The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-06-03
HEl1ggllE ! l
HEAR REGULATIONS
NEW SET or RULES PROMULGATED
~ BOARD ron THEIK DAILY
BEHAVIOUR.
TO KEEP CLOSE TAB
CAN ENTER SALOONS ONLY IN
STRICT LINE or DUTY AND
MUST NOT STOP TO LUNCH
AT COUNTER.
TO KEEP CLOSE TAB

Reels OF red tape have unwound
their insidious length about police
headquarters and the plain clothes
men are beginning to wonder whether
they will find time for real detective
work while they are safeguarding
themselves against infraction Of the
sacred rules.
The new regulations, adopted by a
committee from the board Of police
sioners Mccarthy, Gordon and Boy
kin, we're read to the detective squad
Sunday morning. The reading oc-
cupied a large part Of the morning. 1t
was a solemn occasion as the men sat
around, with mouths agape, listening
to the new method OF living adopted
for them and to the regulations which,
under pain of heavy penalty, they
must always remember and hold in
high regard.
For one thing. their regular work
ing hours have been heightened from
eight hours to nine. They must re-
port at headquarter now at $3.50 A.
M. and final roll call is at $3.50 P. NJ.
They must make out daily reports OF
their progress on all casea assigned.
They are not allowed to go into
saloons except ON business only, and
they must report every OCCASION on
which they enter saloon and give
the reason therefor. They must en-
ter no other place Of i'll repute except
for good business reason.
May Enter Hotels.
Saloons and all places in which
bars are operated, except hotels, are
barred to them even to get their
meals. Many OF the saloons conduct
cheap lunch counters. where the de-
| tectives are accustomed to take their
meals when they have not time in
which to GO home. They may, how
ever. enter hotels, where the prices
for meals are hardly in accordance
with their pocketbooks
In order that they may not be un-
duly influenced by the politicians and
others who gather nightly at the cor
ner of Eighth and Broad streets the
detectives have been requested not
! to stand there, even when off duty. At
first this was embodied in the regula-
tons, but, after mature considera-
ton, the rule was changed to re-
| quest. Eighth and Broad is recog-
nized as a malignant spot of evil in
huence, where the plain clothes men
who hold nightly vigil there. Several
forgot themselves last night but
moved hastily when one Of them sud-
denly remembered the request.
Keep Tab on Selves.
Later, as soon as the blanks are
received from the printer the men
will be required to make a daily writ
| ten report of all their movements.
Thus each will be able to keep tab
on himself and the others. For in
stance, one man might see twenty
! five suspicious characters somewhere
4 out in jackson ward. He will report
! the event. giving q detailed descrip-
ton OF each "suspish," so that one
of the other detectives might be able
to spot among them the very man he
| is looking for. This is expected to
eight men, exclusive OF the captain, on
the plain clothes squad, and II. for
instance, each man should spot
! twenty-five suspicious characters in
one night and every detective catch
another detectives find. short shrift
would be made of All the bad people
in the world. Richmond would soon
quiet that the people would waste
away from very -ennui.
| There are other fancy frills to be
added to the regulation routine, so
that IL all are followed out to the
letter, each man will walk with a
halo above his head and earn a firm
place among the redeemed. However.
| tneFe may De a llltie time IoF real
work, and the regulations will not
| be made to suffer.
| Conditions Are Better.
Though conditions are acknowl-
edged to have improved Of them
selves recently. the new regulations
were not adopted nor even suggested
until after the discharge from the
force Of former Sergeant Bolton. Then
certain members Of the board awoke
to the fact that changes were needed.
Though to speak aught against any
member Of the board or against any
superior officer Ii high treason, pun
ishable by summary discharge, the de-
tectives are wondering why the new
regulations were not adopted long ago.
They feel that they are doing their
duty a. we'll as they ever did, and their
friends are regarding the letters of
some Of the new rules as unjust. One
OF the members OF the board IL en-
gagged in the whiskey trade, and 1t ID
said that II was he who was 20 strenu-
GUS in adopting the rule against en-
tering saloons even for lunch.
The work OF q detective takes him
into all sorts Of places at all manner