The herald., 1897-10-05
RULES BROKEN
Policemen With q Political
Push and Pull
THOSE TEN NEW OFFICERS
THREE OF WHOM DON'T MEET
REQUIREMENTS
THOSE TEN NEW OFFICERS
And Others Who aad "Infooence.' y
Old Specials Dropped and the
Reason Some Got In

solute (?) removal of the police depart
ment from politics, recent actions on the
part of the board compel the belief that
politics is still potent factor in the
selection of new members of the police
force. There is more behind the recent
appoin tment of ten additional police
men than has appeared on the surface,
and somebody seems to have acted in
aspirants for the. privilege for wearing
blue uniform. The recent appointments
were not made without the usual efforts
by politicians and others for their
friends; in fact, the members of the COM
mission complained of the importuni-
ties on every hand for the appoint tment
of this or that man, who happened to
have a friend who could make his in
huence felt in political fight. The list
as announced shows that some of the
commissioners must have hearkened to
these applications to some extent for
there were several surprises and in the
appointment of some Of the men the
commission did not live up to the regu-
lations adopted by themselves
For several years past there have been
number of men employed in the de-
partment as extras or specials, who also
acted as substitutes for the regular Off
GERS when off duty for any cause These
officers had had ample time and oppor-
tunity to prove their efficiency, and mos.
of them were satisfactory in all respects
save one-they had no political pull
In the early portion of the summer, when
the subject of the employment of ten
men to take the places of regular Off
GERS during the vacations was broached,
there was a stirring in the commission.
An increase in the regular force was to
be made, ten men were to be appointed
and the specials who went on for vaca-
tion duty were to be put on the force as
full tledged officers, providing their two
months service as extras proved them
capable and efficient.
Immediately there was stirring
among the pap seekers. After much
deliberation and profound thought the
commission decided upon a way out of
the dilemma that confronted them. Of
course the old specials who had worked
for a year or two expected to be ap-
pointed for vacation service and finally
drop into the newly made places. In this
they We're disappointed The commits
sion adopted an iron-clad rule that all ap~
plicants for positions on the force should
be between the ages Of 25 and 35 years; be
at Least feet inches high, and weig h
100 pounds. besides the other require
ments of good health etc. AS it happened,
age qualification at once disposed of the
claims of about half the old specials.
many of whom were men of between 81
and As years. There were twelve of the
old specials as follows: Bradley, Saw
yer. Hubbard Shields and Loomis, ali
over age; Phillips, under age; White.
Edwards, Fowler, Briest, McGraw and
Green, who were we'll within the re-
quired limits. How TO drop some and not
all of these men was quandary but il;
was finally decided that none Of them
should go on the new special list, new
men being chosen, and that after Sep
tember 1st no more work should be given
them-they were to be frozen out.
The names of men with a pull were
accordingly selected for the new
list, after much connubiating,
as follows Rosso, Randolph (col-
ored), Roller, p. H. Murray,
Broadhead, Ziegler, Baker j. L..
Murray, Moore and Green, the latter
being one of the most recent additions
to the old specials and the only one who
slipped in on the new list. The first day
these men went to work Moore was
found drunk on his beat after three
hours service and was relieved of his
star, one Wilson being put in his place
on the special list.
During the months of July and August
three of the most available" of the old
specials were permanently put on the
force to fill vacancies. They were White,
Edwards and Fowler, who replaced Will
kinson and Kolle, removed, and Rey-
nolds resigned. Baker, one of the sum-
mer specials, also picked plum, get
ting the place of Long, removed. An
other old special who continued working
was Phillips, who has steadily, for a
year and half, filled the place o. Off
Ger Bates, incapacitated by blindness.
Three of the old specials having been
thus fixed up" the field was further
cleared by the removal of Shields for
cause. Bradley tired of the fight and
went to San Pedro, where he is now in
the saloon business. That left only
Briest, Loomis, Hubbard, Sawyer, Phil
lips and McGraw in the running. When
it came to the appointment Of the ten
summer specials as regulars last month
Green was quietly shelved for reasons
best known to the commissioners. Baker
had, as alre ady stated, picked his place,
thus leaving only eight in the squad.
To make up the ten Loomis and Briest,
old specials, were put in.
Why Green was dropped and an old
special was given his place, and why,
If any of the old specials were
to be appointed, the preference
was not in the first place given
to them over new and inexperienced
men, does not appear. Loomis is con-
siderably over age and is afflicted with
varicose veins. He was rejected by DR..
Bryant several years ago, when he ap-
piled for appointment because he did
not come up to the required physical
standard. Roller, another Of the new
regulars, is over age and under size.
Rosso, who was also elected, is under
size. In the face Of the fact that some
of the recent appointees are disqualified
according to the rules, and that the COM
mission had every opportunity of ascer-
tanning that such was the case, thei ap-
pointment must be credited to political
or other influence.
Loomis has interested himself in ward