Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-05-27
METROPOLITAN POLICE BILL


SECTION l. Be Il enacted Jy the General A.
seni6lg Of he State Of IeHHesss. That the County
OF shelby is hereby instituted Tor the purpose
Of police government and police discipline. a
District which shall be known ant called the
Metropolitan Police District Of the state Of
SIC 2 Be Il J4rsIsr sa1ct,d That the powers
and dutic, connected with. and incident TO, the
police guycmWcut aud discipline Of the said
District shall be, rs hereinafter more especially
provided Tor. vested IN ami exercised by com
mi sIoners OF the Metropolitan PoICe Rnd a
Board o. Metropolitan Police composed Of said
commissioners, and by a Metropolitan Police
iorcc, compO- cd OF Captains Of metropolitan PO-
lice force. Scrgcants Of Metropolitan Police
force and Patrolmen Of Metropolitan Police
SIC. 3. Be IL FURTHER enacted, That on or before
the -- day Of --. 4. ID. one thousand eight
hundred aud sixty-six and thereafter from time
To time a. may become requisite, the Governor
shall nominate, and by and with the consent Of
the senate. thall appoint from among the citi-
EzenS of the Metropolitan Police District three
Commission rs, who shall hold their Office. re-
speciiyely, for the period Of four, six and eight
year, dating from the day Of their appoint
meat who shall constitute and he known as the
Metropolitan Police Board for the transacti,n
Of business The Governor shall have power 10
I'LL up any vacancy or vacancies that may hap
pen in such Board, during the recess Of the Sen
ate, by appointing a Commissioner who shall
hold Office until appointments shall be made for
the remainder of the uneNpired term, in the
m amer hcreinbefOrc provided. ANY one OF the
Commissioners may be removed under the pro-
visions Of the statutes relating to the removal
from Office Of Sherins, which provisions are
hereby extended so rs TO relate to each one Of
said Commissioners; and in all eases W here
charges are made sganSt a Commissioner ne
shall nave an opportunity 10 present evidence
in his behalf
SIC l. BE 10 further e1dcted. That the said
three Commissioners, after having been duly
appointed, shall assemble together in the Office
Of the Secretary OF state. and there proceed TO
draw lots Tor their pectYe terms Of OIL e, cX-
piTing, respectively in four, six and eight
years from the date Of their appontm, mt
SIC. 3. BE 10 further enacted, That either Of
said Commissioners who shall, during his term
OF Office accept or hold any other place of pub
lie trust or civil emOlumcnt, or who shall, dur
ing his term Of office, be publicly nominated for
any Office elective by the people, and shall not
within ten days succeeding the same publicly
decline the SAID nomination, shall be, in either
case. deemed thereby 10 have resigned his com
mission 30 the Governor, and to have vAcate his
Office and the Governor shall proceed as in case
Of vacancy.
SIC g. BE 10 further enacted. That upon the
said term, Of Office having been determined rs
aforesaid by lot, and certificate Of the results
atteSted by each Commissioner having been filed
in the Office Of the SECRETARY Of State there
shall be issued 10 each Commissioner from said
Office the proper commissions of appointment
% Office for the term SO drawn by lot. and each
Commissioner shall on receipt thereof. take and
subscribe before the Secretary of State for de-
post in his Office. the Oaths required to he taken
by Judicial officers under the Constitution and
laws of this State.
SIC T. BE 10 FURTHER enacted, That one of the
Commits siOners of the METROPOLITAN Police an
pointed as aforesaid, shall be designated by the
Governor as experimenting Commissioner and
the other as Financial Commissioner the other
asClericai Commissioner. The superintendmg
Commissioner shall be the Executive Head of
the Metropolitan Police force, shall nominate
for appointment by the Board of Commission
crs persons fit and competent for Captains, Ser
geants and PatrOlmen Of the Metropolitan Po-
lice force shall enforce the disciplinary rules
and orders prescribed by the Board Of Com
miSsiOners for the government of the MetrOpO-
itan Police force, shall detail and assign Cap
tains Sergeants and PatrOlmen for duty and
shall see that the laws of the state and the or
dinances OF the city, town and other legal au-
thOrites OF the Metropolitan Police District are
enforced throughout the district. He shall also
have power TO suspend any Captain, Sergeant
or Patrolman, member of the police force for
misconduct or violation Of orders or incOmpe-
tency, and may dismiss any member of the pO-
lice force Captains. SeIgeints or Patrolmen,
subject to appeal TO the Board Of Metropolitan
Police Commissioners. lie shall keep records of
Losses by robbery and other crimes and also of
all suspicious persons and places and shall
make to the Board of Commissioners quarterly
reports Of the condition and ooings OF the Me
trOpolItan Police force, with such statistics and
suggestions as he may deem advisable for the
improvement OF the police government and dis
Ciplinc. The experimenting Commissioner
captains, sergeantS and patrOlmen shall be
deemed TO be always or duty. The Financial
commissioner shall have the safe keeping and
disbursement on orders Of the BOARD of Com
nisSoners Of the Metropolitan force, of moneys
appropriated for the support and maintenance
OF the Metropolitan Police. He shall make
quarterly reports TO the Board OF Commission
,rs OF the receipts and disbursements and of
the condition of the finances OF the MetropOli-
tan Police Department, with suggestions
for their Improvement when he deems thatie
sible. The Clerical Commissioner shall perform
such clerical duties as may he pr. scribed by
the Board Of Commissioners, and under the di-
rectOn OF the said Board shah have the custody
aad disposal for restoration to the owners or the
benefit Of the police department Of all lost or
stolen articles recovered by the police force.
TEc Financial Commissioner shall give such
bond as may be required by the Governor of the
state for the faithful discharl of his duties
and the safe Keeping of the moneys and proper
ty in his hands belonging to the Metropolitan
Police Department. The Board of Commits sion
crs shall hear all appeals from the decisions of
either Commissioner
SEC s. Bet further enacted, that the quota of
patrUlmeu Tor the city OF Memphis shall 20 eN-
cerd one hundred, unless it shall be found ac-
crS The Board OF commissioners shall not APP
point more than three captains, four sergeaats |
ard one hundred patTOlmVn, unless an increase
Is authorized as above
SEC. .. BE 70 further enacted That the Board
of commissioners may appoint pltrolmen for
special service, or service in places within the |
Metropolitan District.
SEC. 10. That each member Of the MetrOpOli-
tar Police force OF the Metropolitan District |
shall hold Office during his good behavior, but |
may ut any time be suspended or removed for
misconduct, NlsobcilCuCe OF Orders or lncOm- |
potency, and may Ice suspended nom pay for
violation of discipline or Orders
SEC. II. That the Board of Police may, upon
any emergency or apprehension of riot. appoint
as many special patrOlmen without pay, IRON
among the citizens, As II may deem advisable, |
and may appoint n many special patromcn for
service ou any election day rs they may deem
necessary, ana snail pay three dollars day to |
each OF sad 81, cial patrolmen. who performs
his duty faithfully on election day.
SEC. Il. No expenses other than salaries and
a.. .H.n..
the BoardsOt Police except for rents. stationery,
printing, Advertising fuel aud lights, unless |
the same SHALT he expressly authorized, and pro-
vision made therefor a "a separate county or
Of the district which is specially interested.
SIC. -. All fines or deductions Of pay made |
by the Board of Commissioners toryiolations OF
discipline or orders, shall be credited to and |
paid into a special fund Of the Metropolitan |
Police Department, and shall bc used for pay
ing policemen rewards for unusual energy, |
lMthiulness or success IN preventing or detect |
ing crime.
SEC IA The Superb tending Commissioner of |
the Metropolitan Police sha receive salary of |
three thousand dollars a year The Financial |
and Clerical Commissioner shall each receive |
salary OF two thousand and five hundred dollars |
u year. Each Captain of the Metropolitan Po- |
lice force shall receive "A salary of sixteen hun
dred dollars a year Each Sergeant Of the Me |
tropoitan Police force shall receive a salary /
Of fourteen hundred dollars "A year. and |
each PatrOlman OF the Metropolitan Police force |
Jars year No member of the police force |
shall directly or indirectly, receive or accept |
any fec, perquisltc or reward. other than his |
regular salary. FOR pullSC services. unless the /
written permission o: the experimenting Com
missioner shall first have been given.
SEC. 10 No person shall be appointed 10 mem
bgrsnip in the police force of the Metropolitan
District, or shall continue 10 hold membership
therein, who Is not a cit zen OF the United |
states, and citizen OF the State OF TenneS
see or who has been convicted ot crime or
hl al AL
IN the English Language, or is not physlc lily. |
and morally well qualified IUr the per-
ioJmuuCe OF uulice duties.
SIC IL The Board of Metropolitan Police
shalt provide such bu,i,ess accommodations
~ q shall deem requisite Tor the transaction OF
The business of the Metropolitan Police.
SIC. Il. II shaI I've a miSdcmcauor for any
person not being regular member OF the police |
lore OF the Mctropo tan District, or of the po- |
ice ct any city of the state OF Tennessee, or a |
unstable or Sheriff of tins state, or the usual
deputy OF said sheriff, 10 serve a criminal pro
,e>S within the said Metropolitan District
SIC. Is The Board of Metropolitan Police |
hall have power TO issue SuhpWnSs. tested IN |
he name of the experimenting Commissioner,
10 compel the attendance of witnesses upon any !
proceedings authorlZcl 10y its ruiCS. and rcgu- |
.ltiuns: each Commissioner Is hereby author
zci and empowered to administer ahirmationS
aud oathS % any person summoned and appear
np in any proceeding authorized a. aforesaid, |
lr 20 take any dispositions necessary 10 be made
inder the rules and regulations Of the Board Of
Police. Any W;llul and corrupt false swearing
~ any " illness or person 10 any material TACT, |
n any necessary proceeding under the said rules
md regulations, shall be deemed perjury and
punished in the manner now prescribed by Law
or SuCh OnicnSc
SFC. 10. The Board OF Metropolitan Police
commissioners IN fuuhersuce Of the Police gov
I'm alcnt Of the said Metropolitan Pole DIS
riot, ami for the promoting aui pcriecung the
he members Of the Metropolitan Police
orcc are empowered 70 enact. modify !