Perth Amboy evening news., 1921-01-06
POLICE RULES
To Be CHANGED.
AIdermanic Committee Will
do Away With Numerous
Existing LOOP Holes"
SHIFT MANY OFFICERS
Foreign Speaking Patrolmen
r. Foreign Sections---
Chief Always in Uniform.

As a result OF the action taken by
the aldermen Monday night in de-
Gliding upon a new set Of rules and
regulations which shall affect the
conduct of the police department in
this city, 1t Is expected that in the
future the duties Of the various Of
fcers will be 90 clearly stated that
there will be no large loop holes"
through which those who fail to do
their duty might escape punishment,
A resolution was passed by the al
dermen, upon suggestion of Alder
man John j. Clark, to have COM
mittee' named by Alderman-at-large
John N. Wester draw up a new set
of regulations to affect the conduct
Of the police department.
There was considerable discussion
on the question of why a special
committee should be named to draw
up these rules and regulations when
the aldermen have a police commit
tee. Alderman Clark maintained
that this work involved a large
amount of law knowledge. and,
therefore, should not be acted upon
by the police committee alone.
1t is not known whether Alder
man-at-large Wester has named this
committee as yet but 1t Is expected
that the aldermen selected for this
work will 50 clarity matters that
the present contradicting clauses
will be done away with and a meth
cd of procedure in the case of off,
GERS not abiding by the laws estab-
lished which will make possible
their punishment.
Under the present regulations
governing the police force the may
or is acknowledged to be the head
of the force yet he Is powerless to
take part in the trial of an accused
officer. This and other clauses
which make it impossible for the
aldermen to function properly in
police matters will be acted upon
and the result is expected to make
possible the strict enforcement of
the law.
Although Niels J. Tonnesen, the
newly- selected chief, Will not sue
eeed Chief Patrick J.. Burke until
the first of next month, It. ~ under-
stood he Is already outlining his
plan or action. There will he many
changes made In the duties now be-
ing performed by the various mem
bers OF the force, it Is believed. One
Of these, it is reported, will be the
shifting to the foreign section OF
the city the patrolmen who are able
to speak foreign languages. At pres
ent some Of these foreign speaking
officers are on tours of duty in the
part OF the city where practically
only English speaking persons re-
side, while in the outlying districts
there are patrolmen who cannot
speak or understand the foreigners
language.
The question of a lunch period for
each man on his eight-hour shift
may be settled in. the new regula-
tions for the conduct of the force.
may set certain time during which
cording to information given at a
recent trial by the chief, twenty
minutes are allowed an Officer while
on duty In which to secure his lunch.
This time can be taken of at any
hour during his eight-hour tour. 1t
is possible that a definite time dur
ing which the officer can eat will be
established, and then II he Is not
found properly patrolling his beat at
all other times cannot give the ex-
cuse that he was taking his lunch
period.
When Chief Tonnesen takes Of
nce on February l. it is reported. an
order will go into effect that he shall
appear in uniform at all times. For
the past several years Chief Burke
has worn civilian clothes except on
special occasions. Another new rul-
ing it is understood will effect the
desk sergeants. They now. go to
and from the police station in ci-
william clothes. Under the new rul-
ing they will be required to wear
full uniform going to and from
their homes to the police head
quarters.