The Washington critic., 1886-04-24
POLTCEMEN's TENURE.
They Petition for Right of Trial Be-
fore Dismissal.


Eight policemen, representing the
eight police precincts, met last night TO
take action in regard to the recent de-
cision of the Court in General Term, to
the effect that the District Commits
sioners, under the law, could dismiss
policemen from the force without u
trial. The chairman stated that this
decision totally destroyed their security
of tenure of office, and the question
was, What were they TO do2 1t was
proposed to present a petition to the
Commissioners, asking them TO have u
clause inserted in the Police bill giving
the members of the force an oppor.
tunity to make defense against any
charges that may be preferred against
them, and emitting them to trial be.
fore dismissal
The following petition was then pre-
pared:
We, the undersigned committee, repre-.
senting the Police Force of the District of
Columbia, owing to the recent decision of
the Supreme Court OF the District in the
case Of ex-Lieutenant OF Police Adolphus
Ecklon against the District, by which the
power is given the District Commissioners
to make removals In the Police Department
at pleasure, we feel that our tenure Of Office
Is no longer secure. While we have the
greatest confidence In our present honorable
Commissioners and do not believe they will
take any undo advantage OF this decision,
yet II Will have the tendency to discourage
the officers In the discharge of their duty
We, therefore, petition your honorable body
to have inserted In the Police bill n section
| providing for hearing or trial before disnis
sal. Believing that It is the desire Of our hon
orable body TO have police force at the
National Capital that will be second to
none In the country, and feeling assured
| that you will recognize the fact that po-
lice force can only be efficient when its
members when charged with an ofrense
know that before they can be removed an
| opportunity will be afforded of defending
themselves. The fact that the duties pre-.
| scribed for police officers by law are of
such nature as to render them liable to
| incur the ennty Of any citizen who may
happen to be brought before the courts, no
| matter how just the cause, will naturally
| make them feel timid, and more particu-
larly will 1t be so If IL were known that the
citizen was one who had great influence
| with the Commissioners. Most of the
members of the force are men who have
| given tHt btsI yculb VI tutlI llNCS III blc
| service Of the Government, aud had until
now felt themselves secure in their positions.
| This has rendered them fearless and elil-
| cient aud IL is one Of the reasons why the
| police force, although so small, considering
the area of territory and population, has
| been able to preserve such good order In
the National Capital. Another cause for
dissatisfaction is that we are taxed 81 per
| month out of our salaries to maintain q
pension fund. Heretofore we have will
ingly paid the sum required of us, knowing
| that we had something to look forward to
| In the event of our becoming disabled aud
could only be deprived of the benefits Of 1t
by committing some act that would work
our dismissal from the force.
| Hence 1t was an incentive for men to per-
form their duty in fearless and impartial
| manner. Now, however, II is different.
| The officers are required to pay this monthly
tax without any legal assurance that they
will derive any benefit from It,. While we
do not apprehend any change being made
| under the administration of the present
| Commissioners, believing us we do that it is
| your desire to have rs efficient police
force at the National Capital as there is In
the country, not only because 1t is under
| your CONTROL but because Of your desire to
lection that only an honest, energetic aud
efficient police force can give, but It is to
the future that we are looking. We do not
know who your successors will be or what
action they may take, consequently 1t Is but
natural that VIC should be apprehensive OF
the future.
Therefore, gentlemen, we respectfully
ask that you have clause inserted in the
Police bill that will provide for trial be.
fore the dismissal. This will relieve us OF
all anxiety In the future and make the force
what 1t was intended to be when organized
"a Metropolitan force in reality as well as
| name.
Notices were sent to the lieutenants
of the eight precincts. informing them
of the action that had been taken in the
matter and requesting them to consult
the Major with view of obtaining
permission for them to present their
petition to the District Commissioners
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