Los Angeles herald., 1909-02-21
BROADHEAD MAY
MAKE CHANGES
DETECTIVE FORCE is. LIKELY
TO BE SHAKEN UP
TOO MUCH POLITICS ONE OF THE
DIFFICULTIES
Recent Arrests Attributed to Action of
PatroImen, Who, However, Have
Not Received the Proper
Credit

oiSorganiZed and, at the present time,
..olly inefficient detective department
is TO be undertaken March by Chief
of Police Thomas H. Broadhead and
Captain of Detectives Paul c. Flam-
mer.
In order to bring the department up
to a state of efficiency and to restore
harmony in the ranks of the twenty
six men now employed in that service,
it is stated that March 1 number of
sweeping changes will be made. If
not then, as soon thereafter as it is
possible to do so without totally wreck
ing as much of the esprit de corps as
remains.
For months the detective department
of the city of Los Angeles has been a
hotbed of petty politics. 1t is rumored
that each and every member has been
engaged in a battle royal, knocking
each and every other member of the
force
Tale bearers and gossip mongers have
been busy with the work and habits,
both in and out of the department, of
2 the members, and the result has
been chat the work of what should be
the best organized and most efficient
body of sleuths on the Pacific coast or
in the country has become demoralized.
The arrests which have been made and
credited to the detectives have been
of the luck order, and not because of
the work of the members OF the force.
Credit Due PatroImen
Many of the felony cases in which
arrests have been effected and evidence
sufficient to convict secured have been
worked up by patrolmen and referred
to the detective department simply for
presentation in court. The credit for
all such arrests and work has been
taken by the detectives assigned to the
cases, and no mention of the name of
the patrolmen has been made, except
incidentally as witnesses.
There are many detectives on the
roll of the Los Angeles department
who are capable, experienced men and
fitted peculiarly, by experience and
are assigned There are many others
who are holding the places they occupy
by political influence alone.
Many good men, rumor has it, are to
go, and many others who are ill-fitted
for the positions are reoprted as likely
to stay.
In the list of names said to be booked
for reduction from detectives to patrol
men are those of William H. Kelly, act
ing sergeant; James Mcnamara,
George K Home, James c. Chapman,
Henry C. Mckenzie, Felipe j.. Tala-
nantes, James J. Hawley, Hugh Dixon,
Frank Steele and Louis Rico.
been a member of the department ten
years. and five Of these years he has
been in charge of the office. Detectives
Hawley, Mckenzie and Steele, three OF
the Oldest members of the department,
are booked for retirement, and their
places are to be given to younger and
more active men.
Detective Louis Rico is merely act
ing in that position, his rating in the
department being only that of a pa
trolman. He is to be restored to his
real rating, if rumor is correct.
No Reasons Necessary
The other detectives mentioned are
to be reduced to the ranks of patrol
men simply for ''the good of the SER
vice." and under a recent ruling of the
civil service board this can be done
without assigning any reason what
ever.
AS to their successors, rumor has
been busy again, and has selected for
several Of the places some of the most
efficient plain clothes men who have
been working out of the patrol captains
office.
Patrolmen Earl Busse, E. L. Oker,
F. c. Beaumont r. c. Humphrey,
Frank Carroll and A. G. Berchtold are
said to be booked for positions as reg
ular detectives. Carroll is now acting
and working as a detective, and has
demonstrated his ability as such, being
one of the most efficient and hard
working men assigned to that duty.
In the impending shake-up it is pos
sible that Detectives Hosick and Zeig-
Ter may find their positions changed. 1t
is said that Hosick, who is a compara-
lively new man on the force, is to be
placed in the office at night as ac1-
ing sergeant in the place of Detective
Kelly.
Detective Ziegler has been mentioned
in the gossip at the police station as
one of the men to be placed on a beat,
but whether he will be reduced in rank
or not is uncertain, as his partner.
Hosick, is said to be a power in the
politics Of the department and willing
to stretch a point to save the man who
has worked alongside him on the
street.
Whatever changes are made, the au-
thOrities say. will be for the good Of
the service, and that it needs improv-
ing has long been known by those IA
miliar with affairs at police head
quarters.