The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1927-01-05
II South Minnesota Cities
Demand Neu State Police

Demands for organization of a
state constabulary today were ready
to go before the state legislature,
with the backing of IL southern Min
nesota towns.
Resolutions calling upon the COM
ing legislature to enact provisions for
the state constabulary were adopted
unanimously at meeting at Owa
tonna of representatives of southern
Minnesota cities in one day session
Thursday. Resolutions also ask re-
turn of capital punishment, establish
ment of the whipping post and laws
compelling all persons convicted of
major crimes to serve their full prison
sentence.
Joseph Reynolds, Mankato editor,
elected president of the new associa-
ton, within a few days will call a
meeting of the officers and directors
to make plans to carry the demands
of southern Minnesota to the legis-
lature and to enlist business men,
law enforcement officials and civic
of the program.
Meeting at the call of the Fari-
bault Chamber of Commerce and
Mayor James Adair of Owatonna,
more than 100 representatives of a
dozen communities and half dozen
counties in which bandits have been
active recently organized the South
ern Minnesota Crime Prevention As
ISOLATION, elected officers and direc
tors and adopted resolutions outlin-
ing their demands on the legislature
and communities.
"Necktie parties" as one means of
stopping the crime wave were sug-
gested by ]. F. Fitzgerald, Owatonna
business man, whose store was robbed
by burglars several years ago.
Criminals laugh at the laws of
Minnesota as they exist and are en-
forced today" said Mr.. Fitzgerald
"More drastic penalties and perhaps a
few old fashioned 'necktie parties
will wipe the laugh from their faces
and perhaps teach others a little more
respect for the rights of law abiding
citizens"
The resolutions adopted by the
meeting call upon the state legisla
ture to enact laws to
Establish well trained state
constabulary.
Provide more drastic penalties
for law viOlatOrs; subject gun
men, bandits and burglars to the
lash, and make them serve the
full sentences meted out to them.
Merge the state pardon and
patrOle boards, to prevent these
agencies from working at cross
purposes.
Create more stringent regula-
ton of narcotic traffic.
Restore capital punishment.
License carrying weapons and
punish those carrying weapons
without a license.
Law enforcement officers must CO.
operate, and must be given equipment
at least as good as that possessed by
law violators, so policemen, sheriffs
and other officers will have a chance
for their lives when they attempt to
stop crime, the meeting declared.
Police departments and sheriffs
be equipped with arms and ma
chine guns, highpOwered cars and
other equipment necessary to
cope with the criminal element.
Police department and sheriffs
and viglantes cooperate with the
state constabulary when the lat
ter is brought into being.
Similar organizations to the
Southern Minnesota Crime Pre-
ventiOn Association be formed
in other parts of the state, to
create sentiment to obtain legis-
latiOn necessary to halt crime.
Indifference on the part of citizenry
to law violation, failure of courts to