Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury [Connecticut]) 1900-1903, 1902-08-20
POLICEMEN TO BIZ TESTED.
Board of Safety Members Want to
Know IL They Are Fit for Duty.

Know IL They Are Fit for Duty.
A sensation was sprung at the meet
ing of the board of public safety last
night when Commissioner Franklin r.
Taylor asked Chief Egan point blank
the following question: do you con.
slider Patrolman Smith capable OF
performing all the duties of a police
man?"Chief Egan's reply was haven't
examined him any more than the gen.
eral public. The police surgeon is the
proper person to answer it." Commits
sioner Taylor then made motion that
Patrolman Smith be instructed to APP
pear before the police surgeon to be
examined in regard to his fitness and
the police surgeon be instructed to
file certificate of the examination
with the board.
This motion was not at all pleasing
to Chief Egan who expressed himself
thus: II don't think it is fair to- pick
out one man, especially when there IRE
others as bad, if not worse. The
whole force should be examined and
thus no partially shown" In reply
to q question Chief Egan said that
some officers had been examined two
or three years ago, while others had
never been examined, physically or
otherwise.
Commissioner Beach then moved an
amendment to Commissioner Taylor's
motion 80 that all patrolmen should be
examined ON or before September 10.
Commissioner Lahey objected to the
motion for various reasons. He
thought that If the whole force were
to be examined the officers from the
chief down should be.
Commissioner Beach then stated
that he had offered the amendment be-
cause he didn't think it was square to
pick out one officer when there were
others unfit to perform the duties of n
patrolman. Commissioners Taylor said
that the officers weren't expected to
perform such active work as the pa
tr'olinen.
The motion was then put before the
house by Chairman Reeves and was
passed. Commissioners Reeves and
Taylo: voting yes, while Commissioned
Lahey voted no.
1t looks as il the board of public
safety intends to remove from the
police force several officers for the
benefit of the service. That is pro-
vided the police surgeon finds out,
on examination that they are i,icapa-
Bile of performing the duties OF pa
trolmeH in the proper manner. 1t looks
as IL II WAS IuLGI0Ou 10 ICIlTc OuC VI
more members of the force when one
considers the passing of the above vote
and the organization at The previous
meeting of the board of trustees of the
reserve fund for disabled and merit
oriQus policemen. Patrolman Smith
has been on the force IL years.
Commissioners Reeves, Lahey, Tay-
Tor and Beach were present ct the
meeting, the only one absent being
Commissioners Hardie. Mr. Reeves
presided
Timothy Griffin, callman, was fin
ed So for not responding to an alarm OF
fire on July 49, The petition of Ed
ward Reichenbach for a fire alarm box
at the corner Of Walnut and Farm
streets was referred to Chief Snagg
and Commissioners Beach and Lahey.
Foreman John Thompson of Rose
Hill Co, No 81 and his company were
granted permission to attend the fire.
mems, tournament in Thomaston on
September IL. A communication was
received from the committee in charge
OF the arrangements for the firenaen's
tournament, in Thomaston September
IL asking the board to allow the Bur
ton Engine company with the engine
to attend the tournament Commits
sioner Lahey would be willing to let the
engine go but not the men, while Com
missioner Taylor and Commissioner
Beach thought that the fire apartment
would be crippled toe badly In case OF
a fire en- that day, if one of the paid
fire companies and an engine were out
of town. The request was consequent
ly refused and the clerk was instruct
ed to send a letter to the committee
explaining the situation.
Captain Herman of Engine Co No,
2, preferred charges against Simon
Cronan, caIIrhan, FOR failing to an
swer an alarm of flre from box Z on
August f. Cronan was cited to APP
pear before the board at its next meet
ing, September 2.
Patrolman Peter Myers was granted
a leave of7absence from September 2
to IL inclusive, aIlVla request from the
Central Ea'bof union for a platoon OF
police for their Labor day parade was
also granted.
In regard to Charles S. Chapman's
communication asking for increased
fire and police protection in what is
known as the second taxation district,
the foll0WffIg report was presented to
the committee to which the matter was
referred:
TO the Honorable Board of Commiss-
toner's of Public Safety OF the City
of Waterbury:
Gentlemen Your committee to
whom was referred the communication
Of Charles 8. Chapman and the opin-
lon OF the city attorney thereon would
respectfully report that:
The fire department have heretofore
rendered and stand ready to render
all the protection in. Its power against
sszA ~
In regard to police protection for
said district. we md that all crimes
committed in said district that have
been reported ct police Headquarters
have received the same attention that
they would have had the crime been
committed within the limits of the
original city, and the department stand
ready to continue such protection. but
with our present number of policemen
We deem It unadvfsable to extend the
patrol duty to any great extent beyond
md ffe. f,,I1 l.