Perth Amboy evening news., 1924-06-17
SECOND POLICE
ORDINANCE IS
PASSED, 4 TO Z
KIan Section Remains Un-
changed-Change Clause
Relative to Appointments
CLARK, soFIELD VOTE NO
Too Many Jokers in Ordinance
Former Says-To Have
Public Hearing

The police ordinance which
was defeated last December by the
aldermen when Alderman Albert q.
Waters, sponsor of the measure en-
deavored to have it adopted. was
brought up for consider ation. 5. ith
a few changes. last night and adopt
ed on first reading by a vote of four
to two.
The so-called Ku Klux Klan Sec
ton remains unchanged, the mayor
having no objection to the wording
of this particular section; the sec
tion pertaining to the appointment
of police department members by
the mayor has been changed t. suit
the mayor, but no change has been
made in the section establishing age
limits to which the mayor objected.
This particular section makes it
possible for person to be appoint
ed If he is over twenty-one and un-
der forty-five years of age. The
mayor holds that forty-five years is
entirely too old and he has insisted
that the age limit be from twenty
one to thirty-five. Mayor Wilson
says he was advised. by Chairman
James Kelly of the police commit
tee that this change would be ma de
before the ordinance was taken UP
for action but this was not done.
The ordinance now reads as fol-
lows, with reference to the mayors
appointive power: "All members of
the police department shall be ap-
pointed by the mayor subject to the
approval of the. board" This section
formerly read: "The mayor shall
No 70
consent of the council, shall appoint
all members of the police depart
gment' and was objected to by the
mayor.
The section, referred to as the
Klan section. which is not opposed
by the mayor, requires that a police
candidate must swear that he is not
member or affiliated with any fra
ternity, association. or organization,
corporation or combination or per-
sons or corporations that has among
It's objects or purposes, antagonism
or opposition to any person because
OF religion, race or color"
Aldermen John Sofield and John
Clark, who voted against the ordin-
ance on first reading last night. OBJ
Jected on the grounds that the mea-
sure had not been thoroughly gone
over section by section in committee
prior to voting on it. The fifth
ward alderman said there were
many "jokers'' In it and these
should be taken out before the or
dinance is adopted.
The aldermen held a special COM
nittee meeting last. Wednesday night
to go over the ordinance section by
section. After working till after
midnight without completing the
work it was agreed to adjourn until |
this Wednesday night when consid- |
GRAFTON of the ordinance in detail |
would be continued
Aldermen Clark and Sofield said |
they were taken by surprise last
night when the ordinance was in |
troduced for initial passage as they |
had not been told of any change in |
he original plans. Alderman Kelly, |
the signer of the ordinance, de-
clared: 1T is joke. picking out ev- |
cry little paragraph. The mayor is
willing to let the ordinance go !
through and we should adopt it |
without losing any more time going I
,ver 1t in committee" Although |
chairman Kelly told the board men,
oers the mayor favored the ordi-
nance in its present form the mayor
lad insisted upon the lowering of
he maximum age limit for police
men and this change was not made
o the mayors liking. If this change
$ not made, Mayor Wilson said, he
vii lrefuse to approve of the ordi-
rance despite the other changes. He
laid today he Is willing to allow
'ome things in the ordinance which
ire not exactly to his liking in order
hat the police department might
lave some rules under which to work
tut he maintained that a man forty
i've years old is too old to be named
o the police force. Thirty-five
Ihould be the maximum age limit,
ne says.
The reading of the ordinance re-
1uired twenty-five minutes of con-
.inuous, fast reading by City Clerk
Costello who went through the
engthy measure without any inter-
-uptions. Despite the objections of
Aldermen Sofield and Clark. both Of
whom insisted on going over the
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