Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1900-12-01
THE MAYOR AND THE pOr1cp
BOARD Il
To the Editor of Alexandria co..,,

10 me 1dstor OF the Alexandria Gazeit,,
Upon reading the law creating ,ba
Board of Police Commissioners h.
lieve citizens who have the welfsre .,
our city at heart will agree with Tho
views herein after expressed. en6 -
this communication will help to msko
probable the settlement OF the diasr
ence existing between the Msyor and
the Board of Police Commis-ione,s
about the police force I will be NOR
than compensated for the trou6ls Of IN
vestigating the subject.
shall treat the subject under tbrea
heads
The police force how constituted.
The relations of the Mayor to il.
The relations of the Board OF Police
Com miesioners to it, Acts of Assem-.
bly, 1886, chap. 604, pp. 5l9.52O.
The Board of Police Commissionor,
select a chief and lieutenant of police
and elect such number Of police men =.
may be authorized by the City Com.
Gil. Any vacancy in the police force il
filed by said board. Such Chief. lien.
tenant and policemen constitute tho
police force of the city. The police
force hold their respective posi- ions
during good behavior, or until they are
severaliy removed by the said board
for cause.
The Mayor has authority to susperd
the chief. lieutenant or any policeman
for misconduct 10 office for thirty dsys
or until the board convsuos.- II Ac.s ii
Assembly 1893 4. chap. S54. p. 99l, Sec
ton 38.
The police force as above constituted
chief, Lieutenant and policemen ere
under the control of the Mayor for The
purpose: First, OF enforcing peace end
order in the city; second, of execut
the laws OF the State; third, of exc
ting the ordinances of the city.
Under this seclion the above thi
enforcing peace and order, execul. (
the laws of the State and the CITY ord.
nances are the duties OF the police force
and each member thereof, and for these
Things the police force was constituted
and so far az their duties are concern.
ed the police force and each member
ihereofi is under the control of the May.
or exclusively and absolutely.
II will be observed that the Board Of
Police Commissioners are not concern.
ed 10 these duties and nowhere in be
statutes upon the subject are they cor.
nected with these duties in any way.
As we have seen, the Mayor is Dot
part Of the police force ss constituted.
1t Is the chief, lieutenant and police.
men, selected and elected by the Bos,d
of Police Commissioners. The Meyor,
therefore, Is not the head of the police
force, as he ID not part thereof. The
law makes bin the superior Of The
police force; in fact, for the purpose
Notwithstanding peace and order IN
the city, executing the State laws AID
the city ordinances-he Is the SOVEREIGN
OF the said police force and each nan.
Der thereof.
| Section SO, same act.
The Board OF Police Commissions
prescribe the uniform OF the police
force, ard likewise prescribe the rules
and regu atoms OF the police force.
What do the words, rules and rePua-
lions of the police force in this section
meaDp
AS we have seen the Mayors control
of the police force and each menb'r
thereof for the purpose OF peace ard OF.
der and enforcing the laws OF the state
aud the city ordinances is exclusive
and absolute; 1t is manifest, b you'd
doubt or question, they do not Telste 10
the things mentioned 10 section 3S or 70
the dulles of the police force aud each
member thereof, and the public, and 10
the State and to the city or fer which
the police force was constituted.
II not to them, then it ia eqla y
manifest, beyond doubt or question,
they must refer to the internal govern
ment of the police force, such as disd-
plipe, conduct, weapons, working ard
management; for exsmple:
Rules and regulations upon, disob'y'
log orders; signals; weapons to carry
aud when to use them; duties Of cite Is
and duties of men 10 each otheI; assist
ance to each other; hours on duty; relic
cruelty to person under and in making
arrests; use of Intoxicating liquors; en-
tering barrooms and bawdy house;
politeness to citizsns and stranger.
rendering assistance TO those in neec:
profanity; politics; without further par
ticulars all rules that relate TO disd-
plire, conduct and management Of tie
force, that do not violate the State or
city ordinance. J. NJ. JOHNSON.