The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-05-12

sS a lock CT club. a o9 Every membe CT of the police 8. s force will be expected to enforce Ss S9 the law and we shall hold the cap SS s tains responsible for the men un- Ss s2 der them doing tn cir duty There E 5e is going to be strict compliance S9 l 32 with the law" s3
 
 Thus Spoke Mayor Frank P O'Brien. as chairman of the newly organized police commission, at the first meeting of that
 body last night The remarks were ad- dressed particularly to a large number of officers while quite an assemblage of cit izens, who had gathered full of curiosity as to whether or not the new commission was going to fasten the Hid" down tight on Birmingham listened attentvely In these words the mayor also voiced the sentiment of the other two commits l sioners, Carl H. Seals and F. B. Yielding as expressed by them in private session
 of the commission, which aldermen and
 newspaper men were the only outsiders l permitted to attend
 l In this Mayor OBrien also said that | man who could not abstain from the use of liquor had no place on the police force; that it was their duty to protect the lives and property of the people, and that no
 man could properly do his duty who was
 addicted to this habit He also announced
 that any member of the force who became
 intoxicated either on or off duty would l have his official head cut off without fur
 ther trial this being the unanimous de-
 cision of the new commission.
 l In concluding his talk the mayor as-
 sured the men that they could never find
 truer friend than in him, and when in need of advice or help in any way noth-
 ing would give him greater pleasure than
 to assist them.
 Caused Sensation. 1 That the mayors words caused a sensa- 1 tion is placing it mildly. About the town
 last night there was but one general 1 topic of conversation, and that was spec
 ulation regarding the course to be fol- l lowed by the new commission. It was
 pretty well understood that the new board was in favor of enforcing the l laws, but there was also an element of
 doubt as to their coming out and declar-
 ing war of the no-quarter kind. Mayor 1 O'Brien had declined to make any state
 ment in advance of the meeting and his l bold opposition to the passing of the pro- l hibition law led some to believe he would
 be lax in the enforcing of the statute. His
 talk, however, completely disillusioned the
 minds of any such persons.
 The new commission organized immedi-
 ately after the old commission had com
 pleted its meeting. The only business ;! transacted by the outgoing board was the adoption of the minutes of the prev
 ious meeting, followed by adjournment. | Immediately after calling the new board
 to order. Mayor O'Brien stated that it was
 desired that few minutes private ses-
 sion be held. Aldermen and newspaper
 men were allowed to attend.
 ExpeI Man for Drunkenness. Practically the first words of the mayor
 in the private session were suggestion
 that any officer guilty of drunkenness be
 not suspended for a few days, but that l his official head be cut off at once. Yield
 ing and Seals concurred without protest the three commissioners having settled
 upon this fact prior to last night. l Chief George H. Bodeker was then re- l elected as chief to serve the r months 1 term, lasting until October l, 191O 1 The position of captain of each shift was decided upon Lieutenants J. s. John- son and Thomas Hagood being raised to l the rank of captain, while Capt Martin | Eagan was reelected.
 Upon the suggestion of Chief Bodeker l the position of bicycle sergeant for each
 shift was created and the men for these 1 places elected. The men elected were ctt-t- 1 ley, at present first desk sergeant, for second, and R. H. Hawkins as third. All | three men are among the oldest men in | service on the force. Shirley was given l the change, at his own request 1t being l his desire to do outside work. Chief Bod eker praised the three men in the highest | terms to the commissioners.
 | Officer Morgan B. Seals was elected as | first desk sergeant, to take the place made vacant by Shirley's transfer He will as- | sume his new duties today.
 | Before the position of bicycle sergeant | can be officially recognized on the pay l roll, however, 1t will be necessary to have | the consent of the Board of Aldermen l Such a recommendation will be made by 1 the commission to the council which, It | Is believed, will be granted. The three ! commissioners made it plain that they de- l sired to cooperate with the council, and I that there would be no more warfare be- | tween these two bodies
 The bicycle sergeants will assume their new duties at once, Sergeant Hawkins going on with the early morning shift at | II 80 o'clock last night
 | Barney c. Phillips was reelected as first assistant desk sergeant, and James B. Donelson as second assistant
 RyaI Made Secretary. l H. Scudder Ryall. who entered office Saturday as Mayor O OBrien's private sec retary, was elected secretary of the police commission, at a salary to be fixed later The mayor stated that as chairman of the commission he would insist upon the