The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-02-05

varded when they become disabled or pass
the age of active service.
In recent criticism of this bill it was
stated that lin 1896 fifty-eight out of 136
officers were charged with violations Of the
rules of the department and forty-fve were
convicted and punished. In 1897, forty-four
out of 1853 were accused and thirty-two con-
Victed and punished" But how about the
record for 1898? l have had the pleasure of
examining 1t. and find, and am glad TO an
Dounce. to your many readers, that during
the whole Of last year bat eight out of the
l65 now constituting the force were accused
of violation of the rules of the department
or laws OF the land five of whom were tried
and three found guilty, and only one had
offended to such an extent as to warrant,
in the judgment Of the board, a dismissal.
The department, therefore, goes before the
LEGISLATURE on its record as ii is not what
it was in 1896 or 1897. Bad men have been
veeded out and those remaining have been
taught that the police department will not
be afflicted with men who cannot and VIII
not perform their duties to the full and de-
port themselves as gentlemen.
1t is we'll known that l am a Republican
ard from a political standpoint am at va
Rance with the present administration, but
L do not believe that because all has not
been done just as / might have done 1t that
the good true, faithful men who are serv-
ing and have served the public so we'll
should be denied the opportunity of slight
protection in time of old age or disability.
Where is the citizen who is not willing TO
contribute one-tenth of mill on each dollar
of his taxable property to go to fund
widow and orphan, and assist In old age or
in case disability overtakes the men VINO
have been the city's honest, faithful serV-
ants? The bill provides that this pension
fund is not to be raised alone by slight
taxation levied against property, but the
policemen are to be assessed on their sal
aries; all fines assessed by the Board OF
Safety, certain license fees, and all moneys
realized from the sale of unclaimed prop
erty go to swell this fund. The present bill
is well framed and amply guarded against
mpostions, as a careful perusal VIII snow;
l do not believe any bill can be framed
the intention of which might not be i'm
posed upon, but with a mayor, city con-
troller and six others composing a board
of trustees to control and manage the pen
pulls" is certainly very small. The fre-
men have no difficulty in managing salts
factorily their pension fund and we hear
of no frauds being perpetrated on their
board. Under the proposed law 1t would
seem that the police pension fund could sue
cessfuily resist all fraudulent attacks.
While ii is true policemen receive 81 per
day, still their manner of dress, which is
very properly required cuts into their in
come to such an extent, to say nothing OF
other legitimate demands made upon them,
that, even under a system of closest eco
nOmical living. very few, if any, have been
able to secure a home or lay aside any
thing for "a rainy day" In nearly all
cases of the death of a. policeman IL has
been necessary for his brother officers to
pay the funeral expenses. This was not be-
cause of extravaganza in living as l know
by personal investigation in at least two
instances.
Pierson. Olds, Davidson, Thompson Kaehn,
McCarty and Ware are well remembered.
These were all laid away at the expense of
the members of the department. Will any
one deny that the family of officer Ware,
who was shot by Ferriter while in the per-
Torrance of duty. should have some protec-
tiOn2 The citizens responded to public
call in his case, but another and wiser pro-
vision should be made for all such cases.
am acquainted with large majority OF
the men now in the department, and among
them are many of the highest type of integ-
rity and ability: men who would scorn 10
do wrong and who have at no time been
reported for violation of the rules; gentle
men in every sense of the word whose So
ciety would in no wise cOntaminate the
most fastidiOus. That there may be men
among them who do not live up to the high
est ideals l do not doubt, but in what call
ing in life is this not true? If provision for
old age disa bility and death is made for
men who will give the hest wears of their
lives to the service of the city as officers,
the standard and grade of applicants will be
raised. AS it now is, after a man has
served ten or fifteen years on the force he
is practically disqualified for any other
business. and we now find many eking out
mere existence in declining years as night
watchmen at factories, lumber yards etc. l
believe that police employment is entitled
to pension system, rather than hundreds
named, and accord fully with the view
that the people who pay the pensions are
entitled ed to saatieguards which vii secure
ture should pass the pension bill as it is
and then remedy any defects there may be
in the provisions of existing laws touching
the qualifications of applicants and their
selection and appointment to the police
force. This bill is not a partisan measure,
for it affects Republicans and Democrats
alike, as under the law the force must be
equally divided between the two parties AS
one who has given the question considerable
thought for years, and as citizen and tax
payer, L most heartily indorse the bill and
hope for its speedy enactment.
GEO. w. POWELL.
Indianapolis, Feb. f.