, 1875-08-04

clnrH'enta belonging to tho Police Department
This nppenrn fair md equitable n1pn liz
fnco, aid establishes the fact that Mr. GHonoE
l.. DUNLAP IL hoal Of tho police force, Lmt
what kind Of head Is ho7 In ho anything
more tlaan hGnrc-hcad2 Eco s of tho Or.
tlinance waa amended to rad ns follows;
SEC. H. TAe said forco shall consist nf ono 0nnaral
superintendent Of Pnee ono Deputy superintendent
Of Police, fonr Captains of rolcs twenty BesEcauts
and the roIfec fatro1mtn nnw In the employ Of the
rty. which may he increased decreased III numbers
from limo to time. Of any police patromcn may my
ff"s u stmerfd or dIstharpfd Non tbs Jres BY the
superintendent " ths }orrr, witt. tie concurrence Of
the City Marshal tue 6crgcans may b. removed and
dsrh"rgcd Of redare.f In rank Try thn 'y-Marsha
with the written concurrence If tho Mayor of tho city.
All tin members Of tho police force sllal tako a oath
10 faithfully discharge their lutIea.
IhiA Aalnentln'ent gives to tho Superintendent,
not tho City Marshal, who is the bend officer,
the power of increasing or decreasing the
force md of removing or tlischarging men.
In this respect, the City Marshal occupies
purely negative position. On tho one hand
ho is hedgcd in by the Superintendent, on
tho otller by the Mayor. IIo may issue or
ders, hut suppose they are not obcyed-w],at
rcnledy lsas ho in the promises? Is 1le not
absolutely rowcrleas? lie cnnnot remove
man for disolcdience Of orders or for insub-
ordination Of any sort. That power Is vest
cd III the Superintendent, md how tho ST.
pcrintcndent will be disposed to exeroiae that
power ia already too well known by the pres-
ent demoralized condition Of the police force
under him.
There is one compensation, however, In the
nomination of Mr.. DUNLAP. Heretofore It
1ins not beon possible to obtain the iss,1anca
Of any orders against tho mock nuctionoers,
tho con6doncc-mon, the bunko-mou, tho
gamblers, md the low dens Of alt sorts which
itilest our stroots. They hava flourishcd with
tile connivanco of tho police, and have boon
protected by the police. Now there is
likelihood that orders will at least bo Issued
for the suppression Of thoBo pests, and, if
these are not obcyed, although tho City Mnr-
shal will bo powerlcss in tho preinises, tho
public will know where to locate the rcspon-
sibility. This will bring matters to crisia,
for it is not possible that Mr.. DUNLAP will
hold m Office and be inactive in It, or that
ho will wink at the disgraccfu1 and
infamous scenes which occur overy
aAt HuA utBAt III OuE sLleols, III ut0
present police officials have. 1Io will
issue orders for their suppression, and al
though he may be hedgel in by tho Mayor
on tho ono side and atcasrs. REaM md
HICKEY on the other, tho latter holding otIico
Independent Of him, these orders will 60 to
REIN md H1cKET to DO put in force. If
they nro not put in force, then those two Off
ccra and tho Mayor will be responsible. We
hope Mr.. DUNLAP will bo prompt and fear
less in making theso orders, md in demand-
ing their enforcement Let ua know ut onca
Just where We stand, and whether 1t is posai-
bic to havo criminals arrcsted when the orders
for their arrest arg issued Let US know
whether Mr.. DUNLAP is merely flgure-head
between the Mayor and tho Superintendent,
or whether he il really the head of the Police
Department. Arc wo to have q reform in tho
police force, or is tho present Generalization
to continue?