St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1959-08-28

ulNluudl community anu lllCSC SAN-
uations that arise is nothing but
conducive for individuals to create
crime-slugging and everything
else and the whole thing should
fall right back in the Police De-
partment because they permit it.
Chief PrOetZ: Believe me, none
of us have gotten to the point
where we are today if we didn't
have one ounce of intelligence to
evaluate what we hear, to make
the best of it and to make a for
ward step of progress. I have
known Frank Smith in the days Of
the Juvenile Division. / have met
with him in houses and homes g.
I have met with Frank Smith and
Leonard Carter and other men,
bers of the NAACP down through
time A police officer has only
to enforce the law if he doesn't
enforce them he is in violation
of the law himself And on that
particular one note hope that
YOU folks will bear with us. So
many times a police officer is mis-
by even giving a traf-
fic tag so in this particular case
I'm not making excuses, all can
say is I had nothing to do with
the open occupancy-Tm sure that
the good minds that worked on 1t
had their reasons-Tm sure that
in time that you folks can prove
your point and the point can be
proved But again may I say,
this is not a police problem this
open occupancy although I'm will
ing to sit down with you and to
assist you. AS Mrs. Onque knows,
two years ago pointed out many
Of these things to her and the
good members Of the clergy here.
I met with Assistant Chief Frank
Schmidt, 1t. Schmitz and the Po-
licewomen and brought up these
points at that particular time and
Judge Gingold was in on this.
There is no favoritism. no double
standard on enforcement can
tell you by the same token-you
say, why don't you do something
about it-A meeting was held in
my office and the objection was
do the officers tell
the people to get off the street. BY
the same token others said, I
want to go to sleep at night and
here people are out one or two
o'clock at night making noise,
driving automobiles in front of our
house, what can you do about it,
The only thing I can say-the po-
lice officers lot is a very tough
one. You're wrong If you don't do
about it and when you
DO something about it you're wrong
again. Believe me. it's a tough Job
to be understanding but when the
question was raised-do we do
about courtesy within our
may I say I have
training bulletins here which will
be more than willing to let you
look over. Domestic problems,
problems where our officers go
into the home and try to settle
them and before they are through
both husband and wife are beating
the officer Believe me being a
police officer is a very tough
and being you in your
area is again a tough proposition.
I am aware of that. Again I say,
when we can help you we are more
than happy to do 1t.
You may say-why do you have
that many officers in the area.
didn't want to bring this out but
now I'll tell you. We have, from
the very best of informants. that
there are in the neighborhood of
eighty sluggings in this particular
area. There are twenty-one report
ed because the individuals coming
into this area are coming in be-
cause of some reason they don't
want to make known. Let your
mind pick out the reason why they
don't want to report it. This is
for the good people we are doing
this. I hope my intentions are not
misunderstood nor that we go
away from here having lost faith
with any one of you. nor that you
feel that you have lost faith with
us because this has to be con-
struCtive or we are not civilized
people.
Mr.. Bradley: May I interrogate
the
Audience: No, No!
Mr.. Bradley: Is the speaker al.
lowed to be Intercepted?
Chairman, Leonard Carter: Not
by you. You were allowed one
question-you asked it and would
appreciate it if you maintained
some sort of order.
Mr.. Bradley: Thank you.
(Coutfnuad Naxt WaaIxN