Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-26
POLICE BILL PASSED
Proposed Reorganization Of the
Department.
AUTOMATIC PROMOTION
Increase Of Pay Allowed by the
House.
LITTLE OPPOSITION SHOWN
Provision for Inspectors Stricken Out
Mr.. Wachter Tells About Balti-
more's System.
TILE OPPOSITION SHOWN

the BOARD OF aldermen of the District OF
Columbia. today passed the bill for the re-
organization Of the police department A
number of amendments were made, but the
out very much opposition
Police Force Promotions
Representative Samuel S. Smith of Michi-
gan who was In charge Of District bust
ness on the floor today. called up the bill
providing for the automatic promotion and
Increase of salary OF members Of the metro
poiitan police force. Representative Camp
bell of Kansas. the chairman of the sub-
committee that framed the bill, explained
the provisions of the proposed legislation.
Mr. Campbell said that the measure was
intended to provide increased compensation.
pIomotlon or privates after they had served
three ana 1--WE years. respectively. and to
PROVIDE by enactment for the preservation
ana enforcement of discipline in the force
Mnle . IN the main gives statutory force to
planned that at the present time the nrJvat 70.
OF the force are divided into two classes
$40 OF class at 300 each and 265 of class
at $lOSO each year.
The proposed legislation he said nro-
vided for three classes, class 1 to be paid
$soo year for three years. when promo
tion IS to be made to class at 81 $50 IL
ane conduct ana attention to duty of the
privates justify this promotion, and an
other promotion to class 3 at 81 30 a year
Is 10 occur at the expiration of five years
service under the same conditions Pro-
vision was also made in the bill. he pointed
OUT. mat privates who have served three
ana live years. respectively, at the time the
proposed legislation goes into effect shall
&c included In class and class B. This
WOULD result IN l4I privates of class l be-
ing advanced to class at s1,0SO I23 prt-
Yates or class l being advanced to class x
at N,2o. and 265 privates of class being
a aoH need to $1,20O year. and leaving about
m q hAr 30
rb i.e ,a,,,s OF the force now In class
ing TO their short period of service
MT Campbell told his fellow-members or
the board of aldermen that the privates or
lie force have had no increase in their
pay since 1880. He said that the nronosnd
legislation does not Increase the number OF
prlVates or the force. although such an
Increase was matter well deserving OF
attention. owing to the fact that the Dis
trict of Columbia covers an area of sevenrv
suare miles with no less than eigbtv-seve,
s@,all towns, villages and subdivisions sir
usted outside of the city proper but Air
lection Pee PAo
ne SAID that an examination of the
salaries paid to members of the mo-
nee aoree IN cities other than Washington
SHOWS mat municipalities of the population
OF the District and of much less area treat
t1eir ponce ofncers much more generously
I p,a, MS, is the case here. For instance. il,
a year, In Philadelphia about 81 OgS n,
Boston from $1,000 to 81 200 and In Cbica On
SSV 70 Sl;ioo. The pay for higher officers
greater in other. cities than the Dist,icft
rms held good In the cases Of sergeants
Ieutenants. captains and so on I'D.
The Force Praised
1t was uniformly conceded, Mr. Campbeil
SAID, that the police force of the District
Is well-disciplined efficient and exceed
lnsiy intelligent and courteous body of
men. This possibly was due. he said, to the
fact that appointments to the force ara
never made for political reasons. Each an
Pucant was forced to undergo a rigorous
pny slcal examination and also had to pass
at an average of not less than 20 per CENT
mental examination conducted for the
purpose OF demonstrating his intelligence
n any; nus acquaintance with the principal
points IN the District, his knowledge of
the rules and regulations of the force and
MS possession of the elements of a thoroueh
education.
Under these circumstances. said Mr.
Campbell, Applicants selected for appotnt-
ment are men who deserve the highest sal
airy which 1t is in the power of the munich
PATTY 10 give them. They are compelled
under the provisions of the police manual
10 present well-dressed and neat appear
ance, and they are expected to live decentiy.
Ihey nave, IN large majority of cases
Iamiiies to support, and are class of val
liable citizens"
There could be no question, Mr. Campbell
said. that the cost of living has greatly
increased within the past few years, and
that 1t was a hard struggle with the aver
age policeman to meet his average current
expenses and to keep out of debt There
was no class of men, he said more desery-
Ing or ample compensation The legislation
proposed did not contemplate any Increased
compensation for the major and superin-
tendent of police, although the amount paid
10 MN was much lower here than for simi-
lar duties elsewhere.
Mr.. Campbell added. ''Tha total increa GO
IN salaries provided in the proposed legisla-
ton is 112.240. of which $4,000 directly
DEMENT'S the privates of the force
In the hope of securing this deserving
and much-Eeeded increase the estimates for
the metropolitan police have not included
as usual any provision for new station
houses and other improvements or any in
crease in the force so that the amofiut.
mere stated Is not an actual increase when
compared with the amount that would be
appropriated II the usual provision for
buildings and so forth had been included"
Bill Explained in Detail
Mr.. Campbell went into considerable de-
tail In regard to the provisions OF the bill
creating three inspectors, who are to per-
form the duties now assigned to the cap
tains; OF six captains, who. with the four
existing captains, will be assigned to the
control of the ten police precincts. and who
will exercise personal Jurisdiction over the
AFFAIRS OF those precincts during the day.
time. and to the only other important
change in the bill which provides for the
appointment of three police surgeons at
81, 800. instead of four surgeons at $40
year.
He urged that the provision for promot-
ing privates of the force at the expiration
of three and five years from the commence
ment of their service would unquestionably
improve the morale of the police, inasmuch
as 1t will be an incentive to the faithful
performance of duty. Wherever he said
this system of longevity of promotion had
been adopted In other cities it had pro-
duced most satisfactory results Many of
the policemen in the District of Columbia
had served ten or twelve years at their
original salary of SIS per month, and long
service without recognition had tended to
discourage them. especially as In the win
ter time their exposure in the Hne of duty
had in many instances seriously UNDER
mined their health.
Trying to Amend the Bill.
After Mr.. Campbell had finished defining
the measure a good many members OF the
board OF aldermen shot questions at him.
Representative Tawney. chairman of the
House appropriations committee. was one
ne fhaaa Mr. Tayney annaransIv ho<7 pof