Evening journal., 1914-04-29
SLEEPY policemen
GET into trouble
President Bowers Tells Men
the Practice Injuries the
Department
DEFER DECISION
FOR THE WEEK

While the police surgeons have re-
ported officers of the local police depart
ment suffering from grip and other all
ments recently they have discovered no
cases of sleeping sickness among the
men. The Board of Police Commission
ers at their meeting yesterday. how
ever, declared that some drastic mRs-
ures would have to be found whereby
the men could be kept awake while pa
trolling their districts. This statement
was made by President Bowers while
the police commission was hearing
charges of neglect of duty against Pa
trolman George Gilling and William r..
Todd yesterday. Both soflicers were
charged with sleeping while on duty.
The officers pleaded guilty. Officer
Gillng saying; Il simply yielded to
human nature and went off nodding."
officer Gilling explained that rest dur
ing the day time at this time of the
year was made impossible by fish men
and hucksters. After hearing the evi-
dencc the commissioners continued the
cases of the officers and that OF PATROL
man George Sutton, who was charged
with being late. for one week.
In hearing the charges, President
Bowers said that he had no desire to be
hard on the men in the department but
that it had become the rule lately to
have an officer arraigned every meeting
day on charge of missing report,
being late or being asleep while on
duty. Mr.. Bowers said it was a serious
matter, and he thought the lenieney
shown in the past had been responsible
for much of the criticism directed
against the department 1t was also
stated that during the past four
months 35 patrolmen had been before
the board on the three charges and
the total number last year was 10.
MIR. Bowers concluded by saying that
he thought the officers would endeavor
to remain awake and avoid in that
manner the criticir-o directed against
the department
General Wickersham. in addressing
the three officers made il plain that he
did not approve of officers sleeping while
on duty. lie said the police depart
ment when ON duty must always be
awake. The matter was a serious one.
General Wickersham said and while the
officer was nodding for a brief space
Of time that was always the time that
something occurred.
Patrolman Todd, who was charged
with being late in making report,
pleaded guilty, saying he fell asleep
while sitting on doorstep. Officer Todd
said he felt his position keenly, it being
his first appearance before any board on
any charge after % years service in
the department President Bowers said
he was sorry TO see Officer Todd be
fore them, as he, Mr.. Bowers. had hoped
chat the officer would be the one man
to leave the department with clean
record.
Officer Gilling gave the same excuse
as Officer Todd. while patrolman Sutton
said he had overlooked the time. After
hearing all the evidence. the commits
sioners reserved their decision.
The Chamber OF Commerce sent a
communication TO the department pro-
testing against the issuing Of permits
for circuses 10 be given here ON Satur-
days. The communication was in the
form Of a resolution and the police com
missioners ordered il filed The depart
ment mas no authority in the matter OF
issuing such permits, however