The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-04-04
MAYOR ORDERS
|. Police DRIVE
ON GAMBLING
Clean Up City, UItimatum
Delivered at Safety
Board Session.
DISCUSS DRY SITUATION
No Politician Big Enough to
Bring Pressure, Says
Sullivan.

Police officials today were under
orders from Mayor Reginald H.
Sullivan to start their spring
housekeeping" of gamblers and
other law violators at once.
The orders were issued at
closed meeting in the mayors Office
late Friday attended by safety
board members, Chief Jerry Kin
ney, Detective Chief Fred Simon
and other high police officials down
to and including heutenants.
Clean up the city and keep it
Clean Sullivan and safety board
members admonished the officers.
Reports of gambling joints, previ-
ously closed, showing signs of re-
newed life, were passed on to the
police officials with the admonition
to get busy.
Mayors Orders Explain
Mayor Sulivan's orders to stamp
out gambling were so explicit that
the officers can't possibly misunder-
stand" Chief Kinney said today.
Il am issuing orders today that
all officers must make arrests when
ever they can obtain evidence, that
frequently they must go through
poolrooms and places which they
suspect as operating gambling joints,
that they must keep these places
hot and keep the gamblers on the
! jump"
Inference he had received hints
policemen were laying off" because
of political interference, was given
by Sullivan when he told the group
to ignore political pressure and "en-
force the law"
This administration has no fav-
orites enjoying immunity" Sullivan
said. "They all look alike to us.
There isn't a politician in town big
enough to protect them and we
want the police officers to know it"
Gazing on Increase
Sullivan, after the meeting, said
he had received reports gambling
was increasing and wished to slim
ulate efforts of the officers to sup
press it. He added that in his opin-
ion the situation had not reached
a serious stage, but that he felt
gambling and all other forms of vice
should be squelched without being
given a chance to get a start.
The cleanup" admonition was
not confined to gambling, and in
cluded liquor and other law viola
tons. However, the greatest stress
was placed on gambling, it was said.
The three safety board members,
Frank G. Daley, Charles r. Meyers
and Donald S. Morris, also ad-
dressed the group.
Sullivan said he praised members
of the department for the efficiency
shown during the last fifteen
months, particularly commencing
them for results in experimenting
bandits.
Done Some Fine Work
1.-THE police department has done
q lot of fine things and we have no
criticism Of it, but just wanted to
make it clear gambling must stop
and that no one has any protection
from politicians" he said.
I'VE touched on the liquor situa-
ton, but as far as I can see we are
doing about all that can be done in
that direction. Recently the new
federal dry administrator for this
district told Chief Kinney Indian
apolis was the cleanest large city
of any he had been assigned to, so
far as liquor violations are con-
cerned."
It was explained similar meet
ings will be held at intervals to
improve morale of the department
and to outline means of combating
crime and vice in the city.