Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-01-26
CHANGES IN LOCAL LAWS
Recommendations Made to Commissioners b,
Major Sylvester.
POlicemen's Tenure of Omce-Sugges-
ton rs to Private Detectfves-Law
Relating to Burglary.

| Major Sylvester called on Commissioner
| Wight yesterday afternoon and made sew
| eral suggestions concerning laws which, he
| thinks, will increase the efficiency Of the
| police force. Probably the most important
| suggestion was with reference to the tenure
| of office of policemen Under the act es-
| tablishing the metropolitan police depart
ment the tenure was to be during such
| time as the officers attended to their duties
! and endeavored to enforce the laws. This
| act was afterward amended in order to
make men who had served in the army and
| navy the only persons eligible for service on
| the force. Then came the decision of the
| Supreme Court of the United States in the
case of ex-Lieut. Eckloff. who claimed that
| his removal without cause was illegal In
| this decision the court held that the Com
| D1issioners had the right to appoint and dis
miss at will
Since that decision was rendered a feel
| ing of unrest has existed among the officers.
They have not felt that they were secure in
| their positions, ard, it is believed, their
efficiency has been impaired to some ex-
tent. An officer who knows he cannot be
dismissed for doing his duty, it is argued.
will serve without fear Under all circum-
stances, and the question of influence is not
so apt to play an important part in his con-
duct in making certain arrests.
In order that this feeling of unrest may
be dispelled Major Sylvester recommended
act which guarantees policemen their posi-
tons during their faithful performance of
duty. Such a law is in force in most Of the
large cities.
Private Detectives.
The question of persons engaged in de-
tectivc business who are not members of
the force was also touched upon. Under
existing circumstances anybody may en-
gage in detective work in this city, and 1t
is almost impossible, in the opinion of the
superin. endent of police, to prevent i'm
proper practices. The present law requires
a private detective who wants police power
to give bond of $4,000. What Maj. Syl-
vester recommends is that a law be enacted
to prevent others than bonded people from
engaging in the detective business.
Mai. Sylvester also wants a law to pun
ish persons who are found under suspicious
circumstances with burglars tools in their
possession AT present burglar who Is
arrested before he actually enters a house,
although he may have started to break in,
1t Is Maj. Sylvester's opinion that man
found under such conditions should be
given more severe penalty.
Authority to Arrest.
A law giving the local police authority to
arrest persons for other jurisdictions was
also suggested. In almost every state in
the Union there is such a law. Maj. Syl-
yester believes a warrant should be issued
in this city on sworn charge from an
other Jurisdiction, and the party held
reasonable time without being subject to
release on writ Of habeas corpus.
One other matter that suggested
was a law giving policemen the right to
stop vehicles at crossings in order to give
pedestrians the right Of way. On the
crowded thoroughfareS such action, the
major believes, would often prevent injury
to pedestrians.