Delaware gazette and state journal., 1896-04-23
POLICE EXAMINATION.
a Dosiasdly oroa,taolo showing Made

- Atttutuly cntNlUE tluuo by
e Members Of the Force.
The annual examination of the mem
bers of the police force, which was
commenced and nearly finished on Sat
urday afternoon by Chief Dolan and
Commissioner Pyle, proved conclu-
sively that Wilmington guardians of
the peace are intelligent men and
understand what is required of thom
In the performance OF their duty.
The examination was highly benefl-
cial, as several questions arose, and
the presence of Judge Ball, City Solici-
tor Harman and Walter III. Hayes,
learned ATTORNEYS, and DIR. Nj. j.
Hughes. who is capahly filling the
office of police surgeon, was appre-
eiated, each Of them taking pleasure
in giving any information they could.
Five questions had been prepared for
each sergeant and each patrolman, and
as each sergeant heard every question
asked and every answer given by his
fellow sergeants each acquired add
tional knowledge The six street SER
geants were first drawn up in line be-
fore the chief by Capt. Kane, and after
passing a mental examination each
mans equipment was passed upon.
After the sergcants had demonstrated
that they had good general knowledge
of what is required of them, thoy were
allowed TO return TO their posts or to
their homes il they were night men.
Such OF the patrolmen as were
assigned to night duty and those who
could bo spared from their districts
were next brought into the municipal
court room, and each man was taken
in hand, and, in the presence of his
fellow officers, required TO answer five
questions Such as an officer should
be unable TO correctly reply to was put to
another, and sometimes two or three,
and in case OF failure to get the correct
reply, the chief would inform the men
as to tho correct answer.
Only common sense questions were
asked, such as would be OF benefit to
the men in the performance of their
duty. The information required was
on general line and concerned the
city and county courts, the State
Legislature, city affairs generally,
locations Of large buildings. banking
houses, manufacturing establishments,
city regulations concerning vehicuar
traffic, making arrests. serving war.
rants. treatment of sick and injured
people, different grades of crime and
definitions thereof, treatment of
prisoners and many other subjects.
To most OF the questions the men re.
piled correctly, and it was actually
surprising at the general knowledge of
the men.
But when they were through for the
day they knew great deal more than
before the examination commenced.
Examination was completed yesterday
afternoon. Tho chief is to be COM
mended for his thorough examination
and for the manner in which it was
conducted. 1t was of great benefit to
the men, and should be held annually
or be substituted by series Of lee.
lures. IL would be rather difficult to
get learned speakers who could EN-
brace such wide scope Of subjects as
was taken in by tho chief However,
something of the kind should be done
at least once year.
The men as rule are eager to OBJ
tain all tho information they can get.
This was demonstrated by the fact
that frequently those not being adj
drcssed would ask some question about
police business This was gratifying
feature, and when it was known that
the men were in this state Of mind the
examination was not such task. The
chief and Commissioner Pyle were ably
assisted by Simon Donerty, the chiefs
private seci etary.