The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-12-31
Intense Interest in Chief Dren-
mans recommendation For
a Police Commission
WOULD ENSURE EX-
PERIENcEED MEN
Interview With an Office pr Who
Has Served in the Del part
ment For Ten YealF Is

Inc establishment of a po8ce COM
I mission in Worcester, as recon amended
IN the annual report made by\Chief of
Police James NJ. brennan to dhe COM
mon council, seems to meet with gem
eral favor among persons in Worcester
acquainted with the police department.
Inc establishment of a commission
3 would lie for the good of the service,
s they think, and with one in vogue. the
department would show good elects in
a short time.
AT the present time the chielt of po-
81 lice is not sure of his position n er one
year, at the most. He is obliged at all
times TO do everything with In i've for
the disposition of the chic ,v1cutive
! OF the city, and must also sp=ndI much
OF his time looking after chdndes for
I another appointment
~ With police commission he would
be sure of his position for morh than
one year and could feel seaurle for
many years providing his adInilhistra-
ton proved satisfactory to lhr citizens
OF Worcester and to members bf he
police commission. Many changes have
occurred in the office during hl time
worcester las been able to suDpIart it
and many times the chang{ hal been
made simply because the infumdent
DID NOT SUIT THE NJ AYdR
and not because his inabili ty I'd hold
Inc position was shown.
According to men who have bald the
position. it is as necessary thai Al man
should have experience in theIwork con-
nected with it as it is for al Mechanic
to know how to run lathe II Il man
goes into the position with no lexpe-
rlence in police work, it will take some
time for him to learn how the dApart-
ment is run and what his dutjek are.
some men, it is argued, alie able to
pick up the duties quicker than others,
put 1t is sure to take some tiude for
them al to get into the harhesslprop-
erly. In the meantime the depaIEment
must run itself or be INN On HH les Of
the old administration and tits is sure
to cause comment
man stepping into the posi- ton at
: nrst encounters numbers of Obstacles,
as mas been shown from time to time,
ana his experience from day to day is
sure to teach him. If a man takes the
position and feels positive that The is
gong 90 hold 1t for number of Wears,
the present members of the forck ar
gue he will at once go about his work
according to his own ideas as sodn as
he gets fair knowledge of The work
ings of the office
He will know his men, if he is a good
official, and he will be able to place a
man in the proper positionl He will
have his best men in the mott respon-
sible positions and will not IchanIge a
man because he is disagreeabe to foma
one person.
At The expiration of one yehr a Imam
occupying the office of chiel Should
have fair knowledge of TIE OPERA
tons of the department and theh he
can profit by his experience If hel has
managed to tide over the first fear,
one officer told The Spy man, HE is
sure to go along later with everything
all right.
An officer who has been in thel de-
partment for more than 10 years arid is
considered one of the brightest meIn in
the service. in conversation with 1.-THE
!. Spy man, said: II see where a pblice
commission could very easily 10
GOOD WORK FOR THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT.
:, In my experience know that the
p heads of the department have suffered
q some injustice, and it is bound to CON
tinue as long as one man has the pow
Z er to appoint the chief of police
K 1.-TWO heads are better than one, and
with three on a commission, chief
would have an opportunity to take ac-
ton on matter and feel certain that
he would not be jumped on for what
he has done. | know men in this de-
partment today who are afraid to move
because of the power of the mayor.
He is the chief. With the com
mission a man could not be re-
moved without at first feeling that
he had been given chance. If the
: right man gets the position Under
commission. he can feel at ease for sew
! eral years at least. If he occupies the
position for several years and every
thing is satisfactory, he is sure to hold
it longer"
The duties of the commission in
other cities are so arranged that every
thing the police have to do within in
city come under their hands indirectly.
They have charge of all licenses and
can revoke or issue licenses at will In
worcester at the present time there are
two license boards One is for liquor
licenses and the other is comprised of
the chief of the police department the
chief of the fire department, James c.
Coffey, clerk of the board of health,
and City Clerk E. H. Towne.
This takes much time from all three
members, and although the duties are
performed satisfactorily at present it
would be much more satisfactory IL it
all came under one head in one COM
mission.
1t is argued by the police officials that
the liquor licenses come under the
earnings of the police department, as
the officers are obliged to look after the
saloons from the time the licenses are
y granted until the close Of the year.
Much depends on the testimony Of the
* officers in regard to the reputation Of
Z, the places during the year. and they
practically govern the granting Of the
: licenses. If a man keeps a respectable
place, naturally he will have no fear
of police officer; but If it is other
wise the officer is the only one who
will know of it, unless it is reported 70
the police at the station house and
~ then it comes under the department
3 just the same.
THE POLICE OFFICIALS
y also claim the money should pass
T through a police clerk, who would act
as clerk to the commission and DO all
business connected with the dkpart-
ment. AT the present time there Is no
clerk to the police department Will
liam l.. Robinson, who is secretary 10
the chief, is not a member Of the de-