Minneapolis spokesman. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1959-09-04

and some, lot Of other things but
dare say on that corner of Kent
and Rondo everybody around that
corner isn't alright either and
there's some bad fellows on that
corner. There are some pimps,
there are prostitutes there are
narcotic peddlers, some hangers
on and people who violate the law
of the land.
When I lived at 5s7 Rondo some
times they would wake up my wife
and children with their vulgarity
all the way from that corner and
this word M + that we use among
us, that Is a standard word and
they always want to call some
body that. Now, that's some OF the
things on our side Of the fence.
Now, some Of these policemen
might feel prejudice. Look, every
body Ii not free from prejudices.
We're not free from prejudice our
selves. I'm not free from it,
have prejudices. These men have
their preiudices but there is one
thing that you must realize that
Police Department Is as strong
as the community behind Il. When
a hoodlum gets arrested and every
body rears up about that fellow
and after an you're not handling
Sunday School people. Some people
you can say, what's his identified
ton = ask him what his name Is
and he'll comply and some fellows,
IL you talk nice to them they think
you're showing weakness and some
fellows only understand good hard
talk.
Now, IN make q quotation from
Captain James Sheehan who wrote
book on police work. He said
the first rule a hoodlum under
stands is on the end Of that club
There's a lot Of truth in that"
I'm a minority just like the rest
Of you. I had made Sergeant four
days and a colored fellow was
brought into the place charged
with driving after revocation Of
his license. It was a court order
the police had nothing to do with
1t. He came up before me and I
asked him-what's your name ? He
said you're 50 CD. smart you
ought to know. I said let's start
all over again. said I'm Just here
just trying to do a Job Hike every
body else, Tn trying to do my
job. I just want to know your
name. He claimed he was being
Disseminated against because he
was arrested for driving after re-
vocation Of his license so I said
once more, what's your name and
where do you live.
Then he gave me the same an
swer and called me the favorite
expression the boys use. He was
hot headed - so I'm not perfect
either so I kinda lost my temper.
I reached across there and I grab
bed him and I said, now listen
fella, what do you think you're
doing and I talked q little rough
to him and he gave me his name
and address and he talked just as
nice as he could be.
He was the kind Of individual
who thought when I was talking
nice to him that I was showing
weakness. BY talking a little rough
to that individual he figured that
Tn a strong man so he came
across.
Now. maybe there was a mixed
couple involved - maybe that par
ticular officer doesn't like that
there's a lot of us that don't like
it. Lot Of US don't like to see
1t the other way aroUnd-so that
officer made a mistake.
If that officer made a mistake
there's no reason to riot. They
should have marked the time Of
that incident and brought II to
the attention of the proper author
tiles. realize a-lot Of times that
the people talk rough to these
guys. Sometimes they don't Just
use the proper language but when
that happens you don't take the
law into your own handspring
that to the proper authorities.
Now, there's another thing. We
don't want anybody to caIl US
names I don't like it. don't like
anyone to call me niger or any
thing like that and neither would
you. We have a Mexican Police
man and I heard these fellows
calling him greasy wetback. Now,
that isn't right. Now, we're the
first ones to holler when someone
Jumps our back but / say this
thing has a pendulum that swings
both ways. The police are not al
ways right-the people are not al
ways right but we have to meet
this thing half way.
About that corner - Anvone
can drive by that corner on a hot
night on Friday or SATURDAY. night
and see all those people gathered
there and when you come to make
them move-make a massive move
they make a federal case of IL, and
what happens? The 50 called good
people and citiZens-when thew
nave an arrest out there they COM
init the crime Of silence. I wasn't
there--I didn't have anything to do
with 1t. Do we want law enforce
ment or don't we. I raise this ones
ton here tonight. Do YOU want
law enforcement In our area or
don't you and it's as simple as
that, it's as simple as that. Either
were going to have law enforce
ment or we're not.
Now, in this particular area a
lot Of - you know Lee Gary. He's
man sixty-seven years old. A
couple colored fellows beat him
within almost an inch of his life
30 some Of these fellows haven't
heart Of gold.
Some Of these fellows have lar
ceny In them. I don't say all of
these sluggings were committed
by colored people and they prob
ably weren't but there also have
been a few. Now, there's only one
way to stop this in the community.
You have to get down to hard
police work. Now, we haven't any
Dick Tracys down there and no
Sam Spades-the only way to do
| this work IA IN pek oatf fhawa ,.ya,S