CHAPTER VII

PROSTITUTION,   THE   POLICE,   AND  THE   LAW

In respect to vice and vice resorts, the police rules
require that each police captain must report to the Com¬
missioner all places in his precinct where disorderly, de¬
graded or lawless people congregate, and also give notice
in writing to the owner, lessee or occupant, that such
room or building is so used, and that such use consti¬
tutes a misdemeanor. If the owner, lessee, or occupant
does not abate the nuisance, the captain is empowered to
obtain a warrant for his arrest and to prosecute him as
required by law. In addition, each captain is required
to make charges of neglect of duty against any patrol¬
man who fails to discover a serious breach of peace
on his post, or fails to arrest any person guilty of such
offense. If a house is under suspicion of being dis¬
orderly or is so in fact, the officer on the beat is required
to restrain acts of disorder, prevent soliciting from win¬
dows, doors, or on the streets, and to arrest all persons
so doing. He must also carefully observe all other
places of suspicious nature, obtain evidence as to the
character and ownership of such houses and report the
same to his commanding officer.^

Between January i and August I, 1912, police captains

^ For Rules and Regulations made pursuant to charter provisions,
see Appendix VIII, p. 293.

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