The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-03-12
Hearing on Police Com
mission Bill.
Substitute to Be Offered Pro-
viding for 0neC Commissioner.
Council Asked for Authority to Elect
a Board of Three.

A week from today the judiciary COM
mittee of the House of Representatives
will grant public hearing to those who
are interested in the matter OF placing
the police department of Providence un-
der a commission.
Legislation to give authority for such
change was asked for by the last City
Council, and at the beginning of the Jam
uary session of the present General AS
sembly City Collector Colwell asked for
the pa sage of bill permitting the City
council to elect in joint convention q
board OF three police commissioners
This petition was referred to the judic-
lary committee and tn friends and op-
poneGts of the proposed measure are TO
nave their nrs6 opportunity TO express
their opinions next Thursday. There are
great many opposed TO q police COM
mission of any kind and those who do
want one have very different ideas as 10
how II should be constituted and elect ID.
On one extreme is the theory, held prin-
cipally by the country members of the
Legislature, that the commissioners
should be appointed by the Governor of
the State, as they are in Massachusetts A
number OF People outside of the City
Z uncil think that the commissioners
sheula- be- -aPPeiHtes- blythe Mayer Ii
would not be distasteful to somy of the
Aldermen II the appointment of the COM
mlssioners was left exclusively with their
board, and they argue that the Board Of
Aldermen, without the Common Council
endorses the chiefs appointments and re-
moval ano Tor that rea son, should retain
the same right relative TO the head of the
department.
Another theory is that the control of
the police department should b vested
in single comm issioner rather than in
A board three bs.fa dx,,r - k,k
scheme cite the instance OF the commits
sioner OF public works, who gives better
service than the old beard did sefore it
was abolished in 1859.
Those who wish TO see the establish
ment OF single-headed commission have
gone SO lar as to. frame bill whicn will
be offered to the judiciary committee as q
substitute for the bill presented by the
city solicitor. This bill makes Ii opiion-
al with the City Council as to whether
they will elect one or three commissioners
and it is left open i'm that way with tn
prefer one.
The substitute bill, which in other re
spects is practically the same as the orig
inal, is as follows:
Section i. The City Council Of the city OF
Providence IL hereby authorized and em-
powered to elect IN jtint convention com
missioner OF police or "a board of police COM
missioners not 10 exceed three in number. az
said City Council may in joint convention
decide, in whom shall bu vested the control
ana management OF the police department OF
said city, subject To the control OF said City
Council.
Section 2. Said commits .ioner or said board
shall elect or appoint all officers and mrmbers
or the police department Of said city ana per-
form such duties, and receive such compcpsa-
tion rs from time 10 time shall be prescribed
by ordinance or said City Council.
Section y. said commissioner or said board
shall be- elected by said City Council in joins
convention in the month of .---, and ie
three be elected, one shall be elected for tho
term OF one year, one for two years. end ono
for three years, from tho first Monday in -,
and annually in the month of - - thereafter
one memb ber of said board shall be elected iu
like manner, for che term of three years from
the trst Monday in --- next following such
election.
IL a commissioner shall be elected he shall
be elected for a term of three years from the
first Monday in ----- next following his cleo
tion. and during his term OF service ne shall
not be actively engaged in other business, hut
shall devote his entire lime to the duties OF
his office. Said officer or officers elected by
authority hereof shall hold office until his on
their successor or successors shall be elected
and qualified. In case any person elected by
authority hereof shall decline to serve or
neglect to qualify, or vacancy shall occur
for any cause said office or vacancy shall bs
filled by said City Council in like manner for
the term cf said office or unexpired term.
Said City Council Ia JOINT convention by .
two-thirds vote thereof may remove from
office at any time any person elected by au-
thority hereof for misconduct or incom-