The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1913-03-20
Police and Fire Commission
of City on Record as Fa-
yo1ing Proposed Laws.
SAY COMMISSION IS 4 JOKE
Members Insist That They Should have
Wider Authority Over Two Depart
ments if Their Work Is Expected to
be of Value-Examine Applicants.

The police and fire commission of
Kenosha at its melting on Friday
evening, went on record as being in
favor of changing the Wisconsin laws
so as to give police and fire commits
sions more power. The sentiment
among the members of the commission
in Kenosha was unanimous and there
was a feeling that if more power is
not given to the commission to handle
the police and fire departments that
the COMMISSION should be abolished
The discussion Of the proposed legis
lation was the most important feature
of the meeting on Friday evening.
Under the present law the police
and fire commission is purely an adj
visory body and the commission has
no real power whatever. The only
function that it performs is to recon-
mend men for places in the fire and
police department., but the power of
appointment had been given to the
chiefs of the two departments.
One Of the members of the commits
sion, in speaking of the matter this
morning said: II believe the legsla-
ture should either give this commission
more power or that the city ordinance
creating the commission be abolished.
At the present time membership on the
police and fire commission may be an
honor, but the power of a commission
er is decidedly limited. The present
commission has sought with all vigor
to correct defects in the two forces,
but it is confronted by a stone wall.
1t may have power to suggest the ap-
pointment of men as police officers and
firemer, but it has no power to remove
men without long tedious process.
We are not expected to act as sleuths
to get evidence against the men and
we feel that we should have the right
to suspend without charges being pre-
ferred if we are convinced that the
work they are doing is not up to the
standard set by the commission. The
question of the pay of police officers
and fremen should be regulated by the
commission | understand that the
city council has taken another view
Of this question, but at that the COM
mission is favorable to the passage Of
the bill that gives the right of fix
ing pay. to the commission We should
also have the. power to say who shall
be named from eligible lists. Any per-
son who looks at the matter from an
unbiased standpoint will see just how
this thing works out. The commits
sion is entirely subservient to the
wishes of the men who make appoint
ments. Fortunately Kenosha appoint
ments have been made with view of
merit at nearly all times, but at that
the conditions are not what they
] SuUulu nc.
Efforts to make the police and fire
commission collecting agency for a
few people in the city failed utterly
and the commission has declined to take
any steps to force fremen to pay their
bills unless formal charges are preferred
against them. The commissioners have
let it be understood that they consider
being on dead beato lists and intoxi-
cation as good causes for removal Of
members of the force, but they have
held that the simple fact that fireman
or a policeman may owe money is not
1 cause for his removal or suspension.
The commission examined number
] of applicants for. places on the two
forces and these will be certified to the
chiefs of the two departments at once.
Martin Christensen, former desk SER
geant of the police department., was
again placed on the waiting list and it
is probable that he will resume his old
4 place on the force within short time.
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