Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1910-04-13
Chief of Police Reynolds Tend
ers Resignation.
ASKS FOR OLD POSITION
Understood That Popular officer De.
sires to be Detective Sergeant Again
induce Him 10 Reconsider.

Chief OF Police John w. Reynolds
yesterday rendered his resignation 10
Chairman II. b. Holmes, Of the bora
OF police commissioners, and. unless
the chiefs friends can prevail upon
him in the meantime TO withdraw II,
the resignation will be acted upon by
the commissioners at their regular
meeting tomorrow night.
While not altogether unexpected by
some of the chiefs more intimate
friends. the news that the resigna
tion was in the hands of Chairman
Holmes created great surprise ami II
was generally discussed in municipal
circles yesterday. On all sides there
were expressions of regret that the
chief had taken this action and i'm
mediately there was talk of making
an effort to prevail upon him to re-
consider the matter.
Resented Criticisms.
Chief Reynolds did not discuss the
matter yesterday and the exact
reasons for his action are not known
at this time However, il is under
stood that the cher was incensed by
the action of members of the coun-
Gil in trying 10 cut down the police
force and reduce his salary and by un-
favorable criticisms that have been
made of the chief and the department
during the past few months. The
chief has been chatting under these
criticisms for sometime and the mat
ter was brought to head by the at
tempt to impair the efficiency of the
police force by reducing the number
81 N
Chairman Holmes. Of the police
board. also declined to discuss the
matter yesterday afternoon, saying
that he did not think it would be
courteous to the other commissioners
TO make a statement before the re-
signation had been laid before the
board as a body. In all probability the
commissioners will try 10 induce the
chief to reconsider the matter tomOr
row night.
Wants Old Position Again.
II is understood that Chief Rey-
nOlds desires that the commissioners
accept his resignation as chief and
give him the post of detective ser
geant. which he filled for many years
and which is now held by Sergeant
Henry Bridgers. Detective work APP
peals to the chief as no other kind
of work does and in that he would
not be brought into contact with the
public in an official way as head OF
the department.
The report that ri:e chief desired
TO be made detective sergeant
again was discussed by the policemen
yesterday afternoon and last night
and naturally there was much specula
tion as TO who might succeed him as
chief in the event that his resigna-
tion was accepted. Sergeant T. A.
Mitchell being the ranking sergeant.
his name was mentioned by some of
the officers as the probable new chief
Held Office Five Years.
Chief Reynolds has been at the
head of the police department of this
city for nearly six years and is gen
orally regarded as the most able and
efficient chief this city has ever had.
Started as Patrolman.
Coming to Newport News when the
city was in its infancy. Chief Rey-
nolds began work on the force as a
patrolman and later was made a
patrol sergeant When the post of de-
tective sergeant was created at the
time Thomas A. Johnson was chief of
Police. Chief Reynolds was given that
office and it was in this position that