THIRD DEGREE

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 105, 30 October 1931, Page 14

THIRD DEGREE

IS IT PRACTISED?

AMERICAN OPINION

Prom individual leaders of some oi! America's police forces came sharp disagreement with the report of the National ("Wickersham") Commission on Law Observance aiid Enforcement charging "third degree" methods in polico practice (says the "Christian Science Monitor").

The accusation of brutality and other findings of the Commission were viewed by them as having "dono more than anything else to destroy departmental morale and law enforcement."

The report was brought before members of tho executive committee of the International Association of Chiefs of Polico meeting at Washington. That group declined as a whole to disagree with the report publicly, but individual members gave their replies.

The Commission's report, however, is to be put before the association's convontion at St. Petersburg, Florida.

Mr. IT. D. Harper, police chief at Colorado Springs, Colorado, said he did not know of a police department that uso3 "third degree" methods.

Mi. Joseph A. Cork, chief of St. Louis, said: " 'Third Degree.' is a myth so far as St. Louis is concerned."

Mr. John L. Sullivan, t'hicf of Pittsfield, Massachusetts, said the report hurts law enforcement and damages police morale. Mr. John H. Alcock, Acting-Commis-sionor of Chicago Police, said ho had hoard criticism of "third degree" methods when he took charge fourteen months ago, and that he ordered the methods stopped.

Polico officers of San Francisco, Kehosha, Wisconsin, St. Paul, Minneapolis, and Kansas City issued categorical denials. Mr. Edward P. Mulrooney, Polico Commissioner of New York City, said ho had not mad tho report but invited inspection of his prisoners at the daily line-up.

Mr. .T. J. Pszanowsfi, Chief of Police of Omaha, snid reports from one source, cited by thn Commission of " 'third degree' methods were bunk." Mr. George Allen, assistant, chief, said tbat smart criminal lawyew have forced; tha

police everywhere to discontinue brutal methods and to be moro clever in procuring confessions.

The forces of the law "would not gel. to first baso in combating criminal elements if we adhered strictly to the letter of the law," Mr. Lemuel B. Scho(ield, director of the Philadelphia Department of Public Safety, s:iid in commenting on the WJclcprsliam Commission's criticism of police methods.

The Commission credited Mr. Schofiold with having dene away with the "third degree" method of obtaining confessions, but stated that in Philadelphia, "cold storage" or illegal detention of prisoners was carried on by detaining them in cells without contact with friends or attorneys for periods from a few days l:o throo weeks.