The Paducah sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1898-1906, 1906-04-11
Police Commission Erred iu
Efforts to Get Even.
Removing Men From the Most Ini-
portant Beats of City Regarded
Display of Poor Judgment.
MIR. SUTHERLAND STANDS PAT


Commissioners r. r. Sutherland was
published yesterday a great deal of
unfavorable comment has been heard
on the action of the board of police
commissioners as board in taking
policemen off the l. c. depot and
Broadway beats.
This morning Commissioner j. X.
Bonds was quoted as saying Com
missioner Sutherland was catering to
the railroad bosses" trying TO in
woke favor, but the interview makes
no attempt to justify the board in
taking the men off these important
beats. The interview seemed to have
been given solely for the purpose of
"ribbing" Commissioner Sutherland,
who so gracefully expressed his dis
approval of the boards act.
Mr.. Sutherland does not desire to
get into a controversy over the mat
ter. He has made his statement, Civ
ing his reasons for not supporting
the action, and this is sufficient. 81
do desire to say in justice to myself
as a railroad employee" Mr.. Suther-
land stated this morning, that
have worked % years in the service
and the officials have their first time
to find fault with my work. | cater
to no one, and my political record In
the Democratic party can not be
questioned, either. Further than
this | desire to make no statement.
Regarding the action OF the board
in taking off the police on the depot
and down town beats there is a great
deal said by others. not officially con-
.nected with the city. 1t is an undis-
puted fact that the depot beat is con-
sidered the most important one ex-
cept the Broadway beat in the city.
and the action of the chief In keep
ing his best and most experienced
officers there is proof enough Of It's
Importance.
81 have this to say about the de-
pot beat" Baggageman VIM. Flowers
stated this morning, 1.-THE depot beat
Is the most important one in the city
and there is not day that something
does not happen to justify Interior
ence on the part of policemen. The
chief in assigning Officers Singery
and Hurley and other officers OF in
disputable ability and long expert
ence to this beat is proof enough OF
Its Importance. The railroad compa-
ny pays its proportion of taxes and
is entitled to the protection of its
property as much as any private cit
izen or corporation. But 1t is the peo-
pie who want and need protection,
and there is not a day that someone
does not need the services of an ON
Ger. All day yesterday except at one
train. not an officer was present on
the platform at the depot.
"Only few weeks ago a drunken
man with roll amounting to $3oo'
which he fiourished in the air, was
taken care of by an officer. The po-
liceman took his money and when
he had been sobered up, he was not
acting boisterous enough to be ar
rested. the money was returned.
Suppose he had been robbed. Then
the police force would have been
1t appears that The COM
missioners desire to take men of the
important beats for the purpose OF
effecting the enforcement of law,and
to really effect a detrimental result.
This does not seem to be a very lib
eral and conscientious action on the
part of the commissioners"
A we'll known taxpayer, and
Democrat in politics, stated that the
did not attempt TO
defend or justify themselves In tax
ink of the men on these beats. This
alone is evidence sufficient to show
the commissioners want to work
harmful results instead of seeing that
the police are placed to the best adj
Some beats In the city are
patrolled week in and week out and
never an arrest is made. Men could
be spared off these beats easily
enough.
The public generally is censuring
the commissioners for their action.
and the above are only some OF the
many caustic expressions OF resent
ment.