The Wilmington morning star., 1947-03-22

~ LAX VI fSAASS
he power to suspend members
If the departments for a period
If thirty days. Any suspension for
a period longer than this, however,
must come only after action by
he civil service commission.
City Manager J. r. Benson yes
declined to make any state
ment on changes included i'll the
bill, saying that he had no com
ment inasmuch as he had not had
time to study the measure Of
fered by Lennon.
The action by local legislators
was a compromise between a bill
by the city and a meas
ure offered by the police depart
ment. The two bills yer identical
except that the city sought the
to name the heads of the
two departments from either within
or without the forces, a move which
was opposed by the police depart
The other two changes which
will become effective upon passage
of the bill had the blessing of both
the city and the police department,
an agreement having been reach
ed on these two items after a
series of conferences between the
two parties directly concerned.
The complete section Of the
measure, containing the major
changes follows:
Section 7. That the chief of the
fire department and the chief of
the police department shall be ap-
pointed by the governing body of
the city of Wilmington and from
the personnel of the said depart
ments. Provided, however, that
the governing body of the city of
Wilmington may employ a person
to serve as the chief of police of
the city of Wilmington other than
from the personnel of the police
department; provided the person
so selected for the chief of the
said department shall have had
ct least two years training in the
Federal Bureau of Investigation
and be recommended for said posi-
ton by the director of the said
Federal Bureau of investigations;
or the governing body of the city
OF Wilmington may employ a per-
son to serve as chief Of police of
the said city who has had at least
five years experience as a police
officer in a city of not less than
5000 inhabitants, and vino is
recommended for the said posi-
ton by the director of the Federal
Bureau of Investigation.
Provided further that the per-
son so appointed, whom shall be
outside the personnel of the Will
mington police department shall
not hold said position of chief Of
'olice for a period Of more than
8 months from the ratification Of
his act. All promotions in the fire
department. and in the police de-
partment in said city shall be made
from time to time by the govern
ing body with due consideration
being given to fitness and qualifi-
cations for promotion and seniority
in the time of service. Each de-
partment shall appoint a COM
mittee by a secret ballot, and by
a majority action consisting of
five members, one of whom shall
be the chief in each department
and the committee when appointed
shall serve for a period of II
months and until their successors
are respectively appointed. Said
committee shall make recon-
mendations for promotions in their
respective departments to the city
manager and the governing body
of the city of Wilmington. The
name Or names of any member Or
members of the aforesaid depart
ments recommended for promo
ton shall be made public under
such rules and regulations as
the respective recommending COM
mittees may adopt.
The governing body of the city
of Wilmington may denote the
chief of the fire department or the
chief of the police department. for
of either Or both of the chiefs. of
cause, but in the event of demotiop
said departments such demotions
shall be to a rank not lower than
the rank from which said chiefs
held when they were respectively
appointed to the office Of chief.
In the event a member of either
said departments commits any Of
tense be may be Immediately sus-
pended by the chief of said depart
ments for a period not exceeding
30 days; porvided, however, that
the chief Of either of the depart
ments So suspending a member
shall file with the city manager a
written complaint Of the charge
or charges against such member
within three days after such sus-
pension; and provided further, that
the person or persons so suspend
ed upon demand shall be furnish
ed by the chief a signed written
copy of the complaint or charges
preferred and the suspended mem
Der shall be entitled to a hearing
before the governing body Of the
city of Wilmington. If upon such
hearing the governing body of the
city Of Wilmington does not sus-
tain the suspension, the suspend
ed member shall be Immediately
reinstated and receive compensa-
ton according to his rating, and
from the date of such suspension.
Ancient Egyptians we're SO
fond of flowers that thoH had