The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1861-08-28
FICIAL.
LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES
Passed at the First Session of the Thirty
SeVenth Congress.
IPuRLIC-No. 81

lPUBLIC-No. ST.
AN ACT to create q Metropolitan Police
District of the District of Columbia, and
to establish police therefor.
Be IL enacted 6y the Senate and House Of
Representatives. of the United States Of
America in Congress assembled, That the
Corporations of Washington and George
town, and the county of Washington, out
side of the limits of said corporations, are
hereby constituted, for the purposes of this
act, into one district to be called "The
Metropolitan Police District Of the District
of Columbia.
Sec. 2. And be 1t further enacted, That i'm
medIately upon the passage of this act, and
thereafter from time to time as required by
this act there shall be appointed by the PTesi-
dent of the United States, by and with the ad-
vice and consent of the Senate, FIVE Commits
sioners of Police, who shall be the chief Off
GERS of the said " Metropolitan lPolice Dis
tricU, and who shall severally possess and
perform therein the powers and duties author
lied and enjoined by this act. The said COM
missOners, together with the mayors of the
cities of Washington and Georgetown, ex-
officiO, shall form the board of police for
said district and majority of them shall
constitute quorum of such board for the
transaction of business.
Sec. B. And be it further enacted, That
three of said commissioners shall be appoint
ed from the city of Washington, one from
Georgetown, and one from the county of
Washington at large, for the term of three
years, and until their successors are appoint
ed and qualified, unless sooner removed by
the President. The said commissioners
shall meet at such time and place as may
be designated by the President of the Uni
ted States; and after being duly qualified
by taking and subscribing an oath or affirm
alton before some person duly authorized
to administer oaths in said District, to sup
port the Constitution of the United States,
and faithfully to discharge the duties of his
office, shall proceed to discharge such duties
as prescribed by this act.
Sec. 4. Agldi be 1t further enacted, That
the officers of the board of police shall be
a president and treasurer, who shall each
be selected from among said commissioners
by themselves, who shall discharge such
duties as the board may prescribe. The
| treasurer shall give a bond, with two sure
ties, to the satisfaction of said board, in the
penal sum of ten thousand dollars, for the
| faithful discharge of the duties of his office.
The board may also appoint clerk, to hold
his Office during the pleasure of the board,
anu 10 receive compensation TO be liked
by the board, not to exceed the rate of one
thousand dollars per annum, and who shall
! perform such duties as may be required by
| said board of police.
Sec. 5. And be 1t further enacted, That
it shall be the duty of the board of police
hereby constituted, at all times of the day
and night, within the boundaries of the said
police district, to preserve the public peace ;
to prevent crime, and arrest offenders; to
protect the rights of persons and of prop
erty; to guard the public health; to pre-
serve order at every public election; to re-
move nuisances existing in the public
streets, roads, alleys, highways and other
places; to provide proper police force at
every fire, in order that thereby the firemen
and property may be protected to protect
strangers and travellers at steamboat and
ship landings and railway stations; to see