The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-07-13
The New Police Board.
THEIR DUTY as TO THE CLASSIFICATION OF THE
npR1rrss AEp MEMBERS OF THE FORCE. s

nG lSUW AOl1NU ASOssA -
THEIR DUTY AS To. THE CLASSIFICATION OF TIE
OFFICERS AND MEMBERS OF THE FORCE.
The new Board OF Police Commissioners
consist OF the Mayor. who ~ s6alt 6e e1-,
ot9ic;o president OF the Board, and shall pre-:
side at fts rneetfHgs, and shall have vote in
case OF tie" and Messrs. E. A. Saunders,
of Marshall Ward; James w. Shields, OF
jefferson Ward; Peter g.. Mayo, OF Madl-
son; John Enders, ST., OF Monroe; Il. L.
D. Myers, of Clay, and J. d. Gresham, OF
Jackson.
The duties OF the Board are prescribed as
follows by section SO OF the charter:
Immediately after their organization the
Board OF Police Commissioners shall DIVIDE
the present police force, as 1t now exists,
into three classes, by Lot. r f;e, .fg,.ttsy
The terms Of the, first class, in this classi-
fication. shall expire on the first day OF July,
1878; OF the second class, on the first DAY
OF July, 1879; and OF the third class, the
first day OF July, 1880.
The Board shall also classify the police
force of officers and men into three grades,
to be known as the first, second. and third
grades. The first grade shall serve tor
three years from the date OF appointment,
date, and the third grade for five years from
said date. ~ RI IT =;
The Board may promote for meritorious
conduct any member of the force from the
first to the second grade, and from the Sc
copd to the third grade.
All appointments shall be first made to
the first grade, but when the terms OF the
men expire they may be reappointed to any
OF the grades that the Board consider pro-
per. No one shall be promoted except to
the grade next above him; and all officers
and superiors shall be appointed from the
highest grade.
The police force shall consist Of chief OF
police and as many officers and privates rs
the City Council may by ordinance pre-
scribe; The chief OF police shall have the
right to discharge any private, and shall re-
port his reasons therefor to the Board he
years by the Board of Police Commission
ers. No new appointments shall be made
until the expiration OF the term of the pre-
sent chief Of police, unless he be removed
by the Board for cause. The pay of the po-
lice shall be fixed by the City Council by
ordinance; the police shall be ap-
pointed by the Police Commissioners
as vacancies occur, and as hereinbe-
fore provided. The chief of police
shall be responsible for the discipline and
efficiency Of the police force; all orders
shall pass through him, except so far as the
rules, regulations, and orders Of the Board
of Police Commissioners authorize orders to
be given direct to any subordinate in the
police force; any member OF the force, in
cluding the chief, may be removed Tin adj
dition to the power OF dismissal vested in
the chief, by the Board OF Police Conmis-
sioners, upon proper cause shown. The
Board of Public Interests shall remain as
faI hu ordinance nf the pltV /.
provided. however, that the present police
commissioners shall continue in office until
their successors shall be duly elected and
qualified under the provisions OF this act.
The provision of the above-recited section,
seeming to establish double classification
Of the officers and members of the force, is
not generally understood. General Bradley
T. johnson was the author OF these amend
ments to the charter, adopted at the last
session Of the General Assembly as substi-
tute for the bill proposing to; give the ap-
pointment OF police commissioners into the
hands of the judges. In response to ques-
tions General johnson yesterday evening
gave the following! explanations
"The amendments provide, first, that the
present force-captains and privates-shall
be divided by lot into three classes, whose
terms shall expire July, 1878, ,,79, and 80.
This will give the Board the opportunity to
reappoint or not to reappoint whom they
please, and it is to be believed they will Sc.
lect the best men. -: g .,s>
"This is for the Reorganization OF the
force. 20. ..-, ....., - ,.,..~
"But for the permanent organization and
arrangement Of the police it is intended
that q system of enlistment shall be intro
duced, and that promotions for good con-
duct shall be the oaly door to high position.
"The force is to be enlisted Tor three
years at first. All new appointments are to
be for three years. That is the first grade.
They may be reappointed or promoted to
the second or third grades for meritorious
conduct, and oil officers shall be appointed
from the third grade-7that is, every man
shall begin at the lowest step and work his
way up by honorable conduct.
"I hoped to have instituted measure CT
real civil-servfce reform long before Mr.
HAYES intimated any. such intention, and II
faithfully carried out, as ], doubt not it will
be, by the present honorable and worthy
| Board, 1t will be measure OF real substan-
tiaI service to the police by making them
more efficient, and to the public by pro-
| curing them better service.
"I hope the Board will cooperate with
me next winter in procuring such legisla-
tion as will still further conduce to the Ell.
cheney Of our police. Only two things are
necessary-an honest desire to promote tue
public service and the courage to try to
do it." -. go. s....
THE THEATRE LAST NIGHT.-The enter
&o;n f. o;voIn of the Theatre last night by