The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1923-10-04
Madison Holds Eight COun-
ty Townships May Or
ganize Departments.
LAW DUG UP" HERE
District Attorney Unearths
Statute under which Forces
May Operate.

The last legal barrier to the organ
ization of police departments in each
of the eight townships in Kenosha
county was cleared away today by an
opinion of the attorney general which
provides for the payment of police Of
ficers.
The enforcement of the prohibition
and other laws is now put squarely up
to the eight townships in the county,
Frank S. Symmonds, district attorney,
announced today The sheritf's de-
partment will still do all in its power
to cope with the situation. The coun-
ty, however, has continued to grow in
population while no additions have
been made to the personnel of the de-
pertinent, it is pointed out.
In view of this situation the district
attorney several months ago dug into
the state laws and discovered that un-
incorporated towns could by holding
a special meeting, composed of at
least twelve qualified electors, vote
for itself the powers of village. I'm
der these powers the electors are en-
powered to appoint police departments
and vote salaries for the appointees.
Madison First Denies Right.
The first opinion of the attorney
general was to the effect that while
the townships had the legal right to
appoint police officers there was no
provision whereby they could pay these
men. Following the receipt of this
opinion Mr.. Symmonds Immediately
asked the office of the attorney gener-
al for more complete opinion, bring
ing into play another section of the
law.
Late yesterday the following opin-
ion written by ]. E. Messerschmidt, as
sistant encouragement was received:
''Mr. Frank Syymonds, District At
torney,
SKenosha County,
'Kenosha, Wisconsin.
''Dear Sir:
''In your recent letter you refer to
the opinions of this department rem
dered to you under date of August %
and 20. You state that in those epin-
ions it was enormously assumed that
there were no unincorporated villages
in any Of the towns in your county,
while the fact is that there are no in
corporated villages, but that there are
a great many unincorporated villages
in the county. You inquire whether
this fact would necessitate a different
ruling than that given in the former
opinions.
"Your question must be answered in
the affirmative. Town boards of towns
that contain unincorporated villages
may be authorized by resolution of the
town meeting to exercise the powers
conferred on villages boards. (See
subsection IS Of section COPE, and
of section 601s.
''Under section 60.34, subsection a,
village boards are empowered to fix
compensation for officers and agents
of the villages. Such town boards,
therefore, have the power to fix COM
pensation for police officers appointed
to enforce the prohibition laws"
Law Powerful Remedy.
Mr.. Symmonds announced today chat
if the town boards throughout the
state care to take advantage of the |
right granted them under the law to
have their own police departments, it
will act as one Of the most powerful |
agencies yet started for the stamping |
out of the liquor evil. He said that
the local people in these communities
naturally know where the wet spots
are, and that with their own enforce |
ment officials they can raid these plac- |
es without having to wait for the sher-
if who already has more work to care
for than can be done justice.
The district attorney announced that |
he will be glad to council any citizens
Of any of the townships relative to
the legal method of procedure in the
matter.