The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1909-07-28
CR0UL WANTS COPS
TO PURCHASE NEW
UNIFORMS
Supt. Downey Rounds Up Force and
Sounds Them On the Commission
er's Plan of Aping Styles Of
New Yawk's" Force.
Extra Hours Service Will Taxi
Place Of Fines as Punishment for
Policemen Who Go Astray.

There was meeting OF represents
tves Of all different ranks OF the
police department In the hand-ball
court OF police headquarters. far from
inquisitive reporters, and the general
public. Tuesday night. 1t Is said. az
which the men were asked. In the
presence Of Supt.. John J. Downey.
what they thought Of the proposition
OF buying new uniforms. according 70
q plan OF Police Commissioner Croul.
Supt. Downey first announced, It IL
said. that he felt that new uniforms
were imperative. No returns on the
vote or the meeting were made pub
lie. OF course. Guess what the men
voted.
Supt Downey referred the matter to
Police Commissioner Croul. when he
was asked about the coming new uni
forms. And Police Commissioner
Croul said: When an order Is given
out for the men to get new uniforms.
you will get 1t. and not until then"
Which rather leads to the conclu-
sion that Commissioner Croul meant
that the men are all to get new uni
forms. II they misunderstood him.
they will not be 'in bad" any more
than the poor saloonkeepers who tried
to read between the lines on the COM
missioner's orders relative to Sunday
saloons.
Members of the mounted and traffic
squad. are all to have uniforms diff
ferent from those of the regular pa
trolmen, II is said. Two officers al
ready have the new uniforms. tight
f1tting-kneed corduroy trousers and
blue coats. Sergeants, lieutenants and
captains are to have new suits, too.
1t Is said. The pattern and design is
not yet made public. Instead OF the
numbers and weaths on patrolmen's
helmets. local officers will copy the
New Yawk" insignia, sort Of tin
plate that looks something like the
II am blind" signs.
But, saddest OF all, and the source
of a long drawn wall from all OF the
older officers. Is the rule that all ser
vice stripes" hard-earned badges OF
faithful and long performance Of duty.
are to be stripped from the officers
coats. Every Ave years. patrolmen
and superiors had a black stripe sew
ed on the sleeves OF their coats. Sen.
geants had blue stripes, and lieuten-
with q large strip of the little stripes
was usually pretty proud of them. and.
besides, he paid from IS to 81 extra
for his stripes.
Supt. Downey verified the statement
that stripes were to be removed.
II am personally opposed to them,"
said the superintendent. They are
not neat. Dust and dirt accumulate
~ rfrtv oh. to had
oh, there are lots Of new things,
which haven't even been mentioned
in the daily society notes issued for
the crime reporters, dealing with
the t Of two jars Of jam, one set OF
harrNvA, tools valued at STAT and
such like.
For years II has been customary for
the reporters to be given typewriter
copies OF each general order. issued at
tie end of each month, and listing
breaches OF discipline and the punish
,nent therefor. Supt. Downey, who
mas been designated as the proper per-
son from whom to get news, refuses
To discuss a rumored suppression u
the general order. He referred the
matter TO Commissioner Croul.
do we get the general orders?"
Commissioner Croul was asked.
"You get the next one. and IL you
print II, you'll never get another" he
replied.
"Why?" he was asked.
do you get the fire department
fines and punishments?" he replied.
referring back to his old job as fire
commissioner. We'll, | don't think
the public needs to know about fines
for policemen"
Which means that II the policeman
on your beat is drunk. or lax in his
duty, he may be fined for It. and he
may not It's none OF your business.
But policemen are not TO be fined
any more Instead of SIS to $50 fines.
officers will be sentenced TO serve ex-
ira hours according TO their offenses.
They will have TO stay after school,"
as II were, and walk a beat 10. 10 or
20 extra hours during the month. ac-
cording to their offense.
Supt. Downey did not give out that
information. Neither did Commission
er Croul, but someone did. and Com
missioner Croul admitted that II was
true.
mo men will be fined while I'm
here he said 1T will be extra duty
for them instead"