The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-05-27

ficer" as head of the five bureaus working under the superintendent is explained in the report as a means of the department head determin- ing what rank of officer is best fitted to head the respective branch.
 While no mention is made of the place the night superintendent should occupy in the new set-up the report specifically recommends that the position. be retained and stressed the importance of the work that is done by the officer assigned to his post.
 Communications Excellent
 Considerable praise is given the department for its methods of com- munication; Such facilities are termed excellent and "the unit is compact and the equipment is maintained in manner that should be the envy of many another police department"
 Also Zimmerman says, "The de- partment deserves commendation for the manner in which the call box procedure is handled. The calls are well spaced and recording will survive any careful audit"
 Demand is made that the system of paying the police force members weekly be changed to semi-month- ly or monthly basis with the cooper ation of the proper department. In this case it would be the comptrol- ler's office where the payroll checks are made up from payroll sheets furnished by the various depart mental clerks. Only the teachers now are regular city employees not being paid as often as once week. They receive checks twice month. However, it is known that depart- ment members are very much op- posed to the idea of not being paid once a week.
 Of considerable importance is the request for creation of schoolboy patrol in Waterbury to aid ill han ding a difficult traffic situation. LO- cal police officials, including mem bers of the Board, however, are not enthusiastic for this type of patrol work, so popular in many other hIICIlCdll ClllCS. llCJ uO llOO btllIhN that it is as adequate as the present methods of assigning patrolmen to definite locations, as well as the employment of firemen and school janitors, in patrolling crossWalks in the vicinity of school buildings.
 Of somewhat doubtful value is the Zimmerman claim that the "irregu- larity of streets in Waterbury has been a factor in cutting down on accidents in the highways. The op- poSite of this has often been cited as the cause of fatalities or bad crashes. In other words our hills and winding streets have been blamed. In this respect MT. Zimmerman says Tt is evident that the city grew without plan and, as a consequence, has an excessive number of angular and curved streets and a compara- lively limited number of right angle intersections"
 Enhance Unit"
 Although parking meters were of comparative recent origin when the Zimmerman survey was made its author indicates that they are "in to stay" and they are beneficial to the parking situation" He does, however, recommend that the col lection of coins from the meters does not constitute duty or ob- ligation of the police department and the employe assigned to this work should be transferred to the finance unit"
 The question of salaries finds the Zimmerman figures placing the | minimum rates above the average for comparable cities. but the maxi mum slightly below However, the cost living adjustment made this year by a recent survey of Connec- ticut cities, show Waterbuly's maxi mum figure HOW as high II not higher than that in New Haven, Hartford and Bridgeport. The de- mand being made at the time the survey was conducted for 20 per cent increase in pay was very strongly criticized In fact the sur vey says, "Thc 20 per cent increase of salaries which is currently matter of petition is exorbtant and should be disalloWed.'
 Of the present Board of Police Commissioners Zimmerman had this to say, "The stories oi past boards of police commissioners are undoubtedly true and could easily have led to the abandonment ot the board system. Yet no positive evil dencc of political domination of the present board was noted during the course of the survey. .. In the light of these considerations, 1t does not seem wise to recommend a change at this time to some other form of police control"
 He recommends that the "mini- mum age limits for applicants for police service should be reduced to 21 years: maximum age limits to not exceeding the 30th birthday or preferably the 28th.'
 Appointments to the regular po- lice force should be made in the order that the names appear and according to the proficiency estab- lished through the physical and mental examinations and oral inter- views .
 ''The period Of probation should be extended to not less than 3G5 days from date of appointment dur ing which time dismissal from the force may be effected for cause but without the necessity of formal trial ."
 "Disciplinary policies are lax and should be made more rigid ."
 "The rules and regulations of the Department are antiquated and re-
 At the present time Claims At torney John A. Membrino of the Corporation Counsels office and Chairman Verriker are completing revision of the police manual and expect to have new one printed in very short time
 Advancement in rank should be based on competitive examination and in strict accordance with gen. erally accepted rules of progression