Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1919-11-18
POLICEMEN
ORDERED LET OUT
BY CITY council

Although charges of inactivity. fail
ARE to enforce ordinances, and dis
respect to citizens were hurled at him
by Councilman yolk at the council
meeting last night Chief Of Police
Percy M. Varney was not removed
from office.
The two officers, Traffic Officer
". M. Moffitt and Patrolman ]. N.
Ganiard, appointed several weeks ago
by the council after declaring that an
emergency existed and that the men
were essential to the welfare of the
city. were formally dropped from the
force. On motion of Councilman Volk
that the names Of Moffitt and Gan
Hard be stricken from the payroll"
the vote was as follows, for: Craig,
Hager. johnson, McClelland. Moore,
Echunke, Simeral and Volk; and the
following against removal: Utter,
Eandervort, Scott, Halvorsen and
Weist.
Police Force Reduced
Therefore Salem's police force to-
day is seven men and a police ma
tron. Former Traffic officer Moffitt
said this morning that he would leave
the city probably Friday to accept a
position with the Portland police de-
partment.
The police fight did not end with
the removal of Moffitt and Ganiard.
Councilman Volk introduced an ordi-
nance calling for the definition of
the duties of the police department,
aimed at removing the right of Off
GERS from cautioning violators Of or
dinances and granting their release
without arrest. He said that since the
two additional men had been placed
on the force more than 100 persons
have been arrested for traffic and
other violations, and only two have
been brought before the police judge
for action"
Accuses Chief Varney
II am tired of this chief who is
chief of police, mayor, council, citi-
xens and everything else" said Mr.,
yoik. land I am tired Of a man who
will hurl a vile epithet at a brother
councilman (Volk pointed at Coun-
Gilman Johnson), and who will tell
another councilman hat he don't give
a d for the council
Volk told how he had reported to
Chief Varney that a mar riding a, mo-
t0rcycie had on several mornings
passed his home at a reckless rate of
speed "endangering the life and limb
of our citizens"
"The chief promised to send an Of
ficer out the next morning." Mr.. Volk
continued, land he didn't. / watch
ed, and no one came.
Rcsents the Insult
"Then when I went down to the
police headquarters and asked VAR
ney why he didn't send out a man,
he said that he had misunderstood
the street l named. Then he said he
would send another man out the next
morning. He did, all right, and Traf-
fic Officer came three minutes after
h speeder had passed me, sticking
his thumb vi to his nose at me as he
passed"
And Councilman Volk insinuated
that the chief of police had tipped
the reckless motorcycle rider.
Henry Vandervort arose: You
sold me a different story about this,
he declared. dwelling an accusing
unger at Volk.
Never mind
Il want Chief varney here to tell
the straight of this Vandervort
cried.
Chief Varney came in, and listened
aB voik reiterated the story about the
speeder.
Chief Varney's Version
Carefully choosing his words. and
speaking without heat, Chief Varney
replied:
II have always been under the inn
preston since o came into office,
Mr.. Volk. that you are too officious,
4 speak frankly when I say that l be-
sieve that you have been ov~ersteppine
your bounds of authority when you
repeatedly come to my office and is
sue instructions as though you would
Il.
Regarding that speeding motor
cycle man, / did send an offieer-Pa-
trolman Morelock - out there thai
morning. and he returned and re-
porfed that the man was travelling