The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1945-01-28
Fales Oppose. Plan
To Change Bureau


man of Board Of County Commits
sionerss had announced Friday
that the city and county had come
to agreement on the future opera
ton of the bureau and disclosed
that approval had been given by
DR.. ]. M. Hall, Harry Gardner,
and G.. w. Trask, of the county;
and Robert LeGWin, Garland Cur
rim, Mayor Ronald Lane, and Mr..
Romeo, of the city.
The fingerprint bureau settle
ment had not been recorded Fri
day in the city or county minutes.
Mr.. Romeo explained that, despite
the fact that all councilmen, ex-
ctpting Edgar L. Vow who was
a member of the city committee
to discuss controversial legislative
issues with the county, had favor
ed the new move, Council ratifica-
ton would be necessary. Mr.. Vow
was apprised Of the agreement i'm
mediately after it was reached.
Superintendent Fales' objection
to the new operation of his bureau
are contained in the following open
letter:
TT has come to my attention
through an article in The Whining
ton News that the New Hanover
City County Bureau of Identified
ton has again been up for discus
sion. Heretofore, l have kept quiet
and not made public my opinion as
to these discussions. 1t has finally
become imperative that 1 openly
express myself as to these matters
to the tax paying public in self de-
tense.
LAS superintendent OF said
Bureau of Identific alton 1 have not
been called or invited to any of the
meetings when the Bureau was to
be discussed. l am acquainted
with the fact through the news
papers that the Bureau has ben
the subject of much controversy on
several occasions due to an inter-
est by some persons which is a
secret to me because I have never
been advised officially Of any COM
plants or criticism as to the opera
tions Of the Bureau of Identifica-
ton.
Il understand, through the eve
ming paper published January 26,
1915, that the final decision in the
last discussion was that the Bureau
be placed under the supervision of
the Sheriff Of New Hanover county.
My personal opinion based on my
ten years of experience as Superin-
tendant of the Bureau Of Identifica-
ton and more than twenty years
of a varied experience in police
work and Investigations is that it
is not for the good of the Bureau
Of Identific ation nor h e tax
paying public. 1 stand on my re-
cord that the services rendered by
the Bureau of Identification have
been for the benefit of the public
one and all alike. Had in all my
years of experience been less eff
ficient and more political there
would be no necessity for me to
publicly express my opinion at this
time.
Nov! An honest investigation
as to the efficiency of the different
law enforcement agencies within
the City and County will show that
the New Hanover City-County
Bureau of Identification does not
have a record second to any law
enforcement agency in this city
and county or otherwise. If the re-
cord is such as say it is then why
do we need another enforcement
agency to supervise the Bureau of
Identification because the records
plainly show that the bureau has
supervision that it can be proud Of
and several reasons why! First the
bureau was set up so as to be
divorced from political influence
just as far as possible because it
was realized and agreed upon at
the time that the bill setting I'M
the bureau through the legislature
was offered that political influence
and efficiency in law enforcement
were not compatible. That is whv
the bureau was not placed under
the supervision of the Chief NJ b.
lice or the Sheriff.
II understand that Councilman
Romeo made a statement in oaa
Of the former discussions th.+ ~
would make the County present
Of the Bureau of Identification axS
l am wondering where he gets the
authority to give away anvth;ne
that belongs to the citizens Of this
City and County and if Mr.. ROWS r. r,..o
will use good judgment and no,o
mon sense in his ac+;v;t;. oiIi-