Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-11-01
Gentlemen of the Council:

| 'ItlI tltlntn Vi Inc SDuIlcu.
| | want to call your attention to Ger
| tain matters connected with the police
| department of the city. l do it, not in
| Il spirit of criticism, but with a desire
| to get at the facts in the case. and
with the houe of being able to make a
| saving in expense to the city.
We are now employing, including the
marshal. eight men in our police de-
| partment. In addition to this, there was
special police service fer about 125 days
| last year, at a cost of about $500.
| very well remember when we had
no such force as this, and when general
conditions were much less favorable
than they are now. And l am
10th to believe that the necessity now
exists for maintaining a force of this
Size. %
Possibly the excellent service rem
dered by the police officers accounts, in
a large measure, for oursfreedom from
annoyance and has lulled us into fan
cI,i security. / have heard this init
mated Icy certain of the officials ana l
do i.t! ?nnW that it is not true. L am
ais" rni Ina, there should be an Ofli-
Ger 10 .vcl- thousand of inhabitants.
II StIlheS me tll'tt ill Ill Dlli DftSiS
of that kind cannot be wisely applied.
| say, in opposition, that it is quality,
not quantity, that counts; that there
are other considerations than numbers
to take into account. in estimating ne
ceSsaly police force.
| can easily see that a compact city,
with a heterogeneous population con-
tanning a large percentage of the illit-
crate and the vicious. might need a po-
lice force as large as that indicated;
while q city of large area, containing
a homogeneous population, large part
Of it in rural districts. and having 4
small percentage of the law-breaking
class, would need a much smaller force.
This city certainly belongs to the lat
ter class. And it is because of this tfat
| have been led to inquire whether or
not i reduction can safely be made in
our police force. | am frank to say that
it seems to me that we could get along
with six officers. "A reduction of two
would mean a saving in 10 years of
more than 500, 900. Now if it is safe to
do 50, this amount ought to be saved.
| believe the taxpayers of the city
would be glad to see the experiment
tried 1t would involve the re-arrang-
ing of beats, but that, it seems to me.
can be done without detriment to the
service, ana without jeopardiZing the
interests involved.
cannot think that the police officers
are tie makers of the peace sentiment
IN this city. | believe it to be inbred
and inborn: and because | believe it
exists here. and that therefore there
is not the requirement for police SER
VICE that might otherwise be, l call the
matter to your consideration.
have reports from other cities in
the state, OF near our Saskatchewan l
think not in our class otherWse-which
indicate that even then we are employ
ing a larger force than the average
small city employs. And while our city
is not Il sure criterion by which to judge
the needs Of any other, still, it may be
worth something to consider what 9TH
er municipalities have, by experience,
found to be satisfactory. Making, then
comparison be tween the various COM
munities and existing local conditions,
a fairly safe conclusion ought to be
reached.
1 respectfully refer this matter to
to refer it to your committee on police,
for their careful investigation.
The outcome Of the above was the
passage Of the order reducing the force
from eight to six men. including the
| city marshal. The matter was brought
Up at the September meeting Of the
council and was the subject of much
| discussion. When the order came up for
passage, the vote was a tie. four of the
aldermen voting for, and four against
| It's being given passage, and the vote
which carried it through was cast by
the mayor. The text of the order was as
| follows:
/ In the Judgment Of the municipal
officers. total of six officers in regu-
lar service, including the city marshal
is sufficient to meet the requirements
of the city.
| Ordered, Therefore. that after and