Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-10-21
CHANGE.
THE WHISPER OF FHB SPHINX IN THB coz
NITTSR ON POLICE
The Body Agrees That Ina Department Needs 8
Gsnsral Ovshsuling, and Starts Vui IN
the Direction Of New Laws on
the Subject

last evening with City Solicitor Riley,
for the purpose of devising some method
NJ imnroylnq the efficiency OF the de-
partment, securing discipline, and OF
generally reforming the existing state
Of affairs. not deemed satisfactory by
the Committee. Every member OF the
Committee was present, and about an
hour and a half was spent in general
preliminary discussion Of the situation
Business was commenced by Mr.. JET
ferson, who said that the movement was
the outgrowth OF recommendation
made By the Chief in his annual report
When the Committee took the matter
M. a subcommittee on Rules was ap-
pointed. and an attempt was made TO
have q meeting, but it failed, ana since
then nothing had been done oeyoud Sc
curin0 a number of copies OF police reg
ulations in force in other cities. AS
result of this failure to take action,
the department had been running
itself in the manner with which all
were familiar. In common with the
rest of the members, he was tired OF De-
ing hammered over the head by the pa
pers. through the inefficiency OF the de-
partment, and if the existing system
could be improved, that was the thing
to be done.
Mr.. Marsh enouired If the Chief had
been notified of the m seting, ana was
told by the Clerk that ne had been IN
formed, but had left the city.
Solicitor Riley, after a general ana
prolonged discussion, said the BEST
thing to do would be to start out win
general police ordinance, compiled IN
lieu of the present hodge-podge, ana de-
fning. after due consideration, the gem
eral limits, powers and duties OF the de-
partment and the officers thereof. lie
nointed out several instances In when
the existing ordinances did not harmo-
nize. and said that to bring about some
general fundamental police law should
be the first step taken. Then, rules ana
regulations could be based upon TINS
general law, and the committee could
thus proceed in order and with some
knowledge of what it was about, at the
same time achieving the best results.
This brought the matter OF changing
the laws regulating the Lookup Keep,
err and his assistant to the front, and
during thediscussion upon this, IL was
developed that under the present law
the Lookup Keeper had the right to
nominate his assistant to Council, whose
business it was to confirm. Instead OF
this, Council has been electing man Tor
the position without regard to the views
of the Lookup Keeper. 1t was the
sentiment of the Committee that the
Lookup Keeper and his assistant ought
to be elected by Council, but be under
the control of the Chief OF Police.
Then it was suggested, If that was SO.
why not do away with the office OF
Lookup Keeper altogether, as an use
less and antiquated piece Of official fur
niture. and simply add two regular
police to the force, with the provision
that one man should be detailed
from the night force for night
duty in the lookup, and the same way
with the day force. If the idea was 10
consolidate and simply the machinery
of the department, and secure oetter
efficiency and supervision, that would
be a step in the right direction.
Some of the members Of the Commit
tee were not quite prepared TO go 10
this length, one gentleman saying that
the tendency would be TO increase the
authority and power Of the CHIEF, bnt
he didn't say how this would be an evil,
il the proposed rules and regulations
were to be worth anything.
1t was announced that the lookup
Keeper desired to appear before the
Committee, but the Committee conclud-
ed that it was not yet ready to go into
the matter of either explanations or
grievances.
In the course Of the general discus
sion about the ways and means OF pro-
cedure for the information of the Solic-
itor in drawing uD general ordnance
the Committee found that it would be
practically impossible to make any
Roadway in the way they were proceed
ing, and after talking over matters 1t
was agreed to appoint subcommittee
TO meet with the Solicitor, map out
course of procedure, formulate
an ordinance and rules, and report back
to the full committee for their informa-
ton. Accordingly, Messrs. Jefferson,
O'Kane and Warneke were appointed
on this committee, and they will meet
this evening, at the Office Of Solicitor
Riley, and get to work.
After the committee adjourned, sew
eral of the members expressed them
selves very strongly on the subject OF
making imnortant and decided changes.