such cases absolute secrecy is
necessary, and "a use the uniformed
officer in this work would be like
hunting ducks With a brass band. On
the other hand TO use a plain clothes
man for traffic work and other pub
lie duty would be like trying 10 aid
q blind man 70 see, by giving him a
crutch
Three Requirements.
TN my estimation" continued Mr..
Fisher. there are three require
ments necessary in the making of
a good offcer-Likeability, Adapta-
bility. and Good Common Horse
Sense BY Lkeability I mean that
one should like his work and take
an interest in il. By Adaptability
mean that a man should be both
physically and mentally adapted e
this particular work. and lastly that
a man should be endowed with ar
abundance Of that great asset. gooc
common horse sense because that
comes into use more frequently IN
che detective business than the dis
Euise When you are out on a case
be Il civil or criminal you will be
placed IN some very tight places
where Il is necessary TO think and
act quickly and do It in the right
way. This cannot be learned from
previous training and my point i:
clearly explained by the story OF an
amateur hunter being instructed how
10 capture a Panther by putting salt
on his tail. He was directed "a
sneak up on the animal sprinkle the
salt literally. then grab the Panther
firmly in both hands As TO his
next move after that much depend
ed upon the actions or the Panther.
Referring Mr.. Fisher 70 the matter
OF DISCUSSES. he continued: 'Nery
few detectives resort 20 disguise'
any more An agency or department
that amounts 10 anything. usually
has enough operatives In their en-
pIoye so that when one has become
too well known, another is substitu'
ted and the work goes on.
Condemn Officers.
The only way robberies and other
crimes can be cleaned up and Grim
inals successfully hunted down, is by
the cooperation OF officers and al
good citizens The fact that a mar
wears a star or badge does not give
any supreme powers. but 70 is a sym
Dol OF good citizenship which every
officer should keep sacred.
Mr. Average Citizen does not stoT
10 think what a valuable asset his
police officer and give is 10 him
When a robbery or some crime IS
committed he usually condemns the
orecer for lack OF vigilance which
may. or u7sy not be true. Whenever
] hear say talk along that line
always think OF what the late Her
man Schuttler chief o. police OF the
city % Chicago. H.. and one OF the
greatest police officers the world has
ever known. once said 70 me. that
no one person could be assigned 70
any one business block IN any city
large or small. and absolutely guar
antee 81 against burglary. Let Mr.
Average Citizen imagine what would
happen II Chiefs Lane and Barrows
would pull all their regulars as well
as special police or the job for jus;
one night. giving out the Information
A few DAYS ahead o. time. Well
there would not be enough left in the
stores 20 wad the cannon that stands
ID AE0lL Oh NAf ANuAA AlNArFr say
nothing OF the wrecked buildings
and other lawlessness.
do not agree with Chief Phillip
Smith of the New Haven. Conn. po-
lice. who says modern methods are
making the world too small for
crooks Il IS only making them work
faster and along different methods.
Although I favor his plans and ideas.
yet there are plenty or Grim mails az
large and viii be no. matter what
methods are pursued.
In conclusion j wish 90 saw a few
words about the south Bend and
Nishawaka police departments from
an officers point OF view. I have
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