Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1919-10-19
POLICE BOMBS
Are PUZZLE TO
CITY COUNCIL
Bonding Concerns Want Some
Protection Against Suits Be-
fore Taking Risks-No
Solution in Sight.


Bonding Omaha policemen Is not.
one of the most desirable forms Of
business, according to statements
made yesterday before the city eoun-
Gil.
This matter has been pending for
some time and does not seem to be
much nearcr solution than It was
Z month ago.
New policemen are being appoint
ed and Police Commissioner Ringer
is anxious to obtain bonds for them,
but there seems to be reluctance
among the surety companies.
The formal action of the council
yesterday was that the Lion Bonding
and Surety company and the Amer
lean Bonding and Casualty COM
pany may write the business if they
will agree to the requirements Of
the city, one requirement being a
continuous bond.
Wants Qualifying Clause.
L. w. Young, local representative
OF the American Bonding and
Casualty company, appeared before
The council and applied for some
Of this bonding business, but he
maintained that his company should
reserve the right to approve or re-
ject any applicant for a bond and
also stood for form of bond that
would be renewed from year to
year, unless there were reasons for
cancellation.
I'VE wish to investigate appli-
cants before they are bonded and
are willing to give the city the
benefit of our Investigations, sad
] Mr.. Young. 1--WE also would ask
for a cancellation clause which
would enable us to cancel any bond
within a reasonable time, say ten
lays. We may not, for instance,
want to bond Detectives Herdzina
Df Sutton, and we should have that
right"
Three representatives of the
American company made fight be-
fore the council for the privilege OF
competing with-the Lion company
for this business, but hen they
learned of the requirements of the
city they were not so keen tor the
BUSINESS.
u Company Submits Proposition.
The Lion company week before
last made the city 4 proposition
which appeared to be the best that
could be obtained. This company Of
Tered to writea continuous form of
bond with the understanding that
the city would cooperate in the col
lection of $40 per year from each po-
liceman and that the city legal de-
partment would defend damage suits
brought against policemen.
IL After the American company's
Representatives had stated their case
to the council this morning, Police
Commissioners Ringer called E. r.
Quincy of the Lion company over
the telephone to ask him whether
iii would be agreeable to his COM
pany if the council should throw
the business open to other COM
panies, or whether his proposition
contemplated all of the business Or
none.
Says Welcome to It.
IF other companies want some
Of this business, may the Lord bless
thcm," replied Mr.. Quincy. I'VE
made our proposition because we
thought we were doing a public
service"
It is now up to the city legal
department to arrange form OF
bond that will be agreeable to the
bonding companies, and it is further
understood that the American COM
lpany wishes to reserve the privilege
of determining through its own in
vestigction department whether a
policeman is entitled to bond and
also to have the privilege of cancel
ling policeman's bond for cause,
without having to wait tor the ac-
ton of the superintendent of the
police department or the city
council.
Study Their Risks.
The present Discrimination of the
bonding companies to regard po-
licemen as good risks has been
caused by the unlawful acts of
members of the police department
during the last year. These COM
panies maintain personal records of
policemen and watch carefully all
matters which may affect their
status as risks
The high-handed acts of the NOR
gals squad, recently disbanded,
caused the bonding companies to
shrink from assuming these risks.
The shooting of soldier who had
not committed felony, the murder
of q bellboy at the Plaza hotel, the
repeated invasion Of private homes
without warrants, and other unlaw-
full activities, have placed . ban
upon the indemnity bonds for po-
licemen.
There was time when eompeti-
ton was keen for this business; to-
day it is a different story. It ap-
pears that the city will be required
TO accept bonds which may be re-
l ncwed from year to year and also
accept the proposition of granting
the bonding companies the privilege
to cancel a policeman's bond at the
pleasure of the company.
Al n IT oil