Salt Lake Telegram | 1932-06-29 | Page 11 | 'Good Citizen' Wants Law for All Save Self

GOOD CITIZEN WANTS LAW FOR ALL SAVE SELF Commissioner Knight Gives Summary of First Six Months in Office The good citizen of Salt Lake demands strict law enforcement except when it la lays s 's a heavy hand upon himself according to Police Commissioner John M. M Knight in a a. summary of his first six months at atthe atthe atthe the head hend of or police affairs We have with us even now men mea and women who demand that th the laws be enforced to the letter says Commiss Commissioner oner Knight I 1 have ha had them wait walt upon me mc an and berate th the police for their Inefficiency and demand de mand that the traffic laws be enforced enforced en en- forced that bootleggers be rounded up and that gambling be stopped CRY AGAINST POLICE But as soon as the law Jaw reaches out and touches them their kin or their pocketbooks they cry out in high dudgeon perjury and slon sion They Insult the police and belittle belittle belittle be be- little their efforts It is their firm linn belief that all aU the laws should be enforced en forced but not upon them They have the same attitude toward law enforcement as did cUd the kings and emperors emperors em em- of or the dark eyes ees I could cite you case after alter case casc of lawbreakers who erroneously believe belie that all they must do to escape punishment is to pull a few lew strings come to me demanding demand demand- ing gambling be stopped and their husbands in turn come and ask that bridge clubs be raided that they cannot cannot cannot can can- not afford in these these times to have their wives loe so much mon money y over o a bridge I have had men cf come to m rae demanding demanding de de- manding that bootlegging be stopped But when we apprehend a 1 bootlegger who happens to rent from one of them they plead for lor leniency I know of ot otmen men who have talked from the pulpit over the radio and ond through the press demanding law enforcement and efficient effi cleat officers but if so much as a a. traffic tag is handed them they cry to the high heavens against everything everything everything every every- thing and everyone connected with wilLs the police department LA LAWS WS FOR ALL It uIt is our firm opinion that the laws were made for everyone We w have no aristocracy that may abrogate the laws and do as they please We Weare Weare Weare are not trying to make a record number number number num num- ber of or arrests to boast of but we are are trying to safeguard the rights liberty and property of the citizens of Salt Lake We feel teel that leniency and It is a proven fact tact only extends and fertilizes fer the underworld I admit in fn some cases there may be extenuating circumstances which may call for I leniency len len- n. n but these are very sery rare and the judges of our c courts should determIne determine de de- termine the degree of leniency Our job Is to apprehend not t to judge