The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-01-05
LOCAL MATTERS.
COMMON COUNCIL.

COMMON COUNCIL.
r,.c,;rs, Of the Common Council was
13yr>trrt!ay afternoon. iresiuent JOHNSON,
~ rilv Ward. in the chair.
-ev MAYOR vEToES TnK ORDINANCE ABoLlSHlSG
TIRE DETECTIVES.
,,.,s,irp was received from the Mayor as
.,L,a. ,r.uing the ordinance abolshlng the
-..u,..jy. police Of the city OF RICHMOND:
"OFrlcE OF THE MAroR,(
"RIrnuoHp, VA, January 4, 1879.
T.H. common Councn:
.E.ntl,Dcn.-l herewith return without
,oy gnnrayal to your body, in which it origi-
,',,'T yu pgiinanc. entitled AN ordinance
:, rr.e.l section - of chapter 81 OF the
'-,ulnr,.> Of 1869, and all resolutions con-
,.-r,;n. the l,cliOu. appointment, or pay OF
,I..~r,jyr officers for the city Of Richmond
,-,..u.,q! 70 mc December so, 1874.
E.rar,ling this ordinance Us expressing
-. .,,rn Of the Council to revoke detail
t-a,r The regular force Of few policemen to
wb,u special and. in my judgment, very
;.,,.r...u. duties are assigned; and per-
.,.,d,rj that such action would be Of grave
t.t,;Drp, 70 important public interests
,.rub | amin an especial manner charged
fa uroirctj, | trust the Council will indulge
q brief statement OF the reasons which i'm
,... ,,,. 70 take the course | have indicated as
;,1L,, ordinance. The functions of police
,.rr. ere lnln!y two-lold: The prevention Of
,r,r violations Of law and order and the
objection Of those who secretly violate
tA-m.
The first purpose is sought by the ap-
llintlu-nt OF patrol, whose duty it is to
;.i,.r-. the streets. night and day, and by
,g.,l presence prevent the crimes of the dis
cr..ly. or arrest them when taken in the
commission Of crime. These policemen are
Uniformed: are restricted 10 SPECIFIC beats,
wt,rh they are forbidden 10 leave, and are,
o. uu.h; TO be, chosen with reference to
their ftuc>S for this description Of duty.
= But the great crimes against person
ard property. burelarie>, robberieS, fel-
oa">. assaults, aud murders, are rarely
Committed in pHhlic or in the light
OF d,y, and whenever or wherever
committed their perpetrators, urged by
:Lr.r uWli tears and secure of the
a,,i,iarcc AID encouragement of the vast
criminal population Of the land who are
Lucd together bv the strongest ties of mu-
t.Ili interest and danger, shun the open day
aaG tine reputable quarters Of each commu-
Mlty. a.!d de:y ordinary methods Of pursuit.
Accordingly every city Of any size in
tari>tcndom has felt compelled to em-
,loy the services of special policemen
j.. the discovery and punishment Of
these the most dangerous riolatorS Of
law. This service, 4 moments reflection
ms. convince the Council, cannot be per-
formed by patrolmcn. They are confined to
The streets: this work must all be done of
!,- streets. They have special limits; this
WORK must be done By men who cannot only
r.yr their beats, but leave the city if neces-
>,ry. and remain absent for considerable Pc
liyd>. They are and must be distinguished
br a uniform, but this work must be done
T., those whose dress is not an admontIon OF
ia,jr office and intent. The patrolman is cho-
>rG without special reference to this service
This work must be done, if openly done, by
lAo>c who have made themselves familiar
with the criminal classes. their haunfs, and
their habits and il requires special aptl-
tuic aud special experience. 1t must, as 1t
appears 10 me, be obvious that this most
iulIortant feature Of criminal administration
must be utterly neglected in Richmond, an d
cur city, within q few hours reach OF the
crutres Of population and of crime, be placed
Il the mercy Of the troops Of professional
thieves who traverse the land, unless we
conform TO the plan which universal eXpe-
I.cucc has found Indispensable TO meet these
special forms of crime. 1t seems equally
clear that where great crimes Of violence are
icTpetrated here, justice must hereafter trust
- accident for the discovery Of the criminal
unless the action of the Council be recon-
Sidercd.
Heretofore this valuable service has been
rendered in Richmond by few men fat this
time hy three) detailed from the regular
force, and under every regulation and con-
lrOi applicable 10 that force.
They attend the incoming and outgoing
trains, and are required to mingle in every
LARGE public gathering. They are in daily
aud extensive correspondence with the de.
t'c;vc police Of the whole land, and con-
sanity communicate TO the authorities in.
valuable information respecting the criminal
classes. They have within my personal
knowledge detected at the threshold Of the
ci'y and forced to turn back scores q believe
coUid with truth say hundreds of profess
>onal criminals seeking Richmond as u field
q operations, whose coming was an
houuccd to The detectives by correspondents.
During my term of service they have
brought 10 Justice the perpetrators of num-
lrJm larceny TO murder, who would have
">c'prd punishment but for their efforts,
a4d they have, in my judgment, prevented
IL" commission ofmany more by compelling
Professional criminals to leave the city. Aud
rvsald il as in Il great measure due to their
'lofls that this is the only city Of sixty thou
>aud inhabitants in the country, so far Us l
am aware, in which there has not been for
tlr past five years bank robbery or bur-
"iaFy, involving much loss, or one homicide
or Murdcr0us assault whose perpetrators
nave hot been detected and brought TO the
bar Ol justice.
IN. Office has given me peculiar opportu.
mites i"r Information as TO the value and ef-
Hc!tncg Of the services Of these policemen,
ana hundreds Of our citizens owe to their eff.
!'fla lhc recovery of stolen property and the
detection and punishment Of the thieves,
While The criminal records Of Richmond de-
Monstratc that II is to their efforts that much
lie largest portion Of the secretly
criI4cs OF magnitude Of the city owe their
discovery aud punishment.
nccr the responsibilities I bear to the
once mold, aud 10 the people who have a
H6At 10 expect that | shall do all in my
power 10 maintain the enyiable reputation
iol peace and order which Richmond en-.
Joys, l respectfully invoke the Council to re-
consider its action with respect TO this ordi-
nance. If there are individual abuses or
lndiYidual unitnesS in the small detail OF
'hfee men by whom these duties are dis
charged, the Police Board will he glad to
remedy tbe evils, and in all efforts to that
enc The Council may feel assured of my
'"operalion; but to abolish the only organ.
,' IHea agency in this large city for the ex,
Rsufe aud punishment of the numberless
ohehces not committed uuder the eyes of Il
poi.cttuan Is 10 MT II. ien1ardu rinhfr and