Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-04-24
THE POLICEMAN'S TENURE.
Omcers Anxious About Their Places
A Petition to be Presented 70 thu
COmmiSoiOnerS.

A committee Of policemen, consisting Of one
officer from each Of the eight precincts,
held meeting last night for the purpose of
taking action to secure the necessary legisla-
ton to provide for q trial before dismissal, or
to have the force as It was supposed by its
members to be before the decision of the Gen.
eral Term In the case of ex-Lieut. Ecklof agt.
the District. 1t was held in that case that
the Commissioners had the right to remove at
will, and that a trial previous to such removal
was not guaranteed by law. The chairman
stated the object of the meeting, as set forth
above, and read
PETITION
addressed to the Commissioners, which said:
1.-THE committee representing the police force
OF this District, owing to the decision rendered
by Judge James in the case of Lieut.. Eckloff
against said District, by which the power is
given the Commissioners to make removals in
the police department at pleasure, feel that
we have the greatest confidence in our present
honorable Commissioners, and do not believe
they Will take any improper advantage OF this
decision, yet 1t will have a tendency to discour-
age the officers In the discharge of their duties.
We therefore petition your honorable body to
have inserted in the police bill Senate bill 374)
clause providing for a hearing or trial before
dismissal, believing that 1t is the desire of your
honorable body to have police force here at
In the country, and feeling assured that you
recognize the fact that police force
e1nC1Gnt members when
charged with an Offense know that before they
can be removed an opportunity will he Afforded
Of defending themselyes The fact that the
duties prescribed by law for police Officers are
OF such q nature as to render them liable to
incur the enmity of any citizen who may hap
pen to he brouoHt before tho court NO matter
how just the cause will naturally make them
feel timid and more particularly will it be SO if
1t was 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 the years of their lives in the service of
Tue government, ana nao until now felt them-
Sorad ,bn, III sneir posttons. LUIS mas TIL TIL
of the reasons why the nolice force. although so
small considering the area of territory and
popuiatlon, has been able to preserve such good
oruer IN tne natlona! capital. Another cause
ior olssatlsiaction Is That we are taxed one dol
lar per month out of our salaries to maintain a
Pension iuno. heretofore we nave Wllnngly
Pala Inc sum required OF u.s. knowing that we
hau something 10 look forward to In the event
OF our becoming disabled, and could only be de-
PriHeo OF the Denents OF 1t by committing some
ACT that would work our dismissal from the
force. Hence 1t was an incentive for men to
nanmar NJ, uI.y 90 :; less 4. anu . tg
GERS are REQUIRED to nav his monthly fax with.
out any legal assurance that they will ever de-
rive any benefit from 1T. While we do not APP
Preneno any cnange being made under the ad-
mnlstrauon OF your honorable body, believing