The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-03-20


BOARD OF PUBLIC, INTEREsTs-DELAY
UNTIL THURSDAY OBTAINED FROM THE
SENATE cOMM1TTEE- THE COMPETING
PRoposITIoNs-THE DISCUSSION TN THE
COUNCIL LAST NIGHT. ~:
At the meeting of the Senate Committee
on Counties, Cities, and Towns held yester.
day morning Senators johnson and Tanner
by consent, introduced substitute for the
police bill OF the Common Council; and had
| final action postponed until Thursday. In
the mean time the competing propositions
will be printed. A large majority Of the
committee were opposed to any delay, bu,
Us matter OF courtesy to Senators Johnson
and amer at last consented to it.. None
OF the gentlemen who were most active IN
pressing the Council bill were present.
~. u GENERAL JoHNsoN's BILL.
The substitute prepared by General John.
son proposes to amend the city charter as
follows: ..... g.,.. ~
Section 81. The Police Department OF the
city OF Richmond shall be under the gene.
raj control and management OF Police. Com.
mlssioners thereof, who shall consist OF the
Mayor and five citizens. The Mayor shall
be e1-oficio president Of the Board, and
shall preside at its meetings., and shall have
an equal vote with the rest, In his absence
the other members may select president
to act pro tempore.
The other members shall be elected in the
month Of July by the two branches OF the
City Council In the following manner-to
wit: At least ten days before the Joint
meeting OF the Council for such election an
order for such election shall be entered on
the journals of the two branches OF the
Council and copy OF the same forwarded
to the Board OF Public Interests OF said city.
The said Board of Public Interests shall Sc
lcct by uiua uocs vote, which shall be re-
corded in their minutes, and copy OF the
same forwarded. with their nominations, to
the joint meeting, fifteen persons who are
voters in said city, and who shall
be freeholders, and who shall not
hold any office-State, municipal, or Fed
eral; the names OF which fifteen per-
sons shall be certified to the City Council
by the president of the Board OF Public In
terests as the persons from whom the Police
Commissioners are to be selected, together
with the recorded vote OF said Board OF
! Public Interests as above required. From
the fifteen names thus sent in to the Coun-
Gil by the Board of Public Interests, meet
| ing in Joint session, the Council shall pro-
ceed to elect five; but no person shall be
elected who shall not receive majority in
each branch Of the Council OF the whole
number of members elected to each branch ;
and in case there is no election, or those
elected decline to act, under the first nomi-
nation thus made, or whenever there is a
vacancy, the Board OF Public Interests shall
in the like manner proceed to nominate to
the Council three times as many persons as
there are vacancies, and said vacancies shall
be filled as above prescribed.
DIVISION BY LOTTERY.
The Mayor and the said five persons shall
constitute the Board of Police Commis-
siouers, any four of whom shall constitute q
quorum. Immediately on their organiza-
ton they shall divide themselves by lot into
five classes-the first to serve one year, the
second two years, the third three years,
the fourth four years, and the fifth tive
years; and as the terms expire the vacancies
in the Board thus made shall be filled by Sc.
lecting members for five years, whereby all
will serve five years, and onewill be elected
in July of each year in the manner herein
before provided. r.;~.2
RULES AND REGULATIONS.
The said Board may adopt rules and regu-
lations for the government thereof; it may
establish, promulgate, and enforce. proper
rules. regulations, and orders for the good
government of the police fol ce and in any
| Investigation pertaining to their duties shall
have power to send for persons and papers,
and by their president to administer an
oath: provided, that said rules and regula-
| tions shall not in any way conflict with any
ordinance OF the City Council. -
The members of the said Board may be
removed at anv time by a vote OF two thirds
of the City Council elected, for good cause,
upon proper charges and specifications
made and proved.
| CANDIDATES FOR OFFICE.
II any member shall resign, cease to be O
voter or freeholder, be removed, or be a
candidate for any office-Federal, State, OF
municipal-there shall at once be u vacancy
in said Board, which shall be filled as afore.
said; and when any member OF the Police
Commissioners is named rs an applicant OF
candidate. or as proper to be supported as &
candidate for any Office, or as a proper per.
son to receive such office, it shall be the
duty of the Board OF Public Interests ut once
to notify him in writing that his name i!
mentioned in connection with such Office
and il said member do not within two day!
after the receipt OF such notice file with the
Board his statement in writing that he i!
neither candidate nor applicant for sucl
Office. and that he will not serve nor accep
it if appointed or elected, then said Boart
shall declare his place vacant and notify th'
City Council Of the vacancy, which shall b.
filled in the manner hereinbefore prescribed
When vacancies are filled for any cause
they shall be nlled only for the unexpire'
term.
THE POLICE FORCE CLASSIFIED.
Section Sc. Immediately after their organ
ization the Board of Police Commissioner
shall divide the present police force as
now exists into three classes by lot.
The terms Of the first class in this classit
cation shall expire on the lst day of July
1878; of the second class, on the 1st day
July, 1879; and Of the third class, the Is
day Of July, 1880.
/ The Board shall also classify the polio
force of officers and men rthree grades, t
be known as the first, second, and thir'
grades.
The first grade shall serve for three year
from date OF appointment; the secont
grade for four years from said date; and tn
third grade for five years from said date.
The Board may promote for meritoriou
conduct any member OF the force from tn
first to the second grade, and from th
second to the third grade
i "a ...4 -! APPOINTMENTS.
All appointments shall be first made t
the first grade, but when the terms OF tn
men expire they may be rexppointed to an
Of the grades that the Board consider pro
per. No one shall be promoted except t
the grade next above him, and all llrofficer
and superiers shall be appointed from th
highest grade.