Omaha daily bee., 1906-02-12
POLICE COW MISSION IN POLITICS

POLICE CON MISSION IN POLITICS.
The prime object of the creation of
Board of Fire and Police Commissioners
for the city of Omaha was to divorce
the police and fire departments from
politics. and minimize the influence of
the saloon in the selection of city coun-
cilmen. Before entering upon their
duties each member of the fire and po-
lice commission is required to take and
subscribe an oath to faithfully, i'm
partially. honestly and TO the best of his
ability to discharge his duties as men,
Der of said board, and that In making
appointments or considering promotions
or removals he will not be guided or
actuated by political motives or infiu-
ence, but will consider only the interest
of the city and the success and effec-
tiveness of the police and fire depart
ments." 1t is further provided by the
charter that no member or officer of the
police or fire departments shall be dis
charged for political reasons nor shall
a person be employed or taken into
either of the city departments for politi-
cal reasons.
Manifestly no member of the police
commission can use his position for the
promotion of political ends without VIC
lating the plain letter of the law and his
oath of Office. This principle applies
not merely to the discipline, appoint
ment or removal of members of the
police and fire departments, but also to
the exercise of the powers vested in
the police commission in their capacity
as an excise board and the supervision
of the liquor traffic.
When Governor Mickey turned down
the appeal of citizens Of Omaha, who
recently sought to invoke his influence
for a better enforcement of law and
order in this city. he gave them to I'M
derstand that he did not deem it to be
his function to exercise powers devolv-
ing upon the mayor, but that he would
hold the police commission responsible
| for carrying out the letter and spirit
of the law relating to the government
of the police and would remove any
member of the police commission who
would misuse his authority by bringing
| the police into politics. Governor
| Mickey should now be taken at his
! word.
1t is an open secret that William ].
Broatch would have never ventured to
become candidate for mayor if he
did not occupy position on the police
commission which affords him an op-
portunity to dragon the police and fire
departments into politics and club the
| liquor dealers into line by the menace
of police interference. 1t is also an
| open secret that Commissioners Broatch
and Spratlen are making a regular
roundup of the saloons on behalf of the
candidacy of Broatch, supplemented by
perniclous activity of the police force
and especially the plain-clothes-men.
This attempt TO terrorize the brewers
and liquor dealers, and corral thugs,
toughs and habitual law-breakers
Of the Third ward into the Broatch fol-
lowing is most scandalous disregard
of the spirit and letter of the law. But
william J. Broatch, like necessity,
knows no law, and will resort to any
means TO gain his end. Even if Mr..
Broatch were not disposed to swing the
police club or the license blacksnake to
force policemen, firemen and saloon
keepers into line, it would not be posi-
bic for him to carry on a compaign for
his own election as mayor without max
ing the police commission factor in
politics. Under these circumstances, it
is the plain duty of Governor Mickey
to politely invite Mr.. Broatch to resign.