The record-union., 1899-02-03
CHIEF DWYER SUSTAINED.
MEETING OF THE POLICE COM
MITTEE LAST NIGHT.
STRENGTHENING Out Matters Con-
nected with Discipline Of
the Police Force.

A meeting of the Police Committee
of the Board Of Trustees was held last
night at the Trustees room, Trustees
Tebbets, Douglas and Kent being pres
ent.
The complaint of Officer Pennish that
he had been unnecessarily suspended
for two days was taken up and CHIEF
Dwyer stated that he had notified the
officer to appear in the Christensen sa-
loon affair before the Board of Trus-
tees, but he did not appear and claimed
to have been sick. He was we'll just
before the time and was we'll next morn
ing and ready for duty. He had found
out that the officer was friendly to
Carstenson and he. had failed to attend
on a similar investigation once before.
He had always been good officer, and
attended to his duties well.
Clerk Desmond stated the complaint
Trustee Kent had said had been made
to him by officers that they had been
kept on one night beat for three months
in succession, was not correct as the
monthly detail showed it was not the
case.
Officer Pennish, who had appeared,
stated that on the night in question he
duty as being sick and the Sergeant
said he would tell the Chief. He went
home and went to bed and when he re-
ported for duty in the morning the
Chief told him that as he was sick he
would better take a couple of days to
get we'll. He asked if his pay would
go on and the Chief said mo- He
spoke to the Mayor about it and the
latter telephoned to Chief Dwyer and
told him that the Chief said the officer
did not appear to testify as he had
been notified to and he had laid him
off for two days. He did not remem-
Der of any other occasion when he had
not been present at an investigation
when notified.
Trustee Kent said he knew of no au-
thority in the charter that allows the
Chief or Mayor to suspend an officer for
a specified time. The officers did not
feel that the Chief was entitled to sus-
pend them at will.
Trustee Douglas read the provision
of the charter that empowers the Chief
of Police to suspend officers for disobe-
dience or neglect of duty and report
him to the Mayor. who should report
the matter to the board with the
charges preferred
Trustee Tebbets said perhaps if the
case We're taken into court the board
might have to pay attention to the
charges and perhaps dismiss the officer
During the suspension. another man
had done duty for the officer and should
certainly be paid for his work The
city should not have to pay two men
for the same time
Chief Dwyer asked the officer if he
had ever treated him otherwise than
well and fairly and the latter answered
that he never had done so except on
this occasion. He thought he should
have been notified of the reason of his
suspension.
Trustee Douglas moved that the
Chief of Police be sustained, Trustee
Tebbets seconded the motion.
Trustee Kent opposed the motion. but
1t was carried, Trustee Tebbets and
Douglas saying that the discipline of
the department must be sustained.
Trustee Kent reported. recommend
ing that Officer Talbot be requested to
make ARRANGEMENTS for settling his
financial obligations during the com
ing. month, The committee adopted
the report.
Several officers who. 1t had been
stated. complained that they were kept
on night beats for three months. stat
ed that they had been kept for two
months in succession, but had made no
complaint.
Chief Dwyer said that he had kept
Officer Naghel at the depot and in
Chinatown because he was conversant
with the trains and this necessitated
giving officers two months of night
work once in the year
Chief Dwyer was requested to dis
tribute the officers as equally as pos
sible. in order to avoid it hereafter.
In answer to a question by officer
Pennish Chief Dwyer said that a mis-
take had been made in writing his
communication to the board read on
Monday night and that it was not in
the Mosher and Holmes case the officer
had neglected to testify, but in the
Christensen case
The committee then adjourned.
Officer Talbot was met after the meet
ing by Record Union" reporter and
denied that he owed the bill over which
complaint was made and said if the
committee had notified him to be pres
ent, he would have convinced the MEM
bers of that fact