The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-01-10
Speaks in Behalf of Man
Who Has Been Subjected
to Criticism
HIS EFFICIENCY IN
HANDLING CROWDS
Cleared Up Ellard Assassination at
Direction of Governor 0'Neal.
Has All Requisites Of Good
Police Officer
Age-Herald

To the Editor of The Age-Herald
Since there has been much criticism OF
the police department recently and a
pronounced effort on the part of some
citizens to get rid of Chief George II.
Bodeker by inducing. If possible the COM
mission to make his temporary suspension
permanent, | desire 10 say something in
Bodeker's behalf.
! have known George Bodel1er for many
years. He was good patrolman and a
first class detective and since he be-
came chief five years ago 1 have OBJ
served his record with good deal of
interest. When he was put in charge of
the police force he had men enough to
tpolioe the city well and the fine discipline
that he introduced and maintained was
remarked by persons who were familiar
with the police departments of ether
cities Since our police force has been
cut down Chief Bodeker has done the
best that any man could have done to
give citizens protection.
1t will be recalled that when the Con-
federate veterans reunion was held here
in June. 1908, the city was crowded with
visitors. That reunion was in fact, the
largest affair that Birmingham had ever
witnessed and Chief Bodexer was for
mally and heartily complimented on the
part he played in making the reunion
signal success. Never, perhaps, was
a great crowd better handled
During President Tafts visit we had
another great crowd and again Chief
Bodeker was formally and cordially COM
mended for the excellent order he aain-
tanned.
After the Lewisburg neighborhood bad
been terrorlzed for some time and Felix
j. Ellard had been assassnated Cover
nor o. Neal requested BodeSer to assist
the county Officers In bringing the crim-
inas to justice. With Commissioner
Lanes permission Chief Bodeker sent de-
tectives to Lewisburg and directed the in
vestigations, ] am told. with the result
that Teck Duncan was arrested on the
charge of murder, indicted and convicted
and sentenced, and Duncan finally con-
fessed to the part he had taken in the
Ellard assassination.
regard Chief Bodeker as an excep-
tionally efficient officer. The large cor
porations reward efficiency by retaining
the services of the men who prove them
selves capable and attentive TO their
duties Why should it not be so With
this municipal corporation of ours? Some
men are always ready to find fault and
to propose all sorts of theories for i'm
proving this or that condition, but in
ItBdfu 10 tne pOute department II must
be borne in mind always that no one
can fill the position of chief well unless
he has had experience along police lines
any more than a building inspector could
make a success of his position unless
he knew a good deal about construction
or a fire chief could manage his de-
partment unless, he himself had a prae-
1ical knowledge of fighting fires aud
maintaining discipline.
In other cities various experiments
have been made in police department re-
form, but nowhere has any mere theo-
retical plan proved satisfactory. l es-
TEEN Chief Bodeker as an honest man
and those who know him can testify to
the fact that he has those prerequisites
which a police chief should have--com-
mon sense. insight into human nature
alertness, tact and Acourage-physical and
moral / think Birmingham is fortunate,
indeed, in having a man like Budeker for
its police chief and | know that many
citizens, like myself. take no stock in
the attacks that are being made upon
him.
Mr.. Bodel<er is human. He has faults
like all of us. No man is perfect. Is it
good policy TO dismiss a man who has
rendered many years of faithful service
merely on account of one mistake? We
all know Mr.. Bodeker. He has been tried
and never failed in his duty.
w. II. kETTIG.
Birmingham, January g. 1918.