Omaha daily bee., 1902-11-12
CANE OF POLICE POLITICS
Discharge of Sixteen PatrOlmen Brings
Forth Considerable Protest,
FAITHFUL SERVICE AyAlLS NAUGHT
Police Omcer says Action of the
Broatch Board VIII Have Most
D-emoraIising Effect on
= whole Force.

, The arbitrary dismissal without hearing
or charges Of sixteen policemen by the po-
lice board is the theme Of animated discus
Aion not only in the police and fire depart
ments, but also in political circles gener-
lally-for Il is recognized as a piece OF poll
tics designed to transform the police force
into a piece Of political machinery that
will respond to every aspiration of the con-
trolling members OF the board. The dis
missed policemen for the most part turned
In their stars during the day. but are not
disposed TO give up positions earned by
dong service without a protest. A meeting
has already been called at which some line
of Joint action will be agreed on.
1.-THE dismissal of these men Is entirely
without warrant or Justification said a
police oficer who naturally insisted on his
identity being con- called. ut is purely po-
ditical and the worst case Of intrusion OF
politics into the force on record. 1t is sure
10 demoralize the whole force, for who Of
ms knows whose head is to go next2 Most
iof the discharged men have good records,
have families to support, with winter COM
ing on, and we're counting on steady en-
lployment as long as they rendered efficient
lservice. 1t is a serious thing for them, and
ithen, too. they all have an interest in the
police relief fund, to which they have con-
Hributed in various ways, and dismissal
amounts to depriving them of a right to
share in this fund, which clearly belongs to
them unless forfeited by some misbehavior
lof their own. / tell you, it's sorry times
on the police force these days"
AbandOns Eight-HOur Plan.
The reduction OF the police force by six
teen men will necessitate the continuance
of the two-shift system and the abandon
ment OF the plan to adopt the eight-hour
or three-shift system. as proposed some
time ago by the board. At least the two-
shift system will be in vogue until after
the LIST Of January.
Chief Donahue said: I'VE will abandon
the proposed change for the present. be-
~lcause we have not sufficient men to carry
It through. We could have adopted It II
only ten men had been discharged, but with
sixteen gone It leaves the department too
badly crippled. I regret to see them let
out at this time, as burglaries are more
numerous now than any other time of the
year, and we really needed more men than
we had"
The chief does not expect any new men to
be appointed before January l, but at that
time, after the appropriation Is made, he
expects the force to be put back to its pres
ent number. The chief would make no com
ment on the men discharged or the reason
they were discharged.
No Shortage I'm Police Fund.
A statement given to The Bee yesterday
AFTERNOON by the comptroller shows total
receipts in the police fund to November / OF
S1O1. 1914. and total expenditures of ss4,-
l967.64, leaving a balance in the police fund
at this time Of SIG. 499 so.
The estimated receipts for the balance of
the year for the police fund amount to 800,
which would increase the amount available
for the use OF the department to ST.. 199. so.
THE estimated expenses for the balance of
the year at the former rate of expenditure
aggregate $40. 1893, which would overlap the
amount available by $1,99S.2O
In the statement of the comptroller the
Stems which go to make up the estimate of
expense, part of which consist Of fixed
charges, are as follows:
Police department salaries. ........ .$14, 900
City jail salaries. $3.50
salaries of fire and police commits
asIsr'eH n. ,or.'""''''"'' S y!
salaries OF license &4
Alarm system. SSi
Total .Sl9, l9S
In the above statement is included all
bAAAe AN AhaobNIah0on Va al
kinds now outstanding against the depart
Ement.
In the items Of salaries for Messrs.
IBroatch, Wright, spratlen and Thomas as
members OF the Fire and Police board, and
the same gentlemen as members Of the
license board, are included the amounts OF
their back pay held up by the city council
a we'll as their salaries for the remainder
of the year. 1t has been suggested that II
the members Of the board would forego the
payment of their salaries until after Janu-
airy / the fund could be made to last with
out cutting down the police department.
HThe comptroller's exhibit makes It clear
that the alleged shortage in the police fund
Us merely a trumped-up pretense to make
way for appointment of new favorites on
the force in January next.
Beautiful new Ruby. Emerald, Pearl and