The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1890-06-04
OVER POLICE AFFAIRS

The code tells how police officers
shall be appointed in cities Of Montana.
The rule is not the same for all towns.
Anaconda is a city of the second class,
and in that class the rule is that the
mayor shall appoint the chief of police
and the members of the force. these ap-
pointments being subject to the APP
proval of the members of the council.
The law itself is a radically bad scheme.
II makes the police force liable to all
the uncertainties that attend local poll
tics. Under its provisions no city in
Montana will ever have an experienced
or a competent police force but 1t is
the law.
II appears that when the present
council began its career, several mem
beers of the council wanted changes
made in the police force and they
wanted the thing done right of. They
proposed to have Chief Mckinney and
Officer Pickle retired, TO arrange for
the promotion of Officer Hale to the
chiefs place and to add to the force
two new men To fill the vacancies thus
created. The fact that the mayor de-
layed action in this matter has stirred
up considerable bad blood in the coun-
ell and, naturally enough, the faction
that favors a speedy change in the po-
lice force is looking about to find how
il can get away with the mayor. SIEVE
raj schemes have been tried but thus
far none have been discovered that Fan
be made To work successfully.
At Monday nights meeting IL was
proposed to compel the mayor by ordi-
nance or otherwise TO make nomina-
tions ut once. but the aldermen found
they were not competent TO pass an
ordinance that presumes to amend or
change or limit the provisions of a gen.
eral law. Then IL was proposed To pass
a rule whereby the payment of salaries
Of the officers should be made each
month by vote Of the council, the
idea being TO refuse the audit and
thus deprive the officers of pay. but il
was ascertained that the provisions for
paying the force are defined i'm an or.
dinance passed last year, and which re-
ceived the vote of nearly all of the
aldermen who favored the new scheme
Monday night. They were in the board
last year but they had forgotten about
the ordinance.
There are eight aldermen in Anacon-
da's board. Four of them are united
in the attempt TO bring about the pro.
posed changes in the police force, and
four are willing To cooperate with the
mayor. In a city council of eight men
IL isn't IN easy matter for four of them
tn get away with the mayor. Alder
man Hughes, who is rated To be with
the mayor in the matter, will be absent
for several weeks. so that the vote will
be four Ia three, which would he a ma
jority of the aldermen present but not
a majority of the council: and the latter
form of majority is required for most
Of the legislation which those opposed
TO the mayor are hoping to bring about.
Accordingly the combination will have
10 do some very clever strategic work
IL II wins against the mayors wish.
This is a little quarrel in which the
general public takes very little interest.
Mckinney is a pretty good chief, mt
least we do not hear any loud shouting
for his removal. lie is willing TO get
out of the way when the mayor asks IL.
Officer Hale is an excellent police officer
and holds the rank of assistant chief.
lie is competent to have charge of the
force as the successor of Mckinney
but, in the run of events, his time will
CONF 500 enough-there's no hurry.
As TO Officer Pickle, nobody seems able
to give any solid reason why he should
he removed.
II any considerable number of PEG.
pie in this city demanded I'M overhaul.
ing of the police force, we imagine that
their wish would promptly be needed.
AS il is, we simply have a little person.
al rivalry among the aldermen in
which the public is not disposed to in
terest itself warmly. II looks to us
very much as If the mayor held the top
hand but, if Il spirit of mutual con
cession should gain control of the coun-
ell, the whole trouble would easily re-
solve itself. However. the general
public is quite Indifferent how long the
wrange will last or when il will end.