Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1905-06-24
POLICE COMMISSIONERS.

Au HuJOufueu meeting vi tuS Dralu VI
Police Commissioners was held last
night. All the members were present:
When the board had been called to
order Mr.. Fisher called attention to the
fact that two men who had outlived their
day of usefulness had recently been de-
posed from the force. He now thought
that the time had come when a new
chief should be chosen for similar rea-
sons. If the force should be reorganized.
and the trouble now existing could be
traced to the head the matter could be
recti6ed. He saw no reason for increas-
ing the number of policemen. He NOV
ed to dispense with the present chief
and 90 into the election of his successor.
Mr.. Graham said he had recently talk
ed with several gentlemen concerning
the present status of the force, among
them the Judge of the Corporation Court
The latter had expressed himself as glad
that a movement was in progress toward
lettering the police force. Mr.. Graham
said the plan suggested by Mayor Paff
at the last meeting of the board appealed
to him as the best at this time. There
was in the community an impression
that the policemen were inefficient, while
no specific charges had been brought
against any individual member The
speaker was prepared to eliminate from
the force all the inefficient members,
but without charges were presented and
proven nothing could be done, as the
law was against removals without some
legitimate cause could be substantiated.
In fact the board was in a measure pow
erless Personally he favored the May.
0.'s plan of having a chief, three ser
geants and statiOnmaster, and he was
convinced no man on the force was bet
ter fitted for the position Of stationmaster
than the present chief
Mr.. Fisher said if Chief Webster was
in any way iucapacitated for the posi-
ton of chief, he failed to see bow he
could satisfactorily perform the duties
OF stationmaster He wanted young
and active men on the force,
Mr.. Hill saw no good reason for in
creasing the membership of the force,
and suggested that too many men were
on duty at the station house.
The Mayor subsequently explained in
detail the plans he had formulated. lie
said, among ether things, that with the
three sergeants there would be four men
on duty during the day and nine at
night.
Mr.. Fisher called attention to the fact
hat Hagerstown, Md, employed but
FIVE policemen.
Mr.. Graham said there were five uni
formed men in Hagerstown, but there
were others who performed police duty
10 that place.
Mr.. Fisher--"Tbere are about 49,
900 inhabitants in the place"
The Mayor observed that HagerstOwn
was not situated near a large city.
Mr.. Hill-"It will require five police
men to watch soldiers who come to Alex
andria."
Mayor PaG said there were many re-
quests for the services of policemen in
Alexandria-at weddings, entertain
ments, baseball games, &c. In refer
ring to the removal of Messrs. Howson
and TIGER he said he had voted with re-
luctance, but both were paralytics.
Chief Webster, on the contrary, was
well preserved physically and was clear
headed He was, however, old and
could not move about with the alacrity
of past years, and, humanely speaking,
could not ill bis present position much
longer, while he could perform the
duties of stationmaster. He then re-
ferred to the proposition to lay off men,
ard agreed with Mr.. Graham that SUI
ficient cause would have to be given for
such procedure. and law suits would be
inevitable.
Mr.. Fisher thought the grand jury
Of the Corporation Court had sufficiently
defined the cause for such action. The
speaker said that personally he had
nothing against any man on the force.
1t was suggested that Mr.. Lawler was
acting as listener and not pariicipat- |
ing in the interchange of opinion.
That gentleman said he hardly knew
what to say. He had probably said too
much at the last meeting. The speaker,
however, failed to see how the Mayors
plan would remedy the troubles com.
planned Of, and he was not favorable to
the election of another member of the
force, although he would not antagonize
the movement There was but one
clear road out of all the difficulties, and
that is to have the charter creating the
Board of Police Commissioners amended
so as to provide for the election of police
men every two years. Undesirable men
could then be weeded out bi-yearly.
Mr.. Lawler said in former years when
Council selected policemen the city had
no such things as pOlicemuddles to deal
with. The election Of men virtually
for life is the cause of the present unfor-
innate conditions.
The Mayor claimed that in the olden
lines there had been similar tronbles
with the police force. Besides when
Council elected the men politics en-
erred largely into the procedure.
Mr.. Lawler reiterated that the only
ure safeguard from further trouble was
,i-yearly elections.
The Mayor in urging his new plans
aid the city would incur the additional
Expense of but $50 year. The posi- :
ion of lieutenant would be abolished
together. The sergeants should re-
GIVE 50 per month more than the pri-