The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1866-05-05
PUBLIC ACTS.
CHAPTER LXI1.

CHAPTER LXI1.
An Act to create Metropolitan Police Distric;
of the District of Columbia, and to establish (;
Police therefor.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Rep
rcsentatives of the United States OF America il
Congress assembled That the Corporations
Washington and Georgetown, and the county o.
Washington, outside of the limits of said corpo-
rations are hereby constituted, for the purpose
of this act, into one district, to be called The
Metropolitan Police District OF the District OF Co.
lumbia'
Sec 2. And be it further enacted That imme-
dately upon the passage of this act, and thereaf-
ter from time to time, as required by this act,
there shall be appointed by the President of the
United States by and with the advice and consent
of the Senate, five Commissioners OF Police,
who shall be the chief officers of the said " Me
tropolitan Police District" and who shall seve
rally possess and perform therein the powers anG
duties authorized and enjoined by this act Tho
said commissioners, together with the mayors o.
the cities of Washington and Georgetown, OK of
tcio, shall from the board of police for the said
district, and majority of them shall constitute a
quorum of such board fol the transaction Of bu
siness.
Sec 5. And be it further enacted, That three
of said commissioners shall be appointed from tho
city of Washington, one from Georgetown anG
one from the county of Washington ut large, fol
the of three years, and until their successors
appointed and qualified, unless sooner re-
moved by the President. The said commission
ers shall meet ut such time and place as may be
designated by the President of the United States
and after being duly qualified, by taking and sub
ScrlDlnT oath or afnrlnatlOn before some per
son duly authorized to administer oaths in said
District, to support the Constitution of the Unit
ed States, and faithfully to dsharge the duties OF
his office, shall proceed to discharge such duties
as are prescribed by this act.
Sec. t. And be it further enacted That the of
ficers of the board of police shall be president
and treasurer who shall each be selected from
among said commissioners by themselves, who
shall discharge such duties as the board may pre-
scribe. The treasurer shall give bond with two
Sureties to the satisfaction of said board, i'll the
Dpual of Thousand dollars. for the faith
tul discharge of the duties OF his Office. The
board may also appoint clerk, to hold his office
during the pleasure of the board and to receive &
compensation TO be fixed by the board, not to ca
coed the rate of one thousand dollars per annun,
and who shall perform such duties may be re-
quircd by said board of police.
Sec. ) And be it further enacted, That it shall
be the duty of the board of police hereby consti-
tuted, at all times of the day and night, within
the boundaries of the said police district, to pre-
serve the public peace; to prevent crime, and ar
rest Offenders to protect the rights OF persons
and OF property; to guard the public health; IL
preserve order at every public election; to re-
move nuisances existing in the public streets.
roads, alleys, highways, and other places; to pro
vide proper police force AZ every fire, in order
that thereby the tremen and property may bt
protected; to protect strangers and travellers al
steamboat and ship landings and railway station;
to see that all laws relating to the observance OF
Sunday, and regarding pawnbrokerS, mock auc-
ton, elections, gambling, intcmpcrance, lottery
dealers, Migrants, disorderly persons, and the pu
bic health, are promptly enforced, and to en-
councils of the cities of Washington and George
town which are properly applicable to police or
health, and not inconsistent with the provisions
of this act.
Sec. i. And be it further enacted, That the du-
ties of the board ofpocc shall be more especially
executed under the direction and control OF said
board, and according to rules and regulations
which it is hereby authorized to pass, from time
to time, for the proper government and discipline
of its subordinate officers, by police force tor
the whole of said police district, and authorized
to do duty in any part thereof, without regard to
residence or corporation lines.
Sec. .. And be it further enacted, That the
said police force shall consist of superintendent
of police, ten sergcantS Of police, and such num-
Der of police patromen as the board may deem
necessary, not exceeding, for the regular service
one hundred and fifty. The said Offices hereby
created for the said police force shall be severaly
filled by appointment from the board OF police
and each person so appointed shall hold office on
ly during such time as he shall faithfully observe
and execute all the rules and regulations OF the
said board, the laws of the United States, and the
laws or ordinances existing within the District
enacted by the city county authorities within
the same, and which laws or ordinances apply to
such part of the District where the members of
the police force may be on duty.
Sec. 5. And be it further enacted, That the qua
HhcatlOnS, enumeration, and distribution of du-
ties mode of trial, and removal from Office of
each officer of said police force shall be parti-
cularly defined and prescribed by rules and regu-
lations of the board of police, in accordance with
the Constitution and laws of the United States
applicable thereto: Provided, however, That
person shall be so appointed to Office or hold of
flee i'll the police force aforesaid, who cannot read
and write the English language, or who is not Il
citizen of the United States, or who shall ever
have been indicted and convicted of crime: And
provided, That no person shall be removed there
from except upon written charges preferred
against him to the bord of police and after
opportunity shall have been afforded him of be-
ing heard i'll his defence.
To be continued.