POLICE SEEK HELP

Hokitika Guardian, 19 November 1932, Page 6

POLICE SEEK HELP

APPEAL IGNORED IN SYDNEY

DETECTIVE' GRAVELY INJURED

SYDNEY, November 14.

During the past week there have been two more illustrations of the dangers that the police have to meet in tue discharge of their duties and the difficulty they find in inducing civilians to assist them. On Tuesday afternoon Detective Fraser, axtemping to arrest 1 one of three suspects in Sussex Street by.no means a lonely or unfrequented locality—slipped and fell on the footpaht, and he was immediately set. upon and kicked so savagely that lie is now lying m the hospital in serious danger with a fractured skull. Another detective *who went to his -a-ssisance was severely bitten, and-.though he appealed to by-s.tanders to assist, none of them responded. Three men—one of them well known as “a malicious, dangerous man” —were brought before the Court next day and remanded. Meantime Fraser (who was married a fortnight ago) is still in a critical condition, and it is feared that, , apart from the other injuries to his head he may lose the sight of one'eye. The police reported to the Commissioner that when they made their appeal for help one well-known business .man shook his head and walked away. There is always some formal difficulty in such cases for the police, requiring aid, are supposed to recognise some bystander as able-bodied, and to call upon him personally, in the name of the King to assist them. LIABLE PUNISHMENT.

It may he added that the secretary of the Police Association, in connection with this case, has- generously offered a , number of excuses to the citizens who failed to respond to the po•ice 8.0.5.’; but Mr Chaffey, Chief Secretary has now stated publicly that civilians who decline to- take any risk by assisting the police to maintain law and order are liable to punishment, and in flagrant cases the penalty will be enforced. In this instance, it is stated, quite a ' large number of respectable “city men” and others stood about unmoved while Fraser.was being kicked into insensibility and his omrade was fighting gallantly against heavy odds. Occurrences of this sort are far too io-mmon in> Sydney. This is the filth time this year that policemen have >een brutally assaulted in attempting ,o keep order or effect arrests, while arge numbers of bystanders have stood ry apathetic and unmoved. As to the •r.iminals themselves, the Commissioner rf Police has*. stated recently that the Crimes Act provides for imprisonment ind a flogging for anybody who is "ound guilty by two magistrates of unprovoked assault upon the police. DISGRACE TO SYDNEY,

This is well, as fa r as it goes, but it s a disgrace to this city and to the nanbood of its people that .their projectors, their only defence against Systematic ruffiianism, should he conantlv exposed to terrible personal danger in the discharge of their duties vithout being able to depend upon my assistance from the general public, hough there may' be scores of ablebodied men in sight. Yesterday, two policemen, attempting to arrest two drunken brutes in dastlpreaght Street, were savagely attacked by them, and had the greatest difficulty in securing them. After the struggle was over, several of the onlookers came up to the officers and ■orgratuiated them on their success; but nobody moved a hand to help the iolice while the fight was on—and this n the heart of a crowded city. Men. .oust have but a poor conception of heir personal and divic responsibilities 'f they can persistently ignore such an obvious duty as this.