Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-09-25
SHERIFF ROBERT Z. LAMBERTON
On Changes in the Sheriff's Duties

THE Office Of Sheriff has changed ma
terially from its original one. especially
In those counties in which a great city IL
located. according to Sheriff iambSrton. ..,,o
Sheriff waS the chief peace officer Of a
county and he had charge Of all the county
prisoners. but this has been changed. cH-
pecially in counties such as Philade pha.
WHERE here Is Il great city. In the up Sti'e
counties Of Pennsylvania the Sheriff once
Is II combination Of peace officer ana an
officer TO administer the rulings of IN"
courts. whirh Is the chief duty OF tue "thcc
! hold.
Tn Philadelphia the change FROM peace
officer to an administrative law oihteF iin am
about with the organization nt the ponce
force of the city and the division "t that
force into the highly specialized bran'u""
Of which 1t now consists
The Rule in All Big Cities
This il the case in nearly all III" 'onn-
tics in which the geographical limits OF 'n'
county and th" city ar" the same, as !"
Philadelphia. But there are some exCsp'
ti0ne. Cook County. Illinois, in which M
cngo is located. is larger than the city liscIt.
and here the Sheriff has what really amounts
70 a double office. In the City OF Chicago
his duties are practically the same as are
mine in Philade'ph'a whereas IN M tna' ,otts WTt
.on of the county outside the city Hnlts
he still exercises his duties as an ofhrcr OF
police.
But even in Philadelphia the Office of the
sheriff plays an active part IN the actlVltleS
Of the police. After the police make an ar =
reSt and magistrate holds the PRE- nt"tiiTli'"' XII II
hearing the Grand Jury acts on the blil: II
true bill be found. the prisoner. III deiaui,
NJ hail. j. sent to the county prison, Wh"rc
hr j. under the custody of the Sheriff Lnch
doy we get list Of persons WHO ar" sum
,nnred 10 he in court for trial on thc lo'-
i[,r;nc dav officers Of the Sheriff , othcc
ond the Shcriff's van 60 to the prison anu anu
got these persons, bringing them 70 the ~
It'll where they are placed in the sherln s
cell. on tie seventh ho"r ana ron ,"';v '
! ,hn, nre distributed TO the various rooms III
Lich they are to be tried. In case ~ y
,rn, irtinn We also tax" them 10 whhte''r
/ irstitutivn the Court orders them sent
Sheriff's Other Duties
.,u.o .Is, have an office at the Msde p
! ,,oar,},ts Rrnnch Of the Municipal tourt.
AVID here the range Of the Sheril uu,ieS W
! " ,,iJcr than in the county courts. we
. h,,n f., distribute the, prisoners 10 an me
Institutions to which tlleS are ,"''" ,s;c. 81,
,hc court There IS another once % ,ho a..
,r,,y.s.rond and Arch s'rc"ts Tor the
IMrn,ic Branch of the Municipal Court
..At the latter place We have two Women
: to IIand'r tie young persons who are paced
: IN our custody. Every effort IS made Il, ! tli"
I,,,.b ~. tn keep all scmblancc of prison away
tr',m tho Children, for reasons which are
IIo", t"rU They arc never conveyed in Van
I "ox iI any Vehicle which would give the lm-
,rr.sIon that they are in custody
,,Iu the taking of these young people to
.l ii.titu,ious 10 which '>ss=Jnay be com
w, ,nnt.aI hy the Court the women who have
nLturN LI, IN charge take them in trains or IN
,roat cars. thus avoiding the stigma which
=, you or other conveyanrc whlch was Paipa-
hly one Of n prison W"u'd leave. we hnNe
found that this n''s gr'"'S ~ wv '''
of the rhildr"h'