The Detroit times., 1913-05-16
GILLESPIE TO
MAKE CHANGES
IN POLICEDEP
Plans Shake-Up in the Detective
Bureau and Will Eliminate
military POmp"
GEO. WALTERS WILL
REMAIN AS SECRETARY
Has Made Self Very Useful;
Anyway, He's War Veteran
and Can't BE Discharged

Many changes III the system and
personnel OF the police department
are anticipated when John Gillespie
takes office as commissioner, July /.
While the mayors friend steadfastly
refuses TO discuss the plans and poll
cies he will pursue as the mead OF
the department, II is known that with
his democratic ideas he Will be OPP
posed to the so-called military
pomp' that Commissioners Croul has
introduced.
AS Mayor MARKS campaign man
ager and political adviser, Gillespie
has always advocated the "open-door'
policy In public office. Commissioner
Croul has kept his Office door open
and all visitors are courteously and
even Hospitality received by the COM
missioner, but there Is certain
amount OF dignity connected with Mr..
Croul's once on the third floor OF
police headquarters that Gillespie will
shake down" Not that Commission
er Croul is an autocrat, nor Gillespie
demagogue-they are simply tenn
peramentally different and what
would please one might easily meet
with the others disapproval.
II will be a difficult task TO tamper
with a system and organization per-
fected By Commissioner Croul. ana
recognized by police experts all over
the country as the best In existence,
but John Gillespie can be depended
upon 10 tackle the job. He knows
that he will go into Crouls Office
with the white light of publicity
turned on him. and that he VIII be
made the target OF criticism. He
knows that he will be held respon-
sible for every move made by his de-
partment and will be harshly crit
icised for every failure. He knows
that Commissioner Croul has estab-
lished a model police department. He
knows that his friend Mayor Marx
Is stalking his political future on the
new police commissioners ability TO
make good In Crouls place.
Gillespie Ia young man. He is
successful business man. His head
Is brimful OF ideas. The police de-
partment will AFFORD him a fine field
in which to exercise his judgment
and test his business ability. He real
ICES that he must make few mistakes
in the Office He will find vast diff
ference between the water board and
the police department. For one thing
politics is supposed to be tabooed in
the police department.
1t is likely that George A. Walters
will be retained as secretary by Gal
lespie. Walters Is an ex-newspaper
man and has been In the secretary's
office under two commissioners. Com
missioner Croul thought enough OF
Walters worth as city employe to
pay him $500 out Of his own pocket
last Christmas day. The commits
sioner said he felt that man OF
George Walters ability was being
underpaid on a salary OF $4,000
year Also. Walters is Spanish war
veteran. and he will probably fight
any attempt to remove him. Giles
pie. after his experience with two
water board employees. is not particu-
larly anxious to start his term as po-
lice commissioner with another vet
eran" fight on his hands.
Walters knowledge Of the work OF
the police department will also be Of
great value to Gillespie. The secre-
tary has assisted Commissioner Croul
In perfecting a rather complicated
system for handling the business OF
the department and Gillespie will
have to learn the fine points Of the
system before he can attempt any
changes.
A shake-up may be expected in the