Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1920-02-03
No WOMAN COP
Or MATRON HERE
Aldermen Fall to Pass ResOIu-
tion 1yer MAYORS Veto
DEMOCRATS ALSO FAIL
Unable to Name Police Woman
Letters From Woman's
Club and Mayor Dorsey

AS the result of failure on the part
OF the aldermen last night to pass
the Mayors veto, o resolution naming
q police matron and stenographer to
the chief of police, and the failure OF
the Democratic members of the board
to have policewoman named, Perth
Amboy today Is still without either a
police matron or a police woman. The
motion not to sustain Mayor Dorsey's
veto of the appointment Of a police
matron and stenographer and clerk
to the chief Of police by one vote. the
vote being four to three. The three
Democratic members of the board
voted to sustain the Mayors action,
while the four Republicans voted not
to sustain 1t.
Following Is the communication re-
ceived by the Board from the Mayor,
in which he disapproves the appoint
ment Of a police matron and in which
he again speaks In favor of police
woman, also of Traffic Officer John
Murray being made clerk to tho
chief with the rank Of detectives:
Jan. 80, 1920.
'To the Honorable Board OF Alder
men.
"Gentlemen:
IT am returning unapproved youi
resolution regarding employment OF
police matron and stenographer to
the Superintendent Of Police. Under
the Law OF 1910. which governs en-
ployment Of police matrons. she
around the police station and she
would have no police power to go
outside. Female prisonersSare so few
that only small portion OF her time
would be occupied, with the result
that we would have an addition to
the payroll without any return.
THE law also provides that the pay
of a matron is $3.50 per year. Is it
your intention to create the office of
stenographer to the Superintendent
of Police to legalize the additional
$3.50?
= Upon receipt of this resolution to
employ stenographer for the super
intendent of Police, wrote to Chief
Burke asking whether he had ever
made application for stenographer.
/ enclose copy Of his reply in which
you will note, he states that he had
not made such request; that he had,
at different times. stated to different
aldermen that there should be a
clerk to keep proper police records.
such as cities the size of Perth Am
boy usually have. He further stated
that he did not say what the sex or
the clerk should be. To my mind the
keeping of police records Is work that
that should be done by regular OFF,
Ger. In Traffic Officer Murray we
have man who is thoroughly COM
petent, and who has made record
as an officer and / would recommend
that your honorable body designate
Officer Murray as police clerk, with
the rank OF detective. He could keep
the records, which will require very
little time, and could then be detailed
by the Chief on other work.
"The Chief further writes that he
desired a police woman, who can De
detailed for either matron's work or
outside work. and he further states
that il he had had q police woman the
recent scandal would not have oc-
Cured.
THE main reason given for en-
ploying woman in the police depart
ment was the need of guarding girls
on the streets and of looking after
juvenile and female cases, calling al
their homes, investigating conditions
and preventing misdemeanors. a
matron would have no authority and
would therefore be absolutely useless
for this class of work.
at is also evident that woman
for such work should be of mature
years and experience, preferably q
mother.
II have, therefore, not approved
your resolution on the ground that a
police matron would not meet the sit
uation, that her salary would simply
be a fixed charge against the city
with very little return, and as stem
ographer. or clerk to the Chief, she
Would be out OF her sphere. Accord
Ing TO Chief Burke, police woman
such as I have described, is absolutely
necessary and I am placing the full
responsibility upon your honorable
body.
"Respectfu'ly.
FRANK DORSEY, Mayor"
4 letter from Chief Burke to the
Mayer was enclosed with the Mayors
letter to the Board, It being as fol-
lows:
'Hon. Frank Dorsey, Mayor.
'Dear Sir
relative as to whether L ever made
application for Secretary for this
department. In rep y / would state
! never did I did suggest at different
times and to different aldermen that
the police department should have
a clerk as all other departments OF
this size throughout the country have
so as to keep records in an up-todale
manner In your letter you ask what
her duties would be. / never men
toned the sex of the clerk. our
question as to how many female pris-
oners were confined in the lookup the
past six months. l would state there
were eighty-two. eleven of which
were minors or wsyward girls. As to
how long they We're confined ih>the
lookup we never kept those records
/ would estimate that one-third OF the
above number were confined from one
half hour to six days. /. have suggest
ed to the different Mayors and Al
dermen at different times that we
have a woman with police powers to
look after wayward girls 1t Is my
opinion that If we had one the late
scandal which casts an odium over
our city would not have happened.
Respectfully.
(Signed)
'P. J. BURKE,
"Supt. of Police"
Continued on page -