The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1868-07-28
The Proposed State Police Bill.

The following is the Act introduced into the SEN
ate by Mr. Welker, of Guilford county, proposing to
organize armed Militia force in each County in
this State. No action has yet been taken, and,
friend to peace and good order, we sincerely hope
such measure will not be sanctioned by the Legs-
lature.
an act Providing for a State Police.
Section 1. The General Assembly of North
Carolina do enact as follows: That the Cover
or is hereby authorized and directed to appoint,
organize and equip sufficient force of police in
the various Counties of the State, to preserve the
peace and enforce the laws.
Sec. 2. That the number Of said police shall
not exceed the proportion of fifty to each men,
Der of the House of Representatives That one
man in each hundred shall be appointed Cap
tain of police and one in every twenty Sergeant
of police The command of the former shall be
termed division, and of the latter a section.
Sec B. That said police shall be provided with
proper arms and badges, and may be uniformed
if deemed expedient. That every member of the
force shall be entitled to two dollars per day when
on actual duty, and shall be allowed no other pay
or emolument whatever. Each Captain of police
may be allowed pay for time necessarily spent in
organizing and supervising the force under his
command.
Sec. 4. The Governor shall appoint Chiefof
police with two assistants. The Chief of police
shall receive as salary twelve hundred dollars,
and each assistant one thousand dollars per an
mum. The necessary travelling expenses while
organizing and supervising the police shall be al
lowed.
Sec. 5. No man shall be an officer or private
in this organization unless he be an elector Of
the State, and first take and subscribe the con-
stitutional oath of office.
Tn chanh o TO oil ont
this force, to quell any riot or suppress or pre-
vent any violence, the expense ofthesame, while
upon duty, shall be betrayed by the town, city,
or county in which such riot or violence shall
occur or be apprehended.
Sec. Z. Every officer of police shall have power
to call out the whole, or any part of the force I'M
der his command, at the written request of any
Judge, Justice of the Peace, Sheriff or his depu-
ty, at the written request of any ten electors,
to keep the peace and enforce the law, and such
request shall state the reason of the CALL and
copy of the same shall at once be forwarded to
the Chief of police ofthe State, as may be pre-
scribed.
Sec. S. Each member of the police shall have
power and it shall be their duty at any time, to
arrest for breach of the peace, and to hold the
tice of the Peace or other judicial officer, to be
man shall be detained more than twenty -four
hours except by judicial order.
Sec. 9. Said police shall have the usual powers
and privileges of policemen in addition to that
above granted and it shall be the duty of the
Chief to prepare and forward to each man APP
pointed member of this force, printed copy of
the rules prescribed to govern his conduct. And
any wilful violation of such rules shall be mis-
demeanor punishable with fine not to exceed one
hundred dollars.
Sec TO- The said police shall be under the
command of the Governor and be subject to his
orders, and may be sent to any portion of the
State by him. He shall report to each session of
the General Assembly the condition and effec-
tiveness of the force and propose any legislation
he may deem proper or necessary therefor.
Sec IL. The badge of the force shall bear
these words, ''North Carolina State Police, Divi-
sion No. -, Section - both divisions and sec
tons to be numbered. The badge Of Captain
to be marked division No. -, Captain" and
that of the Sergeant in similar manner The
badge must always be worn, and no arrest shall
be made or authority exercised without the same.
The loan or transfer of said badge to another
shall be an indictable offence, punishable with
Imprisonment for not less than one month"; nor
more than two years.
Sec r. The said police shall have power. and
it shall be their duty to such force as may be
necessary to overcome resistance, In quelling riot
or making arrest, and not otherwise.
Sec Is. The sum necessary to carry out the
provisions of this act is hereby appropriated and
ordered to be paid frein any monies not other
wise appropriated.
Sec IA. This act shall be in force from and
after its passage.