Evening journal., 1918-01-05

citizens, concerning the matters enquir-
ed about.
You seem TO be most concerned about
the system OF imposing fines on mem-
bers of the police force for derellction
Of duty. In the flrst place the trial ses-
slons Of our board are open to the
public. and have always been. News
paper men are present. You or your
members can attend any Of such trials
they choose.
Your letter states as follows I'VE
know that there is no law that per
/ mits your board 20 fine men certain
days pay. We submit the following TO
controvert your statement;
! An ordinance passed by the City
Council at City Hall December n, ieii
/ for the regulation Of the Police Depart
ment. states at section e should any
policeman neglect or refuse 70 perform
The duties Of his ONCE he
shall for every such Offense be fined
not less than ten dollars. or De sus-
pended or discharged, at the discretion
Of the Mayor.
CHAPTER 223. Volume i9. Laws OF Del
aware. enacted May s., 1891. states. I'm
CARRYING out and effecting the purposes
and object of this act. the said Board Of
Police Commissioners shall be clothed
with an the powers and stand In the
same position in relation to the or
eanization. control and management OF
the police force as that occupied by
the Nay0r.
The act of the General Assembly pass
ed az Dover. April IS, 1898, which is the
act under which the present Board oi
Police Commissioners is operating IN
the same identical language gives the
Police Commissioners the same powers
as those enjoyed by the earlier COM
mission and still earlier by the Mayor.
Furthermore, the act OF April IS,
1898. expressly states in section 8, the
y ordinances, rules and regulations Of the
, said city now in force relating TO the
. police department shall remSin 10 force
, untn the same are changed IN whole
or in part BY the said Board Of Police
+ Commissioners.
The rule under which the Board Of
Z Police Commissioners is now acting
, adopted May 49, 1902, reads as follows
Rule %. Any member Of the police
y force may be punished by the Board
= Of Police Commissioners In their dis
cretion, either by reprimand, Withhold
n ing paw for "a period not exceeding
S thirty DAYS for any one offense, by q
n suspension from active duty FOR a per
4 iod Of not more than two weeks, OF by
n dismissal from the force upon conYic'
y lion Of any Of the following Of
fenses,
q n would seem clear that the bosrC
y has an unchallenged legal right TO iln'
II members OF the force for derelictioI
of duty. You challengc our right g
,r fine certain days pay and force th'
.e men TO work at the same time.
! AS shown above. which the records
> of the Police Department viii ais'
n show. this practice has been iR Nogu
,i fof a generation or more; therefore
n your charge "solely a practice formu
a lated by yourselves j. absolutely un
NJ true. This commission does, however
h approve Of this method. which has 81
h Ions been IN practice in the Police DE
n nsrtment Of Wilmington, ana othe
81 well regulated departments thrOushou
of this country
n, NIavor managed the police force. gaV
him The right TO fine not less than te
- dollars Tho 1902 rule. under whic
q. we are operating, provides that day
:. nav shall be the unit for determlnin
30 Inc amount Of fine. We take II TO
eo granted that members OF the force fe'
~ y thaf they are punished In accordanc
with the amount OF money they er
fined. whether such amount be ia
.c onounf say ten dollars or twenty do
~ lars or whether such amount IS in
90 equivalent of two, three or five day
IL nav. Il is the amount Of money ths
lu measures the punishment cerlalnl'
and not the manner In which th
e. amount Of money Is computed.
g- The chief reason why we prefer
he reckon fines on the days pay basis
ia That we regard it as more Just basi
is inherent members Of the force receN
)s- difforent salaries. 10 is certainly mol
Ies cnlnablo for a highly paid ranking o
I've Ocor a. bc derelct in duty than for
ny new, potrolman. For this reason thr'
davs' nav Ane for o sergeant right
in amounts to moro than the same peri'
en- fine for a patrolman on the lowest sa
ire ayy basis. This surely must CONNER
he itself 10 your judgment
,et In addition were we 10 fine policem.
"a flat amounts. differing according TO q
oYense we arc sure that the varyu
amounts of such fines would be tue o
-. casion for constant dissatisfaction;
49, would be humanity imposslole' TAXI
into consideration lines imnosen lro
r, time to tine. to arrive at a lust amou
rs 10 flne under every circumstance.
sNVe trust that we have answered yo
:: inquiries and express the hope that
Ia the future when you doubt the wisdo
IL or integrity OF our acts as officials
Mr. the city, YOU will first make sure
your facts before makine BLANK
her charges. in public.
We Yours very truly
Of The Board Of Police Commissioners,
ner George Black
lu- Secretal
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-. ,InnE ENI ISTNIENIs