The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-08-07
SATURDAY, AUGUST Z, 1869.
THE NEW POLICE RULES.

THE NE " POLICE RULES
A SET of rules and regulations for the govern
ment of the police force of this city has re-
Gently been prepared by Chief Mulholland,
approved by Mayor Fox, and printed in pam
phlet form for the edifcation of the guardians
of municipal peace, and the information of
the public Many useful directions and com
mands are given in the brief volume which
records the duties and obligations of our
policemen, but as it is quite possible that all
the rules may not at all times be strictly adj
hered to- the nature of the existing restric-
tions should be generally understood, so that
while the blue-coats are watching suspicious
characters, lynx-eyed citizens may also care
fuzzy note whether any of our stars errat-
Cally deviate from their true orbit.
Among the qualifications for appointment
are ''unblemished character ''habitual so
briefly" and liability to read and write"
This is rather rough on some of the tavorites
of the Democracy, and Mayor Fox cannot ad-
here strictly to this rule in his selections
without rejecting "for cause a large number
of the applicants recommended by his most
active partisan supporters. Another rule
which is likely to be obnoxious to ''the party,
sets forth that ''no member of the Police De-
partment will be allowed to connect
himself with any club, society, COM
mittee, or organization of any kind,
the object of which is the political
advancement of party clique, combination
or individual, under penalty of dismissal"
This sounds well, and looks like an earnest
attempt to prevent the force from meddling
in partisan squabbles, but the spirit, if not
the letter, of the injunction was shamefully
broken during the prevalence of the excite
ment connected with the late Democratic
delegate elections and conventions; and
Mayor Fox lodged the issue on that occasion
by going out of town, and remaining con-
veniently oblivious to the active service some
of the policemen rendered to their political
friends
Among the offenses which incur dismissal
or ''such other penalty as the Mayor may see
fit to impose, the following are enumerated: :
l. Visiting public house or drinking saloon, unless
in the performance of duty.
2. Smoking tobacco in the streets at any time
during daylight.
g. Sleeping on his beat during his tour of service.
A. Wilful dsobedience or disrespectlul language to
q superior oficer.
The host of applicants who are anxious to
create new vacancies may find it to their
profit to remember these rules. BY carefully
watching some of the members of the present
force through course of months it is quite
possible that a violation of the injunction
against visits to drinking saloons may be dis
covered Such offenders have a fine loop
hole of escape, however, in the qualifying
clause, ''unless in the performance of duty, -
and informers will be apt to discover that it
can be stretched to suit almost any con-
ceivable case. The best "holt,' as Nasty
would call it, of those who desire TO create
vacancies, appears to be on the second speci-
fication, of smoking tobacco in the streets
any time during daylight. Woe to the un-
fortunate wight who, in moment Of forget
fulness, rlshes into the open air with cigar
in his mouth For this crime there is no
excuse, and the evidence is too direct to
admit of denial.
Another rule sets forth that ''eyery police
man proven guilty of intoxication will he I'M
mediately dismissed, and will not be rein.
stated" Here is another good chance fol
the creation of vacancies, but it is consdera
bly, clogged by the wide diversity of views OF
the question of what constitutes intoxicaton
and some OF tne DemOcfatlc autnorlueS are
disposed to reconcile the inhibition of large
amount of the ardent with entire sobriety.
The policemen are very properly directed
to be polite as well as prompt and vigilant il
the exercise of their duties to avoid unne
cessary violence, and to make arrests ''witl
all possible moderation and forbearance
They are required to prevent bonfres il
the streets, to remove orange peel and rind
of fruit from the sidewalks, and to do hun
dreds of other things which are implied il
the general statement that each 'ofiicer is re
sponsible for the life and property within hi
beat, and for the preservation of the genera
peace and good order during the time he i
on duty" Though some of the rules look a
if they were made for buncombe, many other
are we'll constructed, and well calculated t,
advance the public interests if they are faith
fully enforced.
The Hon. WILLIAM d. KELLEY arrived il
this city yesterday, on his return from tril
across the continent with the Congressional
Nor,un;ttaa of WavS and Leans ,Iudpa Eallor