The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-12-29
ON AMETROPOLITANPLAN
Bill TO Take Police and Fire De-
partments Out of Politics.
IN IIRSI-cLASS CITES
II Would AFFECT Butte Only. but Il MAY
Be Amended So as to Include An
aconda and Helena - How
the Act Would Work.

., ~
Monday views with favor a bill that
will be among the first to be submitted
TO IL. Butte will ave a police force and
fire department organized with n view
to greater efficiency and discipline than
has been the case in the past. Some
time z the proposition to ask the leg
islature to nae a metropolitan police
nected with the department.. and the
d e meeting with general favor n bill
has been prepared. the purpose OF
which Is to take the police n fire de-
partments nj OF politics. The bill APP
plies to cities of the first class only.
and therefore Butte will be the only
city affected. although the bill may be
amended to include Anaconda and Hell
ena as cities of the second class.
The bill as prepared creates a police
and fire commission To consist of three
members. one of whom shall be the
mayor of the city and two resident tax
payers of the city. who are to be APP
pointed by the governor Of the state
and who shall be of opposite party poll
tics. The term of office OF the two APP
pointive members Is to be four years.
Section 2 of the bill provides h a II
shall be the duty of the board to ex-
ercise a supervisory control over the
police and fire departments OF their
city. subject TO the city council. The
board has power to make rules to gov
ern the two departments and TO remove
any officer or member of the depart
ments for ANY cause whatever"
Section 3 provides for the appoint
ment by the mayor of a chief and cap
tain of police and a chief and assistant
chief of the fire department and such "A
uni of policemen and firemen as
the council shall direct. the council to
fix compensation. subject to the limi-
tations of the act.
Section 4 provides the duties of the
chief of police and gives him control
OF the department the same as at pres
ent. and section 5 makes the same pro-
vision with reference to the chief OF the
fire department.
Section s gives the board Of commits
sioners power to suspend by a majority
vote. or to remove from office. any
member OF either department, for in
competency or for violation of any rule
or regulation Of either department. but
only upon the filing Of written charges
with the boaraand after-a public hear
Ing of the charges have been had be-
for the board-[Rny citizen Is entitled
to file such charges. and any member
so complained assfnst is given the right
to be represented by counsel IL is pro-
vided that the board may suspend any
member OF either department for a
period not riding 10 days. pending
his hearing. or may by the rules II es-
tabiishes. empower the chiefs Of the de-
partments to make such suspension. In
case of such n suspension. the member
suspended shall have the right 10 de-
mand a hearing within four days of his
gaNanAngfna In nnaAslnnan with tho nEa-
viusions of this section. and should the
hearing result I'm his favor he Will be
entitled To his pay for the time he Is
suspended. The board II given power
to make rules for conducting the hear
ings. and the removal from office, resig-
nation or death of any m must
be at once reported to the council.
Section . provides that I'm the event
of the city council reducing the force
of either department the board shall,
by a majority vote. designate those to
be retired from office. The board must
then prepare a ranking list OF those re-
tired to be kent on file i'm the clerks
office. and I'm the event OF an increase
In the force the retired men must be
given the preference. according to their
rank.
The members of the board OF commits
sioners are to receive as compensation
s. for each meeting, provided that the
tDtdl dfnounN a. iutilbtf may IftfiNF w
any one month shall not be more than
$50. The last section provides that the
act shall take effect March 20.
The bill Is generally regarded with
favor by the department officials with
the exception OF that clause which gives
the board of commissioners power to
remove from office. any mi OF
either department for any cause what
ever" This is regarded as giving the
board too much power. or power which
might be abused. and II Is thought a
better wording would be. FOR good and
sufficient cause or that the causes for
which a member might be removed
should be specified. IL is also pointed
out that the bill omits the main pro-
vision of a metropolitan police law.
which II. the tenure of office OF "A mem
Der OF either department and which
should be that the tenure of office
should depend upon and be continuous
with eff~iciencvand good behavior. While
the bill provides that after appointment
a m may not be removed except
for cause. still IL II argued the bill
would be better with this provision in
Guided.