St. Paul recorder., 1963-05-09
How A Police
Officer Views Things

The National Broadcasting Company aired a re-
markable interview May with the President of
the International Association of Chiefs of Police
Mr.. Stanley R. Schrotel, Chief of the Cincinnati
police department Schrotel is we take it, fairly
typical, as to philosophy and policies of police
throughout the country.
The questions asked him by the interviewing
panel were not with one or two exceptions, very
penetrating. Nevertheless, Mr.. Schrotel made
number of remarkable revelations remarkable in
the sense that we would do well citizens to pay
attention to them. For example:
. He favored capital punishment
. He disparaged the work Of sociologists and
psychologists in the areas Of problem and anti
social behavior that overlap with police work.
He spoke contemptuously of those who in
Voked and supported the constitutional and common
law guarantees of the right of persons in of
arrest and detention
He blamed Negroes for the increase in crime,
and denounced Negro leaders for mot taking
Sponsibility."
All of this is not surprising. 1t is reasonably
typical of the approach which we have to eS-
pect of police Possibly they feel this is the only
approach which they take to their work. but
disagree. We suggest that it might be a good
idea for men like Chief schrotel to re-examne their
position.
Take the matter of Negro responsibility" for
increasing crime Mr. schrote did, to be sure relate
this to immigration to the big cities But in drawing
color line he revealed prejudice and degree of
ignorance of the problem which scarcely
afford to tolerate In big-city police work Crime,
disorder, anti-socal behavior are always an ac-
compartment of great social disruptions The fact
that Negroes in the main the victims Of the
current disruption-the driving Of hundreds of
thousands from their in-paid casual jobs in the
fields and groves Of the south-is a coincidence.
White people in similar social circumstances sil-
3rIy disrupted, have similar problems and react
similarly. Chicago, for example, has problems with
displaced southern whites every bit grievous as
with displaced Negroes, though the pattern of
discrimination against Negroes adds enormously to
the Negroes burden
AS to the charge that Negro leaders are not
taking responsibility in dealing with this problem
this Is simply not true. The charge Is revealing
about Chief Schrotel than 1t Is about the problem
he presumes to discuss. 1t is quite possible, to be
sure, that there may be less than full confidence
and cooperation between a police department run
by Chief Schrotel and the Negro community lead
The be said for a city like Birming-
ham, and it might have been a little more gracious
Chief Schrotes part If in discussing this matter
he had examined the context bit more carefully
Surely he must realize that the behavior of Birm-
ingham's police toward Negro citizens must have
effects far beyond that city Does he expect that the
children thrown into Jail there will forget the
lesson taught them by Police Commissioner Bull
Connor and his vicious dogs?
We wish that the interviewing panel had pur-
sued bit more his derogatory remarks about the
rights Of citizens being 'fnterrogated" by police.
AS he speaking, the Birmingham police were
executing a remarkable reversal Of attitude and
tactics This was undoubtedly because Of the pres
ence in Birmingham Of us. officials charged with
safeguarding those civil rights about which Chief
Schrotel spoke so contemptuousy.
We indebted to the National Broadcasting
Company for this program. 1t will undoubtedly
cause a great many people to recognize that there
Is a big problem in police departments. II 1t
also leads to some self-examination by the police
profession that will be good thing too. We hope
that there will be more radio and Tv programs
on this subject