The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-11-03
Why No Reforms for Police Depart
ment Were Suggested
In the Proposed New
City Charter.
Unwilling to Give Mayor Sole
Power to Remove Policemen.

Ths committee onsthe new city charter
held its last meeting last night before
reporting the new charter to the city
council. The draught has been carefully
gone over and the document has been
carefully prepared. An abstract OF the
new charter has been printed in the
PRESS and 1t viii be recalled that the
only material changes are In the abolish
ing Of the common council and the Gre.
alton of board OF aldermen Of three
members from each ward, one to be
chosen for three years at each election;
reducing the number of the overseers OF
the poor 10 one from each ward and pro-
viding that they shall be elected by the
citizens directly for three year terms in
stead OF by the city council as now; max
ing the municipal year begin on the first
Monday OF january; providing for the
election Of an assistant assessor by each
ward every year, and giveing the mayor
power to return an order with his veto
before stated meeting OF the council
and to veto the whole or part OF the
order as he may deem best.
In substance the above are all Of the
changes which really amount to very
much Since tina printing OF the abstract
by the PRESS OF the new charter the
citizens have expressed themselves as
generally we'll pleased with the changes
made though there are Of course argu-
ments against some OF the changes con-
templated. A member OF the city council
told PRESS reporter yesterday that he
| did not believe the new charter would
be adopted by the city council. He said
that the charter did not meet the require
| ments of the city and that some Of the
city councilman would vote agains t it on
| this account.
One change in the new charter which
was expected was not recommended by
the COMMITTEES This was as to the power
of the mayor to appoint and discharge the
members of the police force. 1t seems
that the committee with the exception OF
the mayor had agreed upon a provision
which gave the mayor the power to APP
point members OF the police force with
the confirmation OF the board of aldermen
but provided that he could only discharge
a policeman for cause with the consent
of the committee on police which is ap-
pointed from the aldermen by the mayor
The committee thought that this was
giving { he mayor sufficient power as It
reduces the revising board to three MEM
bers appointed by the mayor and who
| should for that reason be in accord with
MIN as to the management OF the police
force. At present policeman can only
1 he anha Inv uol nf hn fana n
of aldermen and as was ssen in a recent
case 1t is almost impossible to bring about
the discharge OF policeman when the
board of aldermen have TO act on 1t spec
subcommittee which has been drawing
| up the new charter were not willing to &C
further than this in giving the mayor
power. They were all agreed on this, SC
| it was stated and then asked the mayor
TO join with them and approve the new
| draught.
| 1t Is stated that the mayor refused to
concur with the special committee as 60
this provision. He said that he believed
the mayor should be given more power
and that 1t should not DO necessary for
any committee of aldermen to pass upon
| his Judgment in the discharge OF police
man for cause. He believed SO It was
stated that the mayor should file his rea-
sons for the discharge OF policemen with
| the city clerk and have the power to
remove men from the foros when 1t was
for the best interest Of the department. to
do SO. Because he did not believe In
the plan suggested by the rest Of the
committee the mayor said he would not
sign any report with them which oon-
tanned a provision such as that stated
abovs as approved py the rest of the COM
mittee.
This subject was discussed at great
length and for time it looked as though
the draught for the new charter would
not be reported unanimously. Then
Alderman Moulton suggested that mas
much as the police matter could be regu-
lated by general law without appeal to
the people directly as win have to be done
In the other cases 1t would be well to drop
this police matter out OF the charter and
leave it for future consideration by the
city council. The committee will ask for
the appointment or another committse to
consider this matter and VIII try and
draw up some plan which win N eet with
the approval of the city council and Will
| then h0 SAINT In the la0falatura for tuoor.