Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1919-12-23
MAYOR AND URE
ARE OPPOSED TO
RINGER P 0L|CY
Composite Police "Commis'
sioner" Has First Dis
agreemnt Over Authori-
ty of PattuIIo.

Mayor Smith and Commissioners
IRE and Ringer, the new composite
police commission, had their first
disagreement in city council yes
terday. when the mayor and Mr..
IRE expressed opinions adverse to
TIE wishes of Mr.. Ringer.
Last week Mr. Ringer tacitly
agreed to fall in line with the mayor
and Mr.. IRE on police department
policies, in an effort to bring order
out Of the chaotic condition of the
police department and to yield to the
insistent demands of business men
who have been saying some plain
things to the city commissioners
The Fight Is On.
The duties and rank of the new
police inspector, Andrew Pattullo,
who was appointed last Saturday
right by Chief OF Police Eberstein,
precipitated a near-riot in the city
council chamber. in connection with
a new police department salary
ordinance which was recommended
for passage.
Police Commissioner Ringer stated
that in an ordinance he is preparing,
he will make it plain that he wants
the Inspector to be the ranking Of
ficer next to chief of police so that
when the chief is absent, there will
be no question as to authority.
Mayor Smith and Commissioner
IRE insisted that there should be no
interference with the chief of the
detectives department.
Commissioner Zimman suggested
that Mr.. Ringer should so on an
other two weeks trip to determine
Just what the duties of the inspec-
tor should be. Mr.. Ringer explained
that while the inspector will be IN
charge of the uniform men and the
chief of detectives will direct the de-
tective department, he wanted it un-
derstood that the inspector should
rank next to the chief of police.
Opposes Any Interference.
"The chief of detectives should
have absolutely a free hand the
mayor said, "and if / hear that the
chief or anybody else is interfering
with the work of the chief of detec-
t;ves, | will oppose such interior
ence.
When Mr.. Ringer asserted, In
the absence of the chief OF police
the Inspector would be in charge OF
the police department. Commis-
sioner IRE replied:
mot a bit of It; the police and
detective departments should be
separate and distinct. | don't think
the. Inspector should be over the
chief of detectives. The superin-
tendent of police woul'. be in
charge in the absence of the chief
of police
II defy you to name city where
the chief OF police is not in absolute,
charge" said Commissioner Zim-
man, whereupon Mr.. Ringer charged
Mr.. Zimman with talking beside the |
question.
Mayor Assails Zimman.
Then the mayor reached over to
the councilmanic Christmas tree and
pulled this one off for the benefit of
Mr.. Zimman:
"You have not offered one con-
structive suggestion since you have
been in this council. | have listened
to this for a year and half and |
won't listen to it for another year
and a half. will not attend the
council meetings if have to listen
to it'any longer"
Commissioner Falconer insisted
that the inspector should rank next
to the chief of police.
Provisions OF Ordinance.
The police department salary or
dinapce, which was the basis of the
discussion, contained an item that
the salary of the inspector of police
should be $500 per month, the same
as the chief of detectives. The or
dinance as recommended for pas
sage contained the following salary |
provisions:
Patrolmen, SIPS per month for
six months probationary period,
Sl25 for second six months, $3.50 for
third six months and $l40 thereafter.
Detectives, $3.50 for first six
months and $165 thereafter; SER