The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-05-21
SHARP CRITICISM OF CONDUCT OF HEAD
 OF POLICE BOARD.
Citizen Points Out How Power Has Been Usurped to the : Detriment of the De-
 partnent.
Bridgeport, Conn, May 20. '14.

To the Editors of the Farmer:
 in the press,
 morning and evening of the Siemon-
 De Maritime case 1t occurred to me
 Honorable Board of Police Commis- sioners who Issued orders to the Om-
 cers of the Police Department to sup press any information about the identity. Of the man or driver of the autonaobile that struck and killed MT.
 DeMartino are criTnina1ly liable. And in view Of the fact that the board of
 Police Commissioners who. (accordfng to the charter) are only admindstra- tive head of the department, and cam not act in an executive capacity, acted in high handed manner in the case and should be prosecuted if any charge can be found in law that he could be Indicted under. To my way of thinking, absolutely no blame can be attached to either Superintendenf rrnlns sna m, p1s Arnold or DetectiyA Sergeant Cronan | in the premises, as the present Board of Commissioners seems to have a. n1as- nial for usurping the duties specihed; for the executive heads of the Dee partrneut. and for any Oficer or Pa from the President of that august body, the sHonorab1e Board of Po- lice Commissioners" would be equiv l alent to handing in a resignation
 forthwith. for Summary measures
 would be used on the one so offend ing.
 Many citizens of our city. are await ing the stand that will be taken by the mayor in this matter and unless the
 autocratic president of the board ar-i
 ticfpates the mayors action it is the opinion Of many that there will be a new face at the boards meetings in the near future. and let us hope it will be one who will let the guilty know that they must pay the penal ties for any transgressions of the laws of this conraonweaI be they rich or poor.
 If Mrs. DeMartino, when she refus- ed to give any information about re- ceiying money from the person who was driving the automobile that caused the death Of her husband, was liable to arrest. charged with com pounding 2 felony; Whyl ask, in all fairness. is not the Police Com nnissioners who ordered the hush treatment, guilty of a like offense. To
 my way of thinking he is more liable to censure inas1nl1ch as he is or ness Of protecting the guilty party from arrest by the executive officers of fhe Department.
 Not finger can be pointed at the executive heads of the department or any of the men under their com mand, forzif they were permitted to use their own Judgment they would do their full duty in any case com ing to them and we would not at this Hate day be reading the sensational
 news that is now appearing in the papers of the city placing under Ire a, Idepartment that is known. respected and feared by the professional crooks Of this and other countries. ANy- one residing in Bridgeport for twenty five or more years, can, by slight Jogging of their memory, cite many cases that were just as complicated and mysterious as the one now under fire and the same men, with the same brains. but with far different Board of Commissioners worked them out and brought the guilty ones to 1 task. Some were executed and oth- l CTS served long terms in prison. If anyone reading this are skepticaI. let lthem consult the hles of the Bridge 1 i9port papers for a few years back and they can get the same information that have.
 It is too bad that the magnificent reputation gained by our Department 1 for efficiency should be threatened by
 with the men. in the performance of I their sworn duty and if censure be placed on the executive officers of the department it is unfair and should be
 met with a vigorous protest by the 1 taxpayers and if all signs don't go astray, 1t will be so met. This high
 handed business must stop.
 l Thanking you in advance for the
 space required to spread this cdn-
 munication before the public Tn your
 paper.
 l am. Gentlemen.
 l Very Sincerely, A CITIZEN.