New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1917-02-16
Se1gt. Herring Resigns TO
Uphold Dignity and Honor
~
Efficiency Police Departm Blasted BY Petty Politics
of Majority Members on Board of Public SAT-
.. ety-What Will Qugley Do :?

as tney are, and maintained THAT his
course was the only one he could take
and uphold his self respect.
Naturally" he said, II am working
for promotion and not demotion, but
not along the lines of having others
work for me, trying to get a pull" or
to influence those in power. I have
never secured advancement in this way
and never can. Undoubtedly I have
made mistakes, possibly many of them,
but 1 have done my duty as I saw it
and have tried to be absolutely fair
and honest in my service for the city.
I have no grievance against anyone,
but, under present conditions, can see
no future for myself in the depart
ment"
Continuing, he said, that if there
was any question as to ability, or COM
plant about conduct, he would well
come charges so that he might de-
fend himself. He expressed disap-
prevail of, what he considers, a yelled
attack upon him.
Would Interfere With Authority.
IF I accepted the demotion and
went on street duty" he said, "what
discipline would I be able to COM
mand? If it were necessary to repri-
right in, saying, openly or behind my
back, that I had little right to repri-
mand them inasnouch as I was not con-
sidered capable Of holding down a
desk sergeancy. Should have occa-
sion to report conduct of men to the
safety board, what credence or sup
port do you suppose I would receive
from men who do not consider me q,
sufficiently competent officer to hold
the place that I formerly held?"
For a time, he expects to return to
his trade of cigarmaker, has already
received three lucrative offers of po-
sitions, and feels that he can earn
nearly as much, at the start, as in the
police department.
Sergeant Herting was appointed to
the regular police department April 1,
1907, after an excellent record of sew
eral years service as a supernumerary
officer. When the late Capt. Patrick
Lee was retired and Capt T. w. Grace
promoted from a sergeancy, Sergeant
Herting was advanced July 1, 1909,
to fill the vacancy and has been as
signed to desk duty since. He is a
native of Hartford. He lives at $50
Arch street.
The resignation, according to opin-
the beginning Of the state Of chaos
in the department predicted by Chair
man Babcock when voicing his OBJ
iections to procedure of Commission
ers Steele and Moran in interfering
with the handling of routine police
matters by Chief Rawlings. In the
original order, the quarterly shifting
of the four sergeants was ordered 40
f.
! ment". Chairman Babcock went on
record~ in opposition, strenuously
| voicing his objections. but was out
voted. A storm of protests followed.
Chairman Babcock being backed up
by men prominent in the civic and
political life of the city. The orig
| inal order would have sent Detective
rSergeant Samuel Bamforth out on
street duty in uniform and brought j
| street sergeant, inexperienced in the
many details of modern sleuth work,
| into the detective bureau with it's
equipment of photography, finger
| print system and other apparatus.
! Public opinion, pleas of Mayor Quig-
! ley and other prominent men caused
| q modification of the original ruling
] and it was so formulated as to affect
only the three uniformed sergeants
The order was supposed to go into
! effect January l and at several safe
| ty board sessions either Commissioner
Steele or Commissioner Moran ex-
pressed much concern about whether
it had become operative and inquired
! as to when it would. Owing to the
/ illness at o'clock. At that time
there were only two street sergeants
! for it to affect.
Sergeant Herting's resignation will
be brought up before the safety board
at its meeting Tusday night, unless
there is special meeting before that
date. Chairman Babcock said that
/ he will take no action on it's accept