◆ SpookStack

TENURE OF OFFICE : Once again we harp on one of our favorite subjects: Im the past sixty : days there has been a tremendous turnover in police personnel in the United = : States. Some changes were made because of obsolete constitutional provisions Ba , which prohibit sheriffs from succeeding themselves in office. Others were ee purely political. We believe that the public will soon realize the foily of am . electing Inexperienced men to the office of sheriff every two or four years be ‘ and will ratify any action to change the constitutions of those states which have not kept pace with advancements in law eniorcement work during the . past decade. There is a possibility that some of the changes are for the best. We have no quarre] with the new executives and wish them success in their new work, but as they read this, we want them to visualize a condition which will vitally Interest them four years from now when new state ad- ministrations come in and they, too, will have to give way to their succes- BOTS. . More widespread is becoming the movement for state police and state bureaus of identification. The heads of these departments are belng re- placed in all of those states In which there has been a change of governors, or political control has passed from one party to another. Does ff necessarily follow that e Republican suddenly becomes a poor law enforcement officer because a Democrat was elected governor? Does # Democrat cease to become efficient the moment that a state gots Repub- ican? Is the value of a warden to a penal institution ended the minute an opposite political party casts a majority at the polls? How far-reaching this political practice extends will be watched with interest by the police chiefs of the United States who are now centering their focus upon the netion's capital. The United States Bureau of Livesrti- gation has never functioned {In a manner more creditable than it ha: unde the direction of Jonn Edgar Hoover. His cooperation with the police chiefs “ool the Lrouvec Stale fa. Letalo kh gleatl Geel We the Dolce brolessiut. We bere that popresedent ou to be estoblened ip St Loum The op - “lice department there enjoys the reputation of belng free from politics, Promotions are based upon merit and ability. Men are discharged for sound reasons and not because of political persuasion. The department is directed by a board of five commissioners, four of whom are appointed by the gov- ernor and the fifth member is the mayor of the city. The istter seldom interest© himself in the affairs of the Police Board as the deprvtmert tr completely beyond the control of the city politicians The worst recom- reendati 2 St Louk police offices cer. Lave de & dette: from 6 Bate con - mitteemman. Tr other words, politic: ere out! ; The Commissioners appoint the Chief and the Commissioners minke the iy promwiions. There is Oni} Obe piace Wherein poilics sOMeUMes raises ILS x ugly head and that is in the Chief's office. The prevailing rule hae been sr for a Repubtiican governor tc appoint a Republico:. eoboatd gre vace verso These board nientiets ate always beer respertabl: citine gb roe ‘Whost names have seidon, bear idenistied in pelturs Tides os ce Ge ee & year Now and then thes heve beerm Knewn to give Uber rh te the Police Reliel fund. A hopeful view that politics has been eliminated from the Chie?ls office may be taken from the fact that several) recent police boards have ignored precedent and retained capable chiefs of opposite political faith. The late Coione, Marti. O Brier Democrat served under a Republicar. buwiG us wet as under a Democratic board. and the late Colonel William Young. Repub- lican, his predecessor. served under both Republican and Democratic boards. We are encouraged by the fact that a new St Louis Police Board. com- posed of William L Igoe. Albert Bond Lambert, George T. Priest and John J. Phelan, all Democrat. announced immediately after its organization that there would be no changes in police heads This means that Colone! Josepn A Gerk. known to be a non-partisan and one of the foremost pclice execu Ties oan the United S es will remain St. Lous’ Chief of Police. Gerk han been given high honors by brother chiefs of this Continent. He is pust-president of the International Association of Chiefs of Police. He was the United States” reprientative at the Police Conference held in Mexico Two years age He aomember of titarly every Important police committee nthe United Sti He ds une Of the ¢chaniwpuons of the new federal Jaw - ehob ite gate ete dy : ert Tar ever base neotha Bt oat. wbA Tire Vi eet wor” : Ge Count fer more in the pedice profession thin political pat SE i a eR a wot tt es ew staan et ear a