Evening star., 1926-01-03
CROOKS CAN'T WIN
BY FREDERIC J. H1SKIN.

New Yorkers are not only being
sold or educated to street safety in
the educational campaign that Is
being waged under the direction of
Barron Collier, special deputy police
commissioner; they are being taught
that criminal practices do not pay.
Crooks can't win!
Manifestly this crusade against
crime is not directed against all the
people Of this great city. 1t Is in
tended primarily for the criminal and
criminally inclined, who comprise but
fraction of the city population,
to make a fair-sized city. and their
number is constantly on the increase.
However 1t is deemed desirable to
keep the general, law-abiding public
constantly admonished that the way
Of the evildoer is hard and rocky, 80
the educational propaganda is dis
tributed so that every one who can
read gets It.
1T arose out of an old idea Of
mine that we should do something
in publicity to offset the unjust and
unfavoraole comments against the
Police elartment," says Mr.. Col
lier. in describing the origin of this
innovation in advertising.
Visual Lessons.
1--WE felt that by visualizing the
responsibilities, hazards and dangers
of the work which policemen con-
stantly face we would counteract
some of the false impressions and
improve the mental attitude of the
public toward the police. Our Capt.
Fentress suggested crime prevention
as an interesting propaganda, to try
to sell the young and budding evil
doer upon the futility and unprofita-
bleness Of crime"
Thus a movement was initiated that
has led to the placing In the subways.
surface cars and suburban trains OF
New York City Of q series OF carefully
prepared cards of a striking and in
terest-engaging character. Mr.. Collier
is donating the advertising space
taken up by the display Of these cards,
and as evidence Of how far he will go
in public-spiritedness 1t may be stated
runs to approximately $4,000 an
nually.
Two Lines Of Appeal.
The cards are directed along two
lines Of appeal, as indicated by their
sponsor. One group Is intended to give
the general public a better idea and
deeper appreciation Of the police serv-
Ice. The other is aimed at youths of
both sexes OF possible criminal tend
encies, and Is designed not only to in.
culcate In them q proper respect for
and fear of the law. but to impress
them with the idea that crime does
not pay.
The first group may have little ef-
feet toward preventing crime. save In
20 far as they may convey the lesson
Of the eternal vigilance Of the police,
but 1t Is believed they will go far to.
ward disabusing the popular mind OF
an all.too.prevalent idea that the po
liccman Is usually either boob or a
CRATER. The keynote of the message
these cards convey is that the police
are always ready for any emergency,
and that every officer is the guardian
of every citizen.
Pictures That Impress.
One depicts Q patrolman on his beat
! on q dark and stormy night, and bears
the caption: Ready! Neither rain
sleet nor biting winds can swerve them
from the path of duty-your New
York police" Another shows m ofilceI
with drawn weapon standing between
group Of men. women and children
and an oncoming burglar or murderer
and is entitled. "Ready-To uphold
your laws-your New York police!
| Still another illustrates graphically
| the rescue Of q woman and two littl<
| tots from q blazing tenement by 4
sergeant and a patrolman, and re
minds the public that such incident:
arc Of almost daily occurrence-al
in the days work Of the law guard
ians.
| w. A. Shumaker. In discussing thi,
propaganda In Law Notes, says: II
Mr.. Collier does nothing moro thai
relieve the police from the curious
preJudices Of those whom they serve
he will have done q great deal o
good incidentally, that task woult
be greatly aided by little more leg
islative sanity, for the police. bein,
compelled to enforce foolish and oh
noxious laws. must necessarily, though
un51stly, bear the brunt Of the con
demnatton which they invoke"
TAa etAee group q cards y pgodl