Detective James Coll, member of the New York Police Department Emergency Service Unit speaking at AAUW’s March meeting. At their March Branch meeting, AAUW members enjoyed the appearance of a much honored New York Police Department detective, James Coll. Detective Coll, who is also an adjunct professor of history at both Nassau and Suffolk Community Colleges, discussed how Founding-era ideals have been applied to the evolving powers and limitations of the police in modern society. His lecture “The Police and the Constitution” focussed largely on the legacy of the “Warren Court” in a most interesting presentation of criminal procedure.

Probably the most controversial criminal procedure case involved the decision in Miranda V. Arizona. The Warren Court required what has come to be known as ‘The Miranda Warning.” Police must inform arrested persons that they need not answer questions, and that they may have an attorney present during questioning.

AAUW’s members greeting speaker James Coll, President Georgene Harrison, Vice President for Programs Margaret Delahunt, NYPD Detective James Coll, Paula, Barbara Hayes. Many AAUW members were a part of the adult scene when Earl Warren presided as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court from 1953 to 1969. Then they may not have been aware that under Warren’s leadership, the court actively used Judicial Review to strictly scrutinize and over-turn state and federal statutes to apply many provisions of the ‘Bill of Rights’ to the states and to provide opportunities to those groups in society that had been excluded from the political process. Not since the days of John Marshall (1801-35) had the Justices broken more new ground in law. As a ‘ship of state’, The Warren Court, instead of assuming the role of anchoring was more likely to act as a rudder, steering state and federal laws into new waters.

In its reference to the ‘Bill of Right’ 1791 the 1st, 4th, 5th, and 6th Amendments were all considered in the Warren Court proceedings agenda.

Earl Warren upon his departure as the 14th Chief Justice was praised by then President Richard Nixon for having personified “fairness, integrity. and dignity.” Warren said of the court, “we serve only the public interest as we see it, guided only by the Constitution, and our own consciences.”

AAUW of Garden City invites members of the Community to attend its interesting and educational discussions. These Branch meetings occur the first Monday of each month from October to May at the Garden City Public Library.

Persons interested in obtaining membership in AAUW are invited to speak with Garden City Membership Chairperson Diane Wall at 718-343-7035 or cell phone 646-465-2647