The herald., 1898-11-23
TALKED TO THE "COPS"
JUDGE vARIEL EXPLAINS THE
NEW CHARTER
HOW 1T AFFECTS THE POLICE
They Will Be Provided With Life Jobs
by Observing Few of the Provi-
notwithstanding Subject

| Judge r. Ii. +. Variel, one Of the trainers
lof the new charter and chairman of ths
Judiciary committee of the board of free
| holders, delivered an interesting address
Regarding that message to the members ol
the police force, last night at o'clock, in the
assembly room of the police station. All oi
the members of the department, except
those on duty, were present. There hai
been some opposition among the members
of the force toward the charter, and the
object of Judge Variel's remarks was tc
explain the details of the new measure tc
TIL men, how it would benefit them, per
scH Hally, as well as work to the good of the
co(hmunity. Judge Variel drafted the orig
inN article on the police department, and
hSi remarks were confined principally tc
tM provisions which related to this branch
Of sahe city service. He was introduced by
Chief Glass.
The speaker made practically the same
preliminary statements which was done al
his recent speech at st. Vincents hall
Touching the police officers, the speaker
first talked of their duties as guardians OF
the peace. He naturally assumed them to
be men who were good citizens, who be.
lieved in good government, and the enforce
ment of the ordinances. He alluded briefly
to the circumstances of the framing of the
new measure and touched on the high char
acter of the freeholders, which ought to be
ample proof that there was no attempt at
a job in the ordinance. He then took up
the various sections which had direct bear
ing upon the department. According to the
the provisions of the new charter, the de-
partment was provided with a reasonable
civil service under which the men would
hold their offices for life, so long as they
were able to serve the public properly and
obey the law.
He then read sections l96, 1877, POI, 2l7
2lS, 2l9 and 1856. He commented upon each
article, showing how they did not work any
hardship upon the members of the force
and were, in reality, but slightly different
from the rules now in operation, with Of
course the exception of section 1856. This
section provides that all members of the
force, at the time the charter goes into eff
feet, and who shall pass the physical exam
ination required by the rules of the depart
ment, within ninety days thereafter, shall
continue therein without civil service ex-
animation; also that each member who shall
have had not less than five years service
in the department will, upon proper certi-
fcate of character and ability, be exempt
from passing such physical examination
The trainers OF the charter recognized that
the officers who have served for years on
the force were entitled to some considera-
ton, and they made this provision, which
makes an officer who has seen five years
service, exempt from taking the physical
examination.
Judge Variel touched on the matter of
the power which the new charter gives the
mayor. 1t has been claimed by the oppo.
nents OF the document that it invests too
much power in that official. The speaker
pointed out that this claim could not re
made as regards the effect it would have on
the police department. Under the present
charter the mayor is a member of the police
commission, but with the new charter he
Is deprived OF this office and merely appoints
the commissioners to serve four years.
These commissioners will have full charge
Of the police department and can not be
removed unless, of course, for cause This
change will have the advantage of prevent
ng the mayor, if such a desire should be
by him, from intriguing. to Sc
cure to his political followers position on the
force, and he cannot pay his political debts
by means OF the police department. As the
result OF this measure the department will
be less disturbed and the members will be
better able to attend to their duties as OF.
ticers. Of course no charter could be drafted
which would suit everybody, but the in
lerests OF the majority should be consulted.
and in the framing OF the present proposed
measure, this, the speaker thought, had
been done.