The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-03-12
Wanted a Police Commission.


To the Editor of the Globe:
referring to an article which appeared
IN the q O. e, Monday, March S, 1860.
headed: No Police Commission Want
ed and signed "Ex-Police Officer" I
would respectfully ask you to give me a
little space In the columns of your vaIu-
able paper to answer the article which
plainly not only shows the spirit Of an
tagonfsm towards a good needed meas
ure. but which also contains a lot of in
accuracies showing that the 'Ex-Police
Ofncer" is not well posted
First-Lt was never contemplated by tho
members of the police department when
they petitioned the honorable members
Of the charter commission that such po-
lice board should be appointed by the
council and am quite sure that the
clause in the intended new charter does
Second-Mr. Ex-Offlcer states that every
city except one or two have abolished
police commissions as $50 he states) they
are heartily tired Of the gang Of political
heelers that run the police of these cities
Now. Mr.. Editor, had Mr. Ex-Off1cer stat
ed that nearly all the cities, with but few
commission. he would have been far near
er the truth. as 1t is a proven fact that
In cities. where the police department is
governed by an unpaid police commission,
the best results are obtained.
Third-The EX-Officer states that in
cities like milwaukee,, Cleveland, San
Francisco Detroit, Pittsburg, Cincinnati
and New Orleans experienced officers OF
the police department had remained on
the force for a great length of time, some
for twenty and twenty-five years. and
am glad to say that that Is the the ex-
act truth, but Mr.. EX-Oficer, all these
cities mentioned. with the, exception. per-
haps. one, have been and are still gov
erned today under civil service and a po-
lice commission. Had you consulted the
eEe %rf Pod 6y aha nd Prison e BoeSn
you could have full proof Of this matter.
Fourth-The ex-officer. further states
that the taxpayers Of this city pay $4,000
per year to the police department for
protection Of their lives and property, and
that they are entitled to some consider
alton in this matter. Certainly very well
police board Is much needed and is
necessary. The members Of the police
department when they forwarded a pc
luton requesting a police board similar
to the fire board, surely did not ask any
thing unreasonable, and done so with the
| approval Of business men, irrespective Of
parties. There can be no question but
that the police and fire department of
all cities perform to a great extent sim
liar duties protecting life and property
| as the servants Of the people. No fault
! has been found with the government of
| the fire department by the taxpayers of
! this city. In some cities philadelphia,
for instancel one board controls both the
| fire and police departments to the sat
isfacton Of the citizens Of that city. 1t
| can be shown concluSlVely that under
| the present system, political favors are
| for twenty years, to a greater or lesser
| extent. By having a police commission
| the mayor would not be harrassed con-
! tinually by requests for appointments of
men who are supposed to have a poltti-
| cal pull, and who are unfit for the duties
| or police officer. Policemen, II con-.
| trolied by police board. could and would
! perform their duties more efficiently and
! tearleSsly than under our present sys-
tenn. What inducement is there for a
| policeman to perform his duties faithfully
| when he sees that after patroIling his
beat. say for ten or fifteen years, a new
man. perhaps only on the force for a year
! or two, is promoted to a grade or two
| higher, simply for political reasons or
| influence.
| Officers under police board are reason
! ably sure of retaining their position and
nave chance of promotion so long as
| they perform their duties properly, the
city thereby retaining tried and expert
| enced officers.
In conclusion the ex-off1cer says. "That
he hopes that the city conventions Of
both parties this spring Will insert
| plank in their, platform favoring a nom
| partisan police force" Correctly said, as
! this surely means: ''Wanted-A Police
| Commission" Very respectfully.
st. Paul, March 9.