South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-07-27
Too Late Now to Order New
Uniforms. Regulation Should
Have Come at Beginning
of Season S Opinion.
SHIRTWAIST DISLIKED
FOR DISPLAY OF GUNS
Question of Expense Also En-
terS-LiningIeSS PIue Serge
Coats Suggested for Tenn
pOrary Relief.

Peuef for the city police force
from their heavy uniforms in these
davs of sweltering suns is matter
that is likely TO come before the
board OF safety at its meeting FRIDAY
il developing that other pohceIneh
than traffic officers are feeling the
effects OF the weather, while the or
der issued two weeks ago, and then
recalled by the board, applied 10
traffic officers only. The recall re-
suited from dissatisfaction on the
part Of the officers, with the kind OF
relief afforded.
AT the meeting Of the board July
10 a resolution was passed permit
ting traffic officers to lay aside their
coats and appear at their posts in
shirt waists. The objection was
that il would necessitate a clean
shirt waist every day, which would
be expensive for the men; that some
davs the coats would be desirable
and, above all. the officers did not
like the idea of wearing hreaIms'
exposed TO the public. Chief Kerr
added TO this his objection that the
absence of the coat would detract
from the evident authority Of the OF
fcer, vet the order went out anu
the traffic men would have appeared
July 20. in their shirt waists, had not
Pres Augustine and Commissioner
IAlUnRT0 QlIEClEu 4Lo ANNtAAAt 49,
objections had been submitted 10 the
latter nv the officers themselves.
Suggests Summer Suits.
What should have been done,
said Chief Kerr, speaking or the SIT
nation today, was suggested by me
back I'm May. and that was that each
of the officers be required TO secure
"a lightweight coat-and-pant- regula-
ton style and color uniform Tor the
summer. laying aside their heaVy
uniforms to be resumed in the fall.
I-nder that plan the officers could
change from light 70 heavy wear ana
vice versa, without il being noJlce-
able TO the public. Some klnu OF
regulation hat should also De pro-
Vided."
IL appears. however. that since the
rules provide that policemen provide
their own uniforms. so far as the eN-
pense of II goes, the board did not
feel like requiring them TO purchase
an extra suit for the summer. and no
action was taken on Chiet Kerr ;
recommendation. and now IL Is ar
.,,ued that il is too late in the season
since in another month or six weeks
about the time the suits would ar
rive. they would be out of season
The chief asserts that he wilt make
an extra effort TO get such regula-
tion through next year, and Is OF the
OnlnlOn Nldl AltAN VIII ht 49, -
position from the board.
The temporary relief that may be
suggested to the board next may be
OF the nature OF a blue serge, un-
lined coat. to he rebuilt locally with
military collar. The agitation, how
ever appears To come mainly from
outside the force. since whenever the
subject is preached. the officers al
Wavs raise the question of expense.
The department never has provided
the officers with uniforms. other than
TO guarantee payment for them. ana
do what il can 10 obtain them for the
men at the lowest possible cost II
has been the experience of years
that for a city to provide its police
officers with clothes makes them
more or less reckless in the care of
them.
ct an partial 10 the uniform
coat" saws Chief Kerr. The shirt
waist idea does not suit me, yet had
the traffic officers not objected, the
order made by the board would have
Geen in effect on July 20. 1t would
have gone into effect anyway but Tor
the board recalling IL. would ike
10 have seen il tried out.
The chief states that summer uni
forms can be had-two pieces-aI
about SIS a suit. Some kind OF sum-
mer hat. or helmet or cap. Is also
included I'm his recommendations
not. as before stated. his Judgment Is
that an order for summer clothing
should be made in the spring when
the men can have their full benent
for the season. Heretofore, II IS
said that the officers have always
gone through the summer with thelr
regular clothing. discarding only
their vests and some Of them wear
ing only an undershirt.