Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-12-07
: wATERvILLE
URGES CIVIL SERVICE
POLICE FOR CITY

II is understood that one Of the
first things TO be taken up by the
newly organized Waterville- Wins
low Chamber OF Commerce Is the
matter Of bringing the police depart
ment urder the civil Service and one
citizen in waterville stated to the
journal that he wished the public
10 know some Of the reasons Why
this step should be taken. Some Of
the facts brought to the attention CT
the Journal are as follows: No doubt
this long hard war will bring about
many changes in our form OF living,
~ well as a few changes in the mode
~ government and one thing we
Will have to do is wake up to the
fact that all modern, live, wide
awake cities are and have adopted
- civil service form of police pro-
lection. something you do not get
under the present political form Of
Lolice service. Not that political po-
ice service don't not want to see
matters attended to in the proper
manner. but conditions are such that
rs brought 10 bear that will influence
the coming election, which will cause
the police officers that try to curb
disorder to be put or voted out OF
office. The matter that the writer
wishes to convey 10 the public is this:
In small city like WaterNille Or
augusta the element that really holds
the balance OF vote is the people VINO
wish to do things their own way ana
break the city and state laws at VIII.
From the present outlook there
s,ems 10 bc enough public sentiment
~ WatctViile that Will take ACTON
81 some early date to put the police
force on "A civil service basis. by so
.ioipg We will be able 10 get CLASS
~ good, clean, rugged men 10 take
M thc work and do a good job ana
UNFOLD tho good morals Of our city
pdcr the prcscn; existing circuih-
stances We change our police force
every two or three years ana SoiiAc
times oftcncr, Would the city want
TO change their school teachers eN-
crv month or so? And would they
opurovc OF the business men chans-
tpu their store clerks every so often'
10 not these same circumstances
upplv 10 branches Of business as II
docs TO any machinery? After YOU
once build up working unit ana
oostrov II the next minute. you are
unsting time and energy. No police
force is worth recognition until II
has seensat least one or more years
Of experience.
Before YOU pass judgment ask the
he
will tell YOU that one does not learn
the first principles of duty INSIDE Oh
wear. We are here in Waterville chang
ing the police force every year. 1t COSTS
money to make the changes this often
and the taxpayers foot the bllls. VINO
are the taxpayers? You, and the other
fellow. Under the present condition OF
things a police officer has this put up
to him from time to time You arrested
my brother for being drunk or lighting
n YOU don let him go we have five or
'seven votes in our family. We Will Tx
YOU II YOU don't let him go, and the
whole crowd This is very encouraging
Ia an officer who is trying to do his
duty. You might say: Never mind what
thIs person says DO your duty. That
IL all right and sounds good, but you
come right back to the big fellow. make
him obey the laws and make him live
up To all city and state laws, automo-
bile laws, rubbish laws, keeping open
sunday. etc. II he was in a position to
hire an ex-police officer that had made
MN live I'D to some law relating to auto
specdinr. do YOU think he would secure
a position? An incident of that kind
happened right here in the city when
one member of the Watervlle police
force tried to secure a position. and he
was blamed for trying to enforce tho
state auto law. One of the prominent
citizens Of the city appeared the first OF
the season with 1917 license and when
approached by the officer he said that
he knew the laws of Maine and that he
nd not care to he told what he already
knew. This man was one of the big tax
Payers in the city and OF course it put
The ofvtccr in an embarrassing position.
The next legislation is close at hand
aud we want to see all live. wideawake
citizens come to the rescue and put the
police force In Watervile on a working
basis like those of Portland. Bangor
and Lewiston. There are a good many
different plans for a civil service law,
and Lewiston has Just nut one into eff
icct after hghting for Hhont y year"