New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1923-08-16
A POLICE INVESTIGATION

A POLICE INVESTIGATION
The best that may be said for the
action OF the common council in re.
gard to the police matter last nigh
is that probably 1t did not realize
what it was doing. In effect it de-
cided before any evidence was in, that
city ordinances had been broken ir
appointment of policemen, and it or
dered sweeping investigation of the
affairs of the department Moreover
the naming of the investigating COM
mittee in the resolution adopted, was
an almost unprecedented action and
puts an ugly light on the matter
The Whereas" clause of the reso-
luton adopted says that cit has come
to the attention of the members of
the common council that certain po-
licemen were appointed to the po-
lice force in this city of New Britain
contrary to the ordinances of said
city, The bald statement of case
proved is thus made. Policemen have
been appointed contrary to ordinance;
this fact has come to the attention of
the members of the council. The
strong statement is made. The clause
does not even leave out any members
of the council. The thing has come to
the attention, not of some" of the
members, but to the members" Fur
thermore there is no question about
the wrong, according to this clause.
1t does not say that the report" of
such wrong action has come to the
attention." but the fact has come to
the attention of the council.
But this is not the worst phase of
the resolution. Before leaving it, how
ever, it would be we'll to say that those
who heard the explanation of the sit
uation of Chairman Dunn of the com
mission, showing that all appoint
ments had come as a result of inves-
LEGATIONS of the civil service board up
to recently. are convinced that no
whereas" clause had a right to as
sumo as proven the alleged wrong
! complained of. =.
But the resolving clause provides
that certain persons are appointed to
Investigate said matter or any other
matters pertaining to the police de-
partment and report back their find
ings to the common council" Quite
aside from the fact that there would
be little use Investigating a wrong
already decided by the council as hav-
ing been perpetrated, the significance
of the resolution lies in the phrase
that orders the investigating commit
tee to look into and report back on
"any other matters pertaining to tho
police department" This makes it
sweeping investigation. 1t suggests |
everything pertaining to the police |
Department. suggestion that is un-
seemly and uncalled for If the inves-
tigating committee desires to investi-
gate any commissioner, any officer,
any method, it may do so under this
resolution and it may make a report
Ito go to the extreme advising do
ing away entirely with our force if it
sees fit.
And this brings up the significance
of the story published in this news
pepper Monday of this week, recount
ing the rumor that it is the plan to
do away with our police commission
of four and replace it by one commits
sioner.
IT is unfortunate that the common
council should see fit TO find the police
commission guilty of breaking the city
ordinances, and should see fit to or
der this sweeping investigation, at a
time when the Hartford county has
been found to be the cleancst in the
state; when all police departments are
under fire from the forces of reform
ers and at a time when the people
who know all the facts feel that our
own police department is orc of the
best in the state and the least dcserv-
Ing of such humiliation.