The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1913-06-25
COM. GILLESPIE
REORCANlzES
: POLICE DEPT.
Divides the Work In Three
~ Parts, With . Head For
Each
.SUBORDINATES HAVE
MORE RESPONSIBILITY
Captain Palmer, Supt. Downey
and Sec'y Walters Made
Members Of Board

Those who prophesied wholesale
deoapitations In the high ofnoes OF
the police department. when Police
Commissioner John Gillespie took
control. were surprised when the COM
missioner announced his reorganisa-
ton plans. Monday. to take effect
July !.
Sweeping changes are contemplate
I'd. put Chief Of Detectives Robert g..
Palmer 10 given more power than q
detective chief ever before held In
Detroit; the duties Of Supt. Of Police
John J. Downey will be made more re-
sponsible than ever. and the police
secretary, George A Walters. will By
como an active factor AZ police on
cial. and not sort Of detail clerk to
the commissioner.
Commissioner Gillespie's plan con-
templates making the police depart
ment into . cOmmission-governed in
stitution. with three commissioners
reporting to the police commissioner.
each OF them responsible for the de-
tail work In his own department.
Supt. Dovney Ia to command all
uniformed members of the force, from
patrolmen to captains, including traf-
nc squad. motorcycle ofncers and city
sealer's men. His Is the biggest
command Of the three members OF
the commission board"
Chief Palmer is to have command
OF all detectives and plain clothes"
men. In whatever section Of the city
they may work. Precinct captains
will not control the precinct detec-
tives any moro. These men will work
under the central bureau. Chief Pal
mer's orders are to be the Law Of the
plain clothes men. II men In the GEN.
trail bureau lag In their duties, It
will be up to" the chief TO send the
men to outside precincts, and call In
outside precinct men to the central
bureau. II big convention or other
attraction to crowds Is draining the
downtown district Of plain clothes
mon, Chief Palmer may call In the
sleuths from the outlying precincts
and put them on duty where he sees
1T. It n to him that Commissioner
Gillespie will look for results from
the plain clothes men. Chief Palmer
will not report through Supt. Downey.
but directly to the commissioner. And
the plain clothes men, right down the
line. will report to Chief Palmer.
In the same way. police In uniform
! will report to Supt. Downey. or Dep
uty Supt. Aphonse Baker when the
latter 10 on duty, and these two will
confer with the commissioner.
Secretary Walters, as head Of the
administrative department" will
have charge Of all police autos. mo-
torcycles and other vehicles and OF
the mechanical end Of the department.
Under the head Of mechanical de-
vices, the harbormaster's work with
police boats comes under Administra-
ton Commissioner Walters.
Incidentally, the hArbormaster's sta
ton Il to be moved to Belle Isle, as
center Of activity. Plans for an en-
larged and better equipped harbor sta
ton will be submitted to the council.
Nuesday night.
Detroit u to have an augmented
squad Of harbor police, under COM
mand Of Harbormaster Ellison. These
men will patrol Belle Isle, and, In
emergencies, when men are wanted
along the river front inside the city
land duty and sent out In boats OF
toned for the occasion. Belle Isle sta
ton being their headquarters. There
10 q channel UP to Belle Isle station.
and It Is hoped to place the harbor
masters station nearby.
Competitive examinations for pro-
motion are another innovation.
On July /, five new detective lieu
= tenants, three detective sergeants,
four precinct detectives. three uni.
formed Meutenants, and six sergeants
are to be appointed. Two men Of the
next lower rank will be examined for
each Of the promotions. Physical Mt
ness will be the nrst requirement:
knowledge OF police duty the second.
|. and recommendation Of superior ON.
GERS, and their records. the third.
Recently. a precinct detective was
promoted to detective sergeant A
few days later, he collapsed from III
health. and has not been on duty
since. Promotion from the ranks to
the rank Of sergeant will be given to
young men preferably. to avoid the
contingency Of men beyond really &C
tive service being In commanding DO
sitions.
During this week. all police CAD
tains will meet with Commissioners
Gillespie to plan for the elimination
OF the midnight shift Catching
street cars IL a proposition In that
SHIFT. Men on the beat leave, to
catch cars, before meeting their sue
cessors on the beat. 70 give ''tips" on
suspicious persons and occurrences.
Another thing that 10 TO be clint.
mated 10 midnight dates" made by
policemen. One policeman was shot
and killed. presumably az q result OF
q midnight date" Some officers arc
ant To quit the beat at IL o'clock, to
keep q midnight appointment. leaving
the beat open for an hour or more
until tho relief man arrives.
Tho plan 10 TO have the men SHIFT
at or Z O'clock In the morning.
swap experiences,v and so do better
police duty.
4 Parole Sneaker Sent To PrIson.
PsroiDd recently after being con-
victed q stealing IN automobile.
Douglas Aniens. II years old, ives ar.