Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-01-13
BOARD OF SAFETY.
0fieers Allen and Smith Asked to App
 pear Before New Board.

F~A@ AS~s8&G SvGW kRV&E0s
 Though the meeting of the board of pubic safety was called for $ o'clock iast night, 1t was ten minutes before mat time when tue board got down tt uusfness III q private session to inquire I lnto the police pension fund, but fur- lner than selecting Commissioner Van heuren secretary of the fund nothing was done with 1t. Every member was at his post sharp on time and Commits sioner Beach was chosen c;iairman lne nrst business to be transacted should have been the hearing of charges against William Thibodeau and John Griffin, both callmen of Captain I<ynch's company, and E. B. McAlcney of Captain Hull's company. for boing absent from duty on December 26. but ColnmissiOner Van Keuren moved that the following arnendment to rule , of the fire department rules be amended 10 read as follows.
 III case any member of his eoiupany Is absent from an alarm of fire. change or hose, or drill, the sum of $2 for each time so absent shall be charged as n hne against such member, aud said captain shall report to the chief en- ginecr previous to the 1st and I0th days of each month all absentees. Any member desiring to appeal from above said line shall do so within forty eight hours, clearly setting forth his reasons i'll writing to the board of commission CTS of public safety; said appeal shall De forwarded to his captain. who shall endorse thereon his approval or disap proval, forwarding the same within forty-eight hours to the chief engineer. who also shall endorse thereon his ap- proval or disapproval and promptly forward to the board of commissioners Of public safety. Three absences witll- out cause in any ono month shall be ground for dismissal .''
 The amendment was accepted and adopted.
 The above named firemen were, then put to plea and each admitted his guilt and in subsequent executive session were fined $2 each.
 Supernumerary Policeman Samuel @. Rouns was given leave of absence from January F to May I2 on account of illness.
 Commissioners Driggs and Daily, committee on Foreman Bagley's com plaint against a Sunday paper, report ed that he had withdrawn the matter from the consideration of the board.
 Captain ID. E. Fitzpatrick of Go e recommended John T. Mates to the board. Mates filed an application for an appointment to the permanent iire department.
 Then came the promised stirring upv of the police department. which almost, every new board undertakes when 1t begins to breathe freely. In connection with this matter 1t should be recalled that when the last board took office one of it's earliest nets was the enactment of vote providing for the physical examination of the regll- lar policemen. The board was criti- cised because it did not provide for the examination of the officers Of the de- partment also. However. though tue examiners report was never given to the public it was reported that half a dozen policemen were found to be phy- sicalIy unfit for the performance of policeman's work. It was never said who the half dozen policemen were. but names were whispered on fbe street corners and in the City hali. and now it Is reported that the vote passed by the board last evening suInmoning Policemen Smith and Allen for an ex- animation of their physical and mental abilities as policemen was the result or q glance at that report. It is also said that this IS the first step toward ere ating n veteran police force, though it lies within the power of the board to dismiss any man who IS found 1ncom- petent by reason of physical or mental incapacity. A separate vote was taken in the case Of each of the policemen named, and 1t was typewritten, show ing that 1t had been prepared before the board was called to order.
 After the votes were passed the board went into executive session and adjourned to the room in the Ileaven- worth street engine house, where, with < Chiefs Egan and Snagg, the fire and police departments were discussed for some time.