New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1929-01-26
TRIVIAL DISPUTES
on Police RECORDS
Minor Tr,gsdk Of Lie Prove
It'slC sud World

When the quiet Of the police sta
ton il broken by the jangling OF a
telephone bell in the dead OF night.
nobody but the person on the send
ing end knows what the message is
going to be. A report of an acct
dent Of serious proportions. a fatal
i;y. a sudden death or any one OF a
dozen or more occurrences may come
over the wire, sending a detail OF
officers into action and possibly max
ing news OF a startling nature. Train
cd policemen know it Is Impossible
10 Judge In advance the import Of
the message that is signalized by the
office telephone.
OF great difference. however, is the
TENOR of the average complaint find
ing its way into police headquarters
by day, say those whose experience
and long connection with the depart
ment qualities them to discuss the
subject. Frequently, of course. i'm
portant words sound in the ear OF the
day officer in charge, and the records
OF the department contain ample
proof of the probability Of vital mat
tiers cropping up at any time OF any
- hour period but as rule the un-
usual and the trivial occurrences arc
reported when the city is awake and
things are happening rather than by
night when nothing but emergencies
keep people awake.
Some of the complaints the day
officers handle are SO humorous as
to rank almost with the ridiculous,
but from the viewpoint Of the COM
plainants, there is nothing funny
about them. Some SINE ago wom-
IN was quite indignant because the
water from the floor above had drip
ped onto her clothes line. which was
heavily weighted. The policeman
who looked into it found no reason
10 make an arrest but the complain
ant saw nothing to laugh at and did
not hesitate to tell him so.
Front door barred to Tenants
Families moving from one tenc-
mcnt to another and finding the use
of the front entrance denied them
often run to the police with their.
stories and just rs often the police
find that either party has been I'M
reasonable. Probably the children
of the family moving out we're al
lowed to run wild through the build
ing, to the annoyance of everyone
else, damaging the walls and other
wise misconductinS themselves. or.
as has often happened. great chunks
of plaster have been knocked ont OF
the walls besides all Danncr of pom
ell and chalk markings being made
On tho woodwork. Whatever is at
the bottom of the wrangle, the police
usually are cxpecte l 10 satisfy all
concerned and in the ma jority Of
cases, it is believed, they do just
that.
It's thu WUnan Who Says
according to the police records.
women make most of the complaints
that are received during the day.
Mischievous boys are out after
school hours and during vacation
periods and the damage they cause
10 property and the annoyance they
delight in creating comes to the at
tr,atiou OF housewives. who run TO
;he telephone and call "oG". Many
women who complain to the police
lave never been irside the police
building and would proba bly, balk at
the suggestion Of calling. preferring
to 10 their business by phone.
In the opinion Of the police off
Gers who have for years boon in
close touch with Investigations into
complaints Of varying sorts. the ma
iority of the complainants are JUS
tilted IN protesting against the con-
ditions which annoy them. In some
instances however II is often found
that the aggrieved parties are prone
to exaggerate into the car Of the
officer on the receiving end OF the
wire. with the result that the in
Nestigator finds conditions entirely
different than he expected when he
hurried out on the assignment.
Some Have the Habit
New Britain has few "cranks" as
the chronic complainants are known.
but some residents manage to take
UP considerable time at frequent in
tervals demanding action against
trespa ssers or other individuals of
an obnoxious inclination. Veteran
police officers recall that there
we're far more "cranks' in years
past than there are at present in
New Britain. some OF the older pa
trolmen being authority for the
statement that It was often ncces-
sary to stand almost every night and
listen to the same complaint. know
ing all the time that it was not of
sufficient importance to look into.
Requests come to police head
quarters for, all sorts of service
Excited women telephone that their
children are locked in the cellar or
the bathroom and cannot get out
Others plead that officers be sent
at once to put an end to the suffer-
inEs OF an injured dog or cat Now
and then someone possessed OF a
warm. kindly heart. telephones In
about horse that is standing in the
cold without the protection OF a
hianltct. Dozens OF calls are rc-
cciNcd almost daily for information
as 10 the location OF certain streets,
trolley schedules. and the address of
the dog warden. while no day Is
considered properly started unless
at least one sleepy voice wants TO
know what time is it. ." Every
time the fire siren blasts forth, II
is followed within few minutes by
food cf inquiries Some people
arc satisfied 10 learn the number and
location Of tho box from which the
;l'arn1 was sent in but others Soon
TO think tho police should know at
orcc the location OF tho fire. the
cause. tho seriousness. and the pos
s'bilify Of spread to other property
Trust Investment to