Evening star., 1949-11-02
Letters to The Star
Legal Double Standard Cure
Called Goal for Crime Investigators

Called Goal for Crime Investigators
To the Editor of The Star:
It seems that there is to be another inves-
tigation of culture as it Is found in Washing
ton. This time 1t is to be an investigation
of the crime situation which Is deemed to
be a very lamentable aspect of our culture.
Whatever may be the nature of the inves-
tigation or It's results, would like to present
a few thoughts on the matter. To begin with
there are two major premises which must
always be kept in mind when we are dealing
with .law enforcement. and the first premise
is involved in all considerations of Govern
ment in this country: Cd It is basic ele-
ment Of our system that all persons must obey
all the laws. This means that Government
officials must obey the law as well as all
private citizens and this means that all law
enforcement officers must obey the law, in
the process Of enforcing the law. This seems
so natural to us that many may have for
gotten that in the days of the monarchies
of old Europe there were three sets Of laws,
one for the nobility, another for the clergy
and still another for the remainder Of the
population. The French Revolution put an
end to this trilogy of legal systems and es-
tablished one universal system. Our Consti-
tuition did the same thing at an earlier date
than the French Revolution. (2) It is
current element Of our morality as well as
an element Of our law that q man may use
lethal weapons for his self defense and only
for his self defense. No other use of lethal
weapons can be permitted nor be legal
Now let us consider certain facts, some
recent events, in relation to these two prem
ises. Several times in the last few months
the newspapers have reported q chase Of a
fleeing car by police car during which chase
the policeman fired revolver shots at the flee
ing car. The only crime that was apparent in
these cases was q violation of the speeding
restriction. Did the police officers have due
authority to endanger the life, limb or prop
erty OF any occupants Of the car even if the
crime was as serious as that of the theft of
the car?
Do policemen have the authority to place
IN jeopardy the life Of a citizen who may be
suspected Of minor offense but who has not
been charged, arrested or indicted and who
might be penalized with a small fine if he
should be convicted OF the suspected crime?
The role of a policeman is difficult one.
He is like tight rope walker crossing the
Niagara River above the Falls. He must en-
force the laws and he must not break any
laws IN the process Of enforcing them. He
mas no more rights than any other citizen
but he Is supposed to possess some special
training and therefore special ability
to apprehend any one suspected Of crime.
he may at any time be obliged to defend his
life with what weapons he has available and
with what skill he may have acquired in their
use.
Perhaps the investigation will cast some
light on these problems. I believe that a
major part Of the investigation should in
volve the study and solution of these and
similar questions Of the rights of the private
citizen IN relation to the duties of the citizen
who has an official position in the Govern
ment. C. r. M. r.