Evening star., 1954-10-30

Police Chief Robert v. Murray
concluded that Juvenile Court
complaints of police brutality
upon juvenile criminal suspects
were a waste of manpower" are
studded with direct and implied
criticism of the court.
This was revealed in a review
Of II reports on II specific
complaints made by Judge Edith
H. Cockrill. Police still are in
vestigating five of the alleged
brutality accusations cited by the
Juvenile Court judge.
Inspector Lorraine T. johnson
was outspoken in his criticism
of a statement made by Judge
Cockrill in one court proceeding.
He cited the remark in reports
of two of the cases he inveSti-
gated.
Charge Always Denied.
The officer related that Judge
Cockrill said she always ques-
tions the policeman about (bru-
tality charges when raised) and
the charge is invariably denied.
emo policeman" Inspector
johnson quoted the judge, "'will
admit abusing any one in GUS
tody, especially a juvenile"
The implication. he said,
would lead one to the con-
clusion that police mistreat-
ment of juveniles was an estab-
lished fact"
Analyzing another case. In
spector johnson cited the same
remark of the judge.
1.-The OaccusedD officer makes
as vigorous a denial as possible
but consider his unpleasant
predicament in light of the
statement of the Juvenile Court.
There must always remain
with him a lingering doubt con-
cerning the weight of his dis
claimer, since it is a well estab-
lished principle that a defensive
position is never quite as effec-
tive as the offensive action
which provoked 1t.
Gets No Support.
a.. Furthermore he gets no
support from the headline seeker
who utilizes charges such as
these for the purpose of level
ing shotgun blasts of broad
generalities."
At another point the inspector
raised this question: II cannot
persuade myself to believe that
the Juvenile Court authorities
really placed any credence in
(the defendants complaint), or
that it was supported by any
other evidence-otherwise. why
wasn't the matter Immediately
referred to the Office of the
United States Attorney for pros
ecution?"
In still another case, the po-
lice official wondered why the
complaint known to Juvenile
Court on certain date, was not
referred to the Police Depart
ment until two months later.
"It would SEEM" he said, that
a matter as important at this
should have been immedi-
ately subjected to a thorough
going investigation" Inspector
Johnson said.
Inspector Charles j. Sullivan
who investigated one of the COM
plants. dismissed the charges as
unfoursded and tersly comment
ed: Personally. I deeply regret
that this efficient policeman had
to be subjected to this needless
trouble"
/ Philosophical Discussion.
Inspector johnson in one o1
his reports entered into q philo-
sophical discussion Of brutality
accusations. He wrote:
"A matter very often CLOSED
over in the consideration of 8
complaint Of this nature is thai
"a police officer is not drafted fol
his job. He voluntarily apple.
| for 1t because OF a special inter.
I est in the work, or 1t may provide
him with the best means avail.
able for earning a living. He Il
under no compulSion to max,
arrests Or to close reported Of
fenses. His love for his faInil.
and his community is not dimin
ished by his occupation. He con
| stantly aspires to the respect ant
/ confidence Of his neighbors, ant
1t does violence to reason t,
suggest that he would endange
his good name. subject his famil,
to rid sSAlle and jeopardize hi