The San Francisco call., 1910-12-25
SELF-GOVERNNENT
FOR POLICE FORCE
Chief August VOIImer Creates
Plan Whereby BluecOats Will
Be Juries for Own 0ffenses

BERKELEY. Dec. 24-To the "golder
rule" movement, non skull fracturine
and other signs Of progressiveness OF
Chief OF Police Vollmer's administra.
sion has been added self government
for the men Of the department under
the grade Of chief Vollmer has made
this rule as a Christmas present to the
men.
All petty differences among the mer
Of the force, complaints preferred
against them by citizens will be judged
by a jury Of policemen.
only when the more serious charges
against a policeman are heard will the
consideration Of Chief Nollmer and
Commissioner c. Hon, head of the de-
partment Of public health- and safety
he needed before the sentence is car
ried into effect In other cases the
patrolmen win impaneI their own
suries. try their cases and enforce the
punishment meted out TO the convicted
Violator Of their own department rules
or rules Of the city authorities.
WILL AID POLICEMEN
When a citizen feels that he has a
grievance against a patrolman for mis-
treatment, lack of consideration and
The like. his charges win be judged by
G jury Of policemen.
1T win give the men a chance TO
be Independent in measure" said
Vollmer today. .'They will feel that
they can attend to- their own affairs.
The patrolman has many problems Of
fered to him for solution every day,
and sometimes he errs IN their solu-
ti0n
His fellow workers in the protection
Of life and property know his condi-
rion and the situation and they are
certainly qualified TO Judge most cases.
Every man in the department will
feel the significance Of being judged
by his fellow men. and his actions will
therefore be the more proper, both to
his fellow officer and to the general
public"
According to the plan outlined all
fines imposed will be used for the
benefit Of the police officers sick and
needy fund. There are likely TO be
heavy fines levied, as the more money
collected the more win be stored in
the treasury OF the pOlicemens associa-
fion for future emergencies.
TOLLsIER HAS BEEN HONORED
Tollmer during his career as head
Of the police department has achieved
distinction all over the state for his
progressiveness and was recently hon
ored by election as head Of the Asso-
ciation Of Police Chiefs of California.
He has increased the efficiency of his
department 100 fold since taking Of
nee and now Berkeley, although its
police force is very small for a city of
its 10000 people, can boast of a Ber-
tilliOn. finger print and other elaborate
systems. as well as a photograph out
ct, bloodhounds and other parapher-
MALTA for the detection and capture of
trsnsgressOrs Of the law
NOllmer's activity for the building
up Of great police department has by
no means been confined to apparatus
connection with criminal work He
has lnaugurated a system of educa-
ton for the policemen along various
lines. Last year he had number of
prominent lawyers address the force
on elementary law; this year a course
Of first aid to the injured by Red
Cross workers has been a feature. and
target practice for the bluecoats Of
Berkeley has been held weekly.
Now comes the plan to put the men
Of the force in a position where they
viii be on an Independent footing and
work together for the perfection of the
department