The Detroit times., 1910-01-20
FADS FIGURE. IN
DECENTRALIZATION
OF POLICE DEPT.
Patrolmen Kept Busy on "Dinky"
Ordinance Violations, While High
Crime Flourishes as Never Be-
fore in City's History.
Traffic Squad an Expensive Luxury,
Which Means Lengthening of Beats
and Richer Picking for Crooks.

Chief OF Detectives James Melon
nell has always been boss of his men
discipline, In the detective bureau,
means that every man In the bureau
knows that Chief Mcdonnell is boss,
and IL ne forgets, he is sharply re-
minded of IT,
This In explanation Of the reasons
why the Detroit police department Is
honeycombed with jealousies.
UP to few years ago, John j..
Downey, now superintendent OF police,
was assistant chief OF detectives, un-
der Capt. James Mcdonnell McDon-
nell had the same ideas of discipline
then, that he holds now. Assistant
Chief John ]. Downey came In for
his share OF that discipline.
Frank G. Andrews became the first
oneTnan police head, and he appoint
. ed fohn J. Downey superintendent OF
polite.
lperintendent Downey was never
In iharge OF police precinct in his
life He didn't rise from police cap
tai TO police superintendent. He was
prlmoted. over the heads OF the other
caltains, and over the head OF his
81 ief James Mcdonnell, to the post
tioL of supreme power in the actual
service.
Downey went into the superintend.-
ents office with the power TO make
use OF his memories OF duty under the
Iron hand OF Chief Mcdonnell
But Chief Mcdonnell has always re-
membered that John j. Downey was
\ once under his command. This Is the
ground plan for the friction between
Supt. Downey and Chief Mcdonnell
Chief Mcdonnell takes those order in
! most un-Christian spirit.
How Baker-Mc Donnell Feud Arose.
For the friction between Mcdonnell
and Capt. Baker. only the animosity
of the piainclothes men, working at
cross purposes to the uniformed men,
are responsible. And Capt Baker was
once at the head of the detective
bureau, but was victim Of changing
administration.
Capt Bakers open and avowed de.
signs TO supplant Supt. Downey was
the objectionable sin. sufficient TO ex-
plain the lack OF affection between the
superintendent and the captain OF the
most important police precinct.
! But lest the plain taxpaying citizen
gain the idea that the whole police
department trouble is centered In po-
lice headquarters, II might be said
that the outside precinct stations are
just as deeply mixed in the broil. A
meeting of police captains, in police
/ Headquarters, is a bi-weekly session
of armed neutrality. Supt. Downey
| does not like several of the captains.
He doesn't like Capt John t, Spillane,
of Garfield station. Capt. Spillane's
son, a dentist, was an active partisan
4 OF DR.. Carstens, once Republican
nominee for mayor.
Supt. Downey heard that Dr. Spill.
! lane was freely announcing that in
the event of the election OF DR.. Cars
tens. Capt Spilllne would be super.
| intendent OF police. Which was an
! other unpardQnable sin in the eyes or
Supt Downey.
! Other captains figure in the same
armed neutrality.
Police Commissioner Croul knows
that, too.
Jealousies are the main cause of the
: Gripping OF the police department.
But there are other causes which com
plete the job
5 They are ideas" Many OF them are
ideas of Supt. Downey. Some. less
L in number, are the personal ideas OF
B Police Commissioner Croul.
+. eupt.- Downey's Hobby.
: - One OF the ideas OF Supt. Downey is
I the filing of ordinance complaints. II
I is a hobby of Supt. Downey, and,
] through bim, became a hobby OF Po-
lice Commissioner Croul, who has re.
ceived most OF hts police department
schooling from Downey.
I Every man on the police force was
I egged on to make record for him
\ self In getting complaints against
citizens who violate ordinances.
Every man was told that 1t was the
y superintendent wish. and the super
: intendent is supreme. AS a result,
: most of the policemen in Detroit
4 would rather file an ordinance COM
, plaint than catch "A burglar. There 10
Y rivalry for the record in number OF
\ complaints. AS high as 700 have been
fled in one week. Less than 10. per
a cent of these result In fines, or even
= censure from the courts.
z And one day when the central pre-.
cinct squad reported for duty. just
cover the whole central precinct,
business houses, saloons. residences
and all.
II is the same In every precinct in
the city. The police are looking for
ashes. for untethered horses. and for
the thousand and one peccadiloes by
which the peaceful citizen violates
the city ordinances-and the beats
are left uncovered.
Thirty men were torn from the
4 regular ranks, none too large to cover
a big city like Detroit, and we're
placed on the traffic squad. The traf-
flc squad has been voted good in
| stItution. but the Detroit police force
cannot AFFORD IL. and Police Commits
/ sioner Croul knows 1t.
Beat ls Mile and Hall.
One patrolman I'm Elmwood precinct