Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-02-15
.|NS|sTENT DEMAND FOR
THOROUGH INQUIRY
Mayor Expected to Act Promptly in
Regard to Police
Board
no DOUBT OF MAYORS POWER
Charter Provisions as TO His Right
to Investigate anG Remove Officials
for Malfeasnnce in Office Are Ex-
plicit.

! 1nsistent demand for n thorough
going Investigation OF the Board of Po-
iico commissioners. especially in regard
to allegations that individual members
used their influence for the protection
! of disreputablc resorts located outside
of the segregated district, Is rapidly
coming to focus. Mayor Ainslle has
| been In conference with representative
! leaders OF both branches OF the City
Council, has consulted members of the
Vice Commission, and may be expected
! to take definite steps looking to such
an investigation shortly.
| Some members OF the Police Board
! have demanded such an investigation:
| others have indicated that they would
f, be ready to meet inquiry into their
own conduct at the proper time, though
they do not seek it, and still others
either decline to comment on the stu
alton or assert that there WAS nothing
I In the report of the Vice Commission
charging them with any delinquency.
MORE VICE OUTSIDE THAN
IN SEGREGATED DISTRICT
J The Vice Commissions report showed
/ that the various forms OF vice pre-
: valcnt in American cities are present
in greater or less degree in Richmond.
| That part of the report was 10 sur
prise. But the feature of the report
was the statement that the commission
had found 200 inmates within the seq
regated district. and 400 of similar
charact scattered about the city.
TO assume that the Police Depart
| ment was Ignorant of the existence of
such conditions would be to imply n
stupidity no one would charge against
oil ,fynl
! more. the Vice Commission gained its
/ Information in part from police officers
| whom 1t called on to testify, and in It's
I report says that because those officers
! told the truth when questioned, they
/ will hereafter need protection from the
revenge OF their supcriors-presumab Y
| the Board Of Police Commissioners.
! That board alone has the right to hire"
and fire" policemen.
REPORT NO. . MAY TAKE
! UP NEW PHASE OF SUBJECT
Individual members OF the Vice Com
! mission have taken the ground that
| it was no part Of the duty OF that body
| to investigate and report on the con-
| duct of city officials. Conditions not
| individuals, was their view In drafting
! their first report. though 1t Is limited
that the forthcoming report No. o.
may take the matter up from another
angle and discuss the probabilities of
! lettering conditions in the future while
! the strings OF law enforcement are held
! in the hands which have In the past
! allowed such conditions to obtain.
The grand jury has been suggested as
an Investigating body. and there is no
doubt Of its broad powers. But the
yelled charges Of the Vice Commission
do not allege criminal ofrcnses. Rather
they hint at malfcasance or misfeas-
! ance in public Office. which, il proved.
y u .l.l1 H.
: from office, but not TO criminal prose-
! cution.
NO DOUBT OF MAYORS POWER
TO HOLD JUDICIAL INQUIRY
This leaves the way open to an in
vestiEation either by the Mayor sitting
! in judicial capacity. or to n specially
appointed committee of the City Coun-
ell. The charter says of the Mayor:
"He shall exercise constant super
| vision over the conduct Of all subordi-
nate officers, have power and authority
! to investigate their acts, have access
i to all books and documents in their
! offices. and may examine said officers
and their suhordinates under oath He
shall also have power to suspend or re-
move such officers for misconduct In
| office. or neglect OF duty, to he spccl :
| fed In the order Of suspension or re-
movnl hut no such removal shall be
made without reasonable notice to the
officer complained OF. and an oppor-
/ tunity afforded him to be heard in his
| defense"
The Mayor, by virtue Of his Office.
possesses all the powers OF n Justice OF
tho peace, and may administer oaths to
! witnesses. Precedent for the exercise
OF such power Is given in the action OF
! FORMER Mayor n. c. Richa rdson, who
SUSPENDED n former CITY Collector for
shortage in his accounts
PLENTY OF PRECEDENT FOR
( COUNCIL INVESTIGATION
There is greater precedent for an in
NesttRation by specially appointed
committee OF the City Council acting
under Council resolution empowering
/ 1t to summon witnesses, examine them
/ on oath and compel the production OF
books and papers. The Investigations
! OF the telephone franchise conducted
by Former Alderman John II. Minor.
OF the Settling Basin nume by Coun-
Gilman Gilbert X. Pollock. OF the meth
DDS of the City School Board and OF
the conduct Of certain Councilmen as
III appearing az counsel for parties be-
fore the Board OF Health. are we'll
known cases In point.
! The charter says: THE CITY Coun-
Gil or any OF it's committees when au-
thoriZed by the said Council. the BOA rtl
of Police commissioners and the Boar
! OF Fire commissioners. may each, in
any investigation held by them. re-
spcctively. within their respective pow
! ers and duties, order the attendance OF
any person as n witness. and the pro-
duction by any person of all proper
books and papers"
/ Witnesses at such investigation, the
charter provides, may be sworn by the
presiding officer, and shall he liable for
. prosecution for perjury for any false
testimony given ut such investigation"
MEMBERS OF BOARD MAY NE
"REMOVED FOR GOOD CAUSF''
The provision in the charter creating
the Board of Police Commissioners pro-
vides that the members of said board
may he removed for good cause at any
time by vote of two-thirds of tho
members elected to the Council"
The fear voiced in some quarters tina I
llNH ST ipali ion liz Tho Council LII