The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-12-17
Members of the Police Depart
ment Would Like to Know
Who Will Get the lob
COLONEL BRENNAN
IS NOT WORRYING
Several Would Like to Succeed
Him but He is Satisfied to
Rest on His Record


nan be reappointed to the head of the
police department for the coming year?
This is question that members of the
department are trying to solve at the
present time, and it has furnished con-
siderable material for discussion to al
most every citizen of the city. Chief
brennan is satisfied with his term Of
office, and thinks that he has done his
duty as it should be done and as any
other man would have done it, were he
in his position. Others, who claim
to know things about the
workings of the police department for
the past year, think that the chief has
erred in his duties, but they do not point
out what he failed to do properly, so
that the chief can answer their accusa-
lions Cor himself.
The Sunday closing law, which Chief
brennan ordered enforced by his Off
GERS, has certainly caused enmity for
him in some quarters, and on the other
hand, he has made some friends. Bust
ness men in general think the chief
made a mistake in taking any notice
OF the persons who insisted on closing
up places which did business on the
Lords day, providing they sold things
which were within the bounds of com
mon sense law, and which are used by
men in every walk of life
When the laws were first enforced
It was considered a violation of the
Sunday law to sell soda, candy, cigars
or anything which was not considered
drug or a necessity. The Sunday
closing laws, which have been in ex-
lstence for many years, We're resurrect-
ed at the instance of a local organiza-
tlon, and the chief was presented with
resolution asking that he stop the
sale of the goods. He did so, and his
otlcers made many arrests about the
city among shopkeepers who were
caught disposing of kindling wood,
milk, yeast cakes and other things, and
en- being brought into court they were
fined
Chief brennan argues that ii was the
law of the state for persons doing BUSH
ness on the Lords day to be arrested
and he allowed his officers to make the
arrests because he was put IN the Of
nee to enforce existing laws. He did
II because he was called on to do it,
and there was no other way out of it
when citizens and taxpayers in Wor-
cester insisted that it be done. He and
his friends are of the opinion that if
laws exist which dissatisfy the people,
they should be repealed. The chief of
police, they say, has not the right to
try cases or enforce laws which are to
his liking, but he must enforce all laws
as long as they exist.
Other men think differently about the
Sunday laws, and at the present time
there are a number of men in the police
department who say that if they occu-
pied the office of chief they would not
do as Chief brennan did.
One Of them in talking the matter
over with The Spy man said: IF
man came to me and asked that make
an arrest for a violation of the Sunday
law, / would do it, but not until the
complainant personally swore out a
warrant. He would have to go to the
office of clerk of courts and get his war
rant before / would take action When
man comes into police Headquarters
after being assaulted and makes a COM
plant against a man, he has TO procure
warrant before he can get his assail-
ant arrested. Such should be the case
with the Sunday law. 1t man wants
store closed up on Sunday and be-
lieves that the Lords day is being vio-
lated, he should be willing to stand be-
hind any action that is taken by the po-
lice department, instead of unloading
it all onto the chief of police"
There are men in the police depart
ment who like Chief brennan and think
that he is an able man for the position.
They think that his action may not be
what everyone would commend, but he
did what he considered his duty, and
many times such action will do any
thing but make friends for a man in his
position.
Among the officers who have thought
that Chief brennan would make a first
class man for the position as long as he
cared to hold it, there is feeling of I'M
easiness. They seem to think that
Chief brennan, who has held the office
for three years, will not be re-appoint-
ed, and there seems to be a prevailing
opinion outside the department that the
present incumbent will not hold his po-
sition for another term.
Chief brennan does not seem to worry
much and feels that his record is rec
concentration for the ability, and only
short time ago was planning for the
coming year. During the past year of
his incumbency, as head of the police
department, many changes have oc-
CURED, some of which were for the good
Of the service, he says. A new signal
system has been installed, which is sec
ond to none in the United States as a
modern invention. AT the present time
1t is working to the entire satisfaction
of all officials of the department. and
they claim that it is wonderful con-
trivance Some officers think different
ly about it, but it does all that the men
who installed it agreed that it would
do, and therefore the officials of the de-
partment say 1t is a success and adds
considerable lustre to Chief Drennan's
term of office.
During the past year the entire ambu-
lance service of the city, with the ex-
ception of the Board of Health ambu-
lance, has been placed under the control
of the police department and from the
time that it was put into the central
stables on Waldo street. there have
been no complaints about slow service.
The police department was not espec-
tally anxious to take the sick ambu-
lance from the city hospital, but now
that it is at station 1, Chief brennan
has taken hold of it, and says he will
see that as long as it is under his care
the work required of it shall be per-
formed properly.
The matter of police pensions has also
come up under Chief brennan, and he
has expressed his opinion in favor of
having the old officers pensioned off.
He strongly favors some scheme where
by the old men can be retired. and
ghinks that the active officers should
contribute q certain amount every
month toward helping to establish a
fund Tor the men VINO are OLD enough TO
be retired, under the same conditions
they are retired in other cities
In many ways he has worked for the
interest of his men, some of the officers
told The Spy man, and for that reason
every officer in the department should
do all in his power to see him re-ap-
pointed. Other officers think that Chief
brennan has not done the proper thing
in some respects, and claim that from
the first the police department has been
run entirely on the suggestions Of 1
man who could easily get front seat
in a knocking association at the annual
....a+ir,c. hI ilist man bic mo