Salt Lake Telegram | 1940-05-11 | Page 9 | Report Shows 1300 Warrants Never Served

REPORT SHOWS 1 1300 WARRANTS NEVER SERVED Lack of Address Seen As Cause of Many Delinquent Orders More than 1300 bench warrants issued d by Salt Lake City police court judges during the past eight years never have been served City Auditor Jerrold Jerrod P. P Beesley revealed Saturday in the course of a survey y of police court records Although no court officials would comment as to the pause cause ause for fort t this his is situation it w was was s apparent that lack ack of addresses of defendants is isa isa isa a fac factor or The police blotter on which its defend to are booked after arrest has provision for virtually every type of data except the persons person's persons person's persons person's per per- sons son's address New Order Given Ghen Police Chief Chales Chafes H. H Olson Saturday issued orders that the address of every person arrested is s to be noted and in the case of traffic law offenders the number of drivers driver's license also taken taen Chief OIso said that after alter his return from Chicago for which he will leave next Friday on instructions instructions instructions from Mayor Ab Jenkins to study police department procedure he ic will appoint a court bailiff and institute a system of bookkeeping by which the bailiff will keep a record on all bench warrants up to final inal disposal Bench warrants are issued by jutes jUles es for arrest of defendants who fail ail to appear for hearing sentencing sentencing ing ng or commitment They are delivered delivered delivered de de- de- de livered to the police department for serving Contempt Factor Told City Judge Albert H H. Ellett said that a person technically is in contempt of court when he behaves behaves behaves be be- haves so necessitate issuance of a bench bendl warrant Some observers feel that a factor factor factor fac fac- tor in the large number of un- un ser served ed bench warrants is the e court practice of allowing stay slay of execution execution tion Lion for payment of small fines The defendants are seen as encouraged encouraged encouraged aged to skip the whole thing in inthe inthe inthe the belief that the police department department department depart depart- ment would not feel justified in following up a case involving a small fine