The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1911-02-02
BODEKER EXPLAINS
CIVIL SERVICE BILL
Measure Is Modelled After
Up-To-Date Cities
STOPS THE POLITICIANS
Completely Eliminate Politics
From the Police
Department

Chief Bodeker Is much encouraged
at the prospect for the passage of his
bill establishing the police department
of Birmingham on civil service basis
and he believes present Indications are
that the bill will pass
Chief Bodelxer studied the subject
of civil service in the police depart
ment for several months before he
made his draft of the bill. and has
given the matter his careful attention.
In order that the people of Birming CHAM
may fully understand what the bill Is
and what 1t means to the city, Chief
Bodeker has given out the following
interview in regard to the bill:
"The bill is almost an exact copy
of the law prevailing in those states
and cities where civil service in the
police department is in force and is
drawn so as to be operative under any
form of municipal government and un-
der any form of control or manage
ment of the police department. What
ever body by law is given the control
and management of the police depart
ment. whether 1t be the city coun-
Siip tiiO COiiihli5eloH government, Vi ehC
boagd of police commissioners, that
body will be the civil service COM
mission with power to elect members
of the department under such rules,
regulations and qualifications as may
be fixed and prescribed by that body,
and 1t will be the duty oil such body
to carry out and enforce the provi-
sions of the pending bill If enacted
into law.
AN objection has been raised to the
bill on the fact that the chief of po-
lice is brought within the civil SER
vice regulations. Now, personally, am
perfectly willing for the office of chief
of police to be excepted from the pro-
visions of the BILL though 1 do not
believe it should be. The people elect
ed me In the primary by a most flat
tering majority and as for me, I am
ever willing to submit my claims to
office to the people. But 1 am thor
oughly convinced that the chief of po-
lice, subordinate officers and patrolmen
in large cities sholl not be required
to enter into a political scramble for
office. nor should they, after having
been elected, be required to enter into
a political fight in order to retain their
position. I say this after making care
full observations of conditions prevail
ing in other cities. In Atlanta, for
instance the chief of police Is elected
for life, conditional. of course, on good
behavior and efficiency as IAN officer.
The same is true in the cities of Rich
mond, Philadelphia, Pittsburg, Jersey
City Buffalo. Cleveland, Washington
and number of other well governed
cities No matter what form of mu-
nicipal government we may have. the
government and control of the police
department will be provided for and
that authority will be vested in some
commission or board.
1.-THE main purpose sought to be ac-
complished by the pending bill Is that
when man Is once elected a member
Of the department by the commission or
board having the authority in law, he
cannot be summarily dismissed from the
service, but will retain his office during
good behavior and efficiency. The re-
tention of his office will then not be de-
pendent upon every change in the per-
sonnet of the commission or board. An
oughtright enemy of an officer might be
elected a member of the commission or
board, yet that officer need not feel
alarmed over retaining his position so
long as he conducts himself properly and
discharges his duties fearlessly.
This is the meaning of the civil serv-
ice bill now pending in the Legislature. 1t
was necessary to fix some date when
the bill should become operative, so it
was thought advisable to make 1t become
applicable to police departments as they
existed at the date of the passage of the
bill If tho pending civil service bill is
enacted into law it will entirely eliminate
politics from the department"