Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-01-20
FIVE MEDALS
TO VEST
PATROLMEN
POLICE COMMISSION ADOPTS
HONOR SYSTEM
CONNOLLY WILL GET FIRST OF
NEW TROPHIES
Chief kern's Plan of Annual Presenta-
ton of Tokens for Fidelity
Adopted by the
Board

The police department is about to in
augurate a system of bestowing medals
Of honor for meritorious work by the
force, Chief Edward Kern having beer
authorized by the commissioners to &c
ahead with his plan.
In his preliminary report Chief Kerr
recited how Patrolman Patrick ii
Lyons was murdered on the night OF
3, 1907, by two men; how
Patrolman NJ. r. Bowe on the same
evening arrested RolIa Robe, since SEN
fenced for life, and how on the after
noon of December 3 Patrolman An
.hony Connolly, single-handed, caught
NislSeI in a poolroom at Seventh and
Central avenue. For his gallantry ne
has been highly commended.
On the day following the arrest OF
Miskel, Joseph Scott sent his check for
;2O and asked that it be placed in a
'und to be presented to Officer Con-
nelly. Gus Larson also sent $40 Tor the
jame purpose. The chief says further:
Systematic Rewards
have acknowledged these sums,
which [ still hold, and informed the
senders that the matter should be
referred to your honorable body.
1t is proper that exceptionally
meritorious service should receive
proper recognition, but such recog-
milton ought to be made in some
systematic manner and in accord
ance with general provisions.
otherwise, if such matters are
left to haphazard action inequali-
ties are almost certain to creep IN
and the real value of the reward
will be miminized. For these rea-
sons our regulations forbid that
members of the force should receive
rewards or any other money than
their salaries. and are also forbid
den to solicit subscriptions or to
present testimonials to other men,
bers of the force.
This rule has been relaxed on oc-
casions (once at the presentation of
a star to myself, but 1 believe that
it ought not to be, and, on the con-
trary, it is a salutary rule and
should be lived up to.
The idea of a money reward IN
return for the performance of po-
lice duty (other than the proper Of
fetal salary is, l think, not the
best manner of affording proper
recognition.
The Eastern Way
In most of the larger eastern
cities provisions are made for pre-
sentation at the time of the annual
review of medals or tokens award
ed to members of the force who
have by gallantry or exceptionally
meritorious service during the pre-
ceding year earned right to more
than passing praise. This custom
is borrowed from the military serV-
ice of our country and of foreign
nations.
These medals, of no intrinsic value
whatever, are naturally very highly
priced by the recipient because of
the honor of which they are a ma
terial symbol.
| believe that it would be well to
take steps to institute the custom of
presenting at the time of our an
nual review two medals to be made
simply of bronze and to be inscribed
suitably-one of them to be award
ed to the officer who, during the
past year, has performed the most
bra,-e and gallant act in the line of
his duty and the other to the officer
of whatever rank, who has by dill
had been assigned. proved his f.
deity to the department.
Fear No Danger
1t is our boast, as it is that of
most police departments of other
American cities, that the members
of the department. whatever their
other shortcomings, do not fail in
the face of personal danger A po-
liceman who is a coward is worse
than useless.
While all of the men are glad of
chance to distinguish themselves
under trying circumstances it is
proper that the one to whom the
chance comes, who promptly and
properly accepts it and successfully
performs his duty, should be pub
licly commended for it.
The success of the department as
a body of men working together for
the protection of the citizens de-
ponds less, however, upon occasional
acts of gallantry than it does upon
the work of those officers who,
whatever their station, detail or
duty, put their mind and energy
into the performance of the immedi-
ate duty before them without
regard to the question of recogni-
ton by press and public.
First for Connolly
therefore suggest that a medal
be awarded annually for bravery
and one for fidelity, the first mem
toned to be marked For Valor"
and the other For Fidelity" the
medals to be inscribed with the
name of the department, appropri-
ately designed, and to be presented
TO the officers who have most high
ly merited them.
Any exceptional piece of work is
noted by me and commended in the
Daily Bulletin.
l also intend to install a system
for more carefully keeping personal
records of the men. Thus a means
of determining which officers shall
receive these medals will be af-
forded.
1 recommend that if my SUCCESS
ton be accepted officer Connellys
name be placed on the list for a
medal of bravery and that the kind
donors of the sum mentioned be so
informed and the money returned.
o~S-