Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1918-07-06

| they ever suspected Sherry Of being
| dcrciict or hcsitant in the performance
| oil his duties, or that he was under
! amy improper influence. Ccrtainlli
| lh"y both kept him rs captain Of his
! district when either could have rcduc
| ca hlm III rank Il; any moment
captain Pollock has lcCn clerk and
secretary of the department for near
~ sixteen years. Ills duties arc Who'll
~ clerical. Two years ago he was
made purchasing agent by charter
| amendment. He had TO be made a
member Of the force to obtain his scr
| vices. there being no other way in
which he could be employed bui Inc.
never did a days police duty to my
| knowledge. never saw him in uni.
FORM ana doubt if he has one. He is
an expert stcnographcr clerk and
| hcokkccper and Is tho paymastcr Of
! the force. He has handled millions
OF dollars Of public funds without the
loss or displacement Of Il penny. IIo
was repeatedly elected to his post.
ton without opposition because of
his efficiency. I have been in his
| Office practically every day and T new
| or saw him there or elsewhere when
he appeared to be under the influence
| or liquor nor has any chief OF police
or other policeman ever made report
| or statement TO me to that effect.
HAS GIVEN CHIEF FREE HAND.
AS l was very familiar with the
arguments made against the old char
| ter provisions under which the board
OF police commissioners managed the
department in detail, not only in its
liSca' affairs bu. in the appointment
of members of the force the promo
ton, demotion punishment dismissal
ara even the assignments of policemen.
| was well aware that the changes in
the charter were deliberately made,
ana that they plainly expressed the in
tention greatly to enlarge the powers
OF the chief of police by giving him
The direct authority over the members
"l the force formerly had by the
hoard. The char.cr provides that:
1.-THE chief Of police shall be respon
s'blc TO the mayor for the discipline
ana efficiency of tho force" aud in
order to shoulder that responsibility
the chief was given the widest pow
crs oil appointment, promotion. demo
ton and other punishmenis including
dism ssals, when the same shall DO
III tao Judgment of tho chef OF police
Tor the good OF the service" My con
ception of the proper performance Of
my duties WAS and is that l should
give the chief free hand in all mat
lcrS which were made his specific du-
lies. This l have scrupulously done
l have dealt with the chief OF police
on:y 1T not being good practice or
good law to deal with captains or
other members OF the force. Each
chief was given specific and unquali
fled orders to enforce all laws, the
manner means and selection of men
to carry out such orders being leH
to him, and each has repeatedly as
sured mo that he was doing his best
l submit That IS proper management
and that any other would have the
bad effect of undermining the chiefs
authority over the force and would
have subjected me to the just criticism
! OF improper interference which was the
complaint against the board of com
missioners.
do not understand the duties OF
tho mayor under the charter to be
those OF a detective to slcuth around
personally to try TO catch bootleggero
and prostitutes. Nor do l understand
them to be those Of ely cop" to
spy upon the police. Neither is he
| merely another chief of police. The
law hardly intended to provide for
| two chiefs with the same duties a
mayor must place confidence in the
chief Of police until that confidence
| is forfeited. His remedy then as con
templatcd by law is IL new chief OF
police not resignation as has been
| suggested by some of my critics.
MAYORS EFFORT TO ENFORCE
| LAW
l affirm thct my whole attitude has
been for the enforcement OF law ass
| well as in humanity possible. Nearly
! 1000 arrests in three years for viola
! tons Of laws against gambling vice
| and liquor selling should mean some
| thing. / have never given chief OF
| police word gesture or look that
could be properly interpreted TO the
| contrary. l have turned over to the
chiefs dozens of anonymous complaints
and tips. TO attempt to hold me per
sonally responsible for conc :tions al
| legged to exist as il l favored caused
| or cOnnived at them IS unfair unjust
illogical. l have performed ny duties
! faithfully consciel.tiously and accord
ihS W Ia" anu what Is cohSlucFcu
good business management. We are
living under unusual conditions and
| have unusual problems. TO put from
thirty to forty thousand men within
two hours ride of us SHOULD have been
expected to give Us q changed and
more difficult problem. That has hap
pcned in every city near camp or
cantonmcnt but I cannot subscribe
| to the theory that Richmond is sccth
ing mass Of disease vice and corrupt
ion.