The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-03-23
MR. WARD EXPLAINS RECOMMENDATION ID JUDGE 4. .. LANE: "Is Duty of Each Commits sioner to Work for Higher
 Efficiency"
DETECTIVE DALY'S
 LETTER TO WARD
Object of Recommendation Was to Establish Clear Line of Demarka- tiOn Regarding Duties of the
 Police and Detectives

Stating that ''it would be unseemly to engage in Sharp words with Judge Lane." President George Ward of the city commission last night issued q for maj statement explaining why he had recommended through Acting Chief of Police Eagan that clear line of de- markation be drawn in regard to .he duties of the police and the detective departments
 President Ward says that it is the duty of every commissioner to suggest | any method that may occur to him | for improvement in "the municipal serv- ice the taxpayers are paying for.' He states Judge Lanes statement was un- called for and says that no member of either the police or detective depart ments will be discharged except by the action of the city commission as a whole
 MT. Ward says:
 Tt would be unseemly to engage in sharp words with Judge Lane. His statement however was uncalled for, and carried one sentence that I propose to take exception to.
 Judge Lane says: If there is anybody connected with the police department who don't see fit to do as I tell him, he may consider himself discharged.' This is a foolish statement. Judge Lane has not the authority to | discharge anybody; furthermore, it is my opinion no man is going to be discharged unless he has done something to be dis charged for--by the commission. It is unfortunate that Judge Lane was not in formed that this recommendation, which | excited him and caused his eyes to snap. was originated by the ardent Bodeker supporter, Officer Daly.
 "It> then would probably have been embraced.
 Tn a casual conversation last Sunday with Officer Daly, who has served Tn all branches of police service. we both came to the conclusion that clear cut 1 line of demarkation between the duties of police department and the detective department specifying the different classes of offences each department should handle, would prevent confusion.
 Departments Conflict 'fIr- seems both departments are now trying to cover everything, sometimes conflicting, and sometimes neglecting im- portant work thinking the other depart ment was following it up. T asked Officer Daily to put his ideas in writing so they would be in proper shape to present to Judge Lane. This he did. I then gave it to Captain Eagan with request that if he approved it to put it in proper shape and submit it to Judge Lane for his consideration and if the judge approved and wished it would vote to pass resolution covering the matter. That was the last heard of it until l saw Judge Lanes explosion in today's paper.
 Tt might be well to say here that the commission, as a whole. governs this city.
 Each Commissioners Duty
 Each commissioner, not only has the right but is in duty bound to suggest any method that will add efficiency to the municipal service that the people are putting up money to get'
 The letter which Officer Daly wrote President Ward, at the latters request, is as follows:
 Relative 10 our conversation regard ing the duties of the detective and police
 Need Informers
 Tt Is well known fact among ex- perienced detectives that they cannot do effective work without informers there fore detectives should not invite the en- mity of certain classes of petit criminals, such as gamblers, bad women, vagrants, etc as this is the class of criminals who usually inform, or act as what is commonly known to detectives as stool pigeons. I do not think that detective should be on intimate terms with these people, but should be on such terms as would lead them to believe that they would not arrest them unless the offense be so apparent that it could not be over looked.
 ''Safeblowers are usually captured by information furnished by whisky men or bad women
 "Pickpockets are usually captured by information furnished by bad women or pool room vagrants. Highway robbers, burglars and sneak thieves are usually caught with the goods, or captured by information furnished by negro vagrants or negro bad women.
 T would therefore suggest that detec- tives not make it their business to arrest this class of criminals and destroy their source of information.
 Work of Detectives
 Detectives should be required to in- yestigate all murders, thefts, accidents and all secret crimes, and should be held responsible for the arrest and conviction of those who are criminally guilty.
 T do not think that detectives should look on and see petit crime openly com mitted, but that they should not be re- quired to seek this class of criminals.
 "A great deal of time is taken up in 9yJinOr noccod <1ro,,o.L