Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-03-04
WARES ADVOCATE
BOARD OF POLICE
Favor Commission of Three
to Have Supreme
Control
HOUSE GETS BILL TO-DAY
divorce From Politics Stated
! as Object of Measure
Changing Old Order


A bill creating a board of police and
fire commissioners of three members
was introduced in the State Legislature
today by Representative John r. X.
scott. the Ware floor leader.
The measure. which was drawn by
Colonel Sheldon Potter and Edwin O.
Lewis, provides for the appointment OF
one commissioner each by the Governor
the Board of Judges and City Councils.
The bill will be supplemented by an
other devised to take the policemen and
f1remen out OF politics. city Solicitor
Connolly. sponsor for the latter bill, dc.
cIsres that II provides prohibitions and
penalties which furnish plenty ot
teeth"
This bill was to bave been introduced
this morning also. but necessary changes
in the title delayed its presentation. II
is expected the changes would be made
before the end Of the day.
The old order of things in the police
and fire bureaus is booked TO go out OF
existence on July 1. IL the bills become
laws. and the Director of Public Safety
will become subordinate 10 the ne" COM
mission. He would retain, however,
most of executive officer to carry OUT
the mandates of the new board in both
bureaus.
Tho commissioners will be appointed
for four years, at a salary of $4,000 cach'
and will enjoy sweeping powers mat
Mace the police and firemen under their
suurene control The board shall have
exclusive control and direction OF the
examination of candidates: shall sit as
a board Of inquiry and trial and shall
Az the punishment in each case, includ-
ing dismissal.
To Keep Police Out of Politics
The commissioners shall be compelled
10 see that the laws requiring police ana
dremen to keep out Of politics are en-
forced and they may institute com
pIaints against any OF their subordi-
mates.
The city is TO provide the offices for
the new commission, which also is em-
powered to obtain n solicitor at II salary
Of $4,000 The solicitor shall also be
counsel for the commission and appear
for the board whenever the occasion re.
qulres.
; The commission shall have the power
10 employ chief examiner and other
employees necessary to the selection of
police and firemen. The board also may
subpoena witnesses and make annual re-
port 10 the Governor and the Mayor OF
business transacted. In the exempt
class of employees under the comns-
sion's own civil service are the secre-
tary of the Director of Public Safety
and those employees the commission feels
should not be included within a certain
scope defined in the bill.
For misdemeanor in Office the bill
s,pAx,idaG Of ba
$1,000 or imprisonment for two years
All police and firemen holding Office by
July l shall remain undisturbed in their
positions.
Under the Connolly bill a policeman
or fireman is prevented from being a
delegate to any political convention, to
attend meetings OF any political COM
mittee, to take part in the management
OF any political campaign or to solicit
or influence any other policeman or fire
man for political purposes.
Campaign Contributions Barred
The measure also makes il a nlisde-
meanor for any policeman or fireman TO
pay or solicit a campaign contribution.
and the person who tries to collect one
or solicit il from either policeman or fire.
man Is also held 10 have violated the
law.
AA piSSNHA4iS tle DlllS tney mad drawn
to the Republican City Committee
Messrs Potter and Lewis reviewed the
manner in which they had arrived at
their determination to frame such
measure as they have devised. In con-
clusion they say:
our conclusion was that as the police
power is sovereign power. belonging
10 the state, and only exercsable by
municipality when conferred upon it by
the state, that the state has an interest
In the policing Of the city of Philadel
phia. and therefore that member of the
board should be appointed by the execu-
tive Of the state that the Councils,
being the direct representatives of the
people. and not under the control of the
administration, should pe invested, in
the interest of home rule. with the ap-
pointment of a member OF the board, and
that the courts by which the acts of the
board may be reviewed should also make
an appointment to the board.
Another important feature of the
bill is that not only the Director Of
Public Safety or the police department
has the right to prefer charges against
policemen and firemen, but citizens have
that same right, and the board itself
has the right to initiate proceedings
Thus should the Department of Public
Safety be supine with respect to any
breach of discipline, there will stil be
a remedy in the hands Of the board and
in the hands OF the citizens. There will
be the power, too. TO enforce the pun
ishment prescribed and the assistance
Of the courts, both for the purpose OF
procuring the evidence in any proceed
ings against a policeman or a fireman
and any review of the proceedings OF
the board is provided for. The subpoena
Of the board must be obeyed. otherwise
the courts have cognizance OF the con.
tempt.
We have given patient study to the
problem in hand the present acts Of
Assembly which relate TO 1t or affect It,