HomeMy WebLinkAbout01/02/1939 Board of Public Safety Minutes -��3
MEETIl'1G JANUARY 2, 1939 .
Tne first meet:ing c�f the new Board of Safety and Public lhicrks tivas
held on Monday, J'anuary 2, 1939, at 9:15 1�.M. Pdembers present were
Harry S. Driggs, Clyde E. V;tilli�.ns and George Id. Beamer, with Mr.
Bea�er presiding.
Minutes o#' the previaus meetino were read.
On resolution properly made, sec nded and duly bas�ed, it, was de-
cided that t,ie Board of Public Vdorks and Safety should be divided in
the functi��ns af the Bcards insnfar as it pertained to matters of Pub-
Iic �'7crks w�?uld be presided over by Clyde E. Williams, City En�ineer,
� and insofar as the functions of the Board pertained to matters of Pub-
l:�c Safety the Chairman of t}le Board ivould be George N. Beamer, City
Attorney.
Frank G. IVlurray was present at the meeting and discussed matters
of policy of tne City.
FIRE DEPART1tiElV�': Chief DeVleeschower present:
kpx�lication for a �osition on the FireDep�rtment was presented
by `v`Jilliam P. Downes, age 32, cf 738 N. Notre Dame Ave. �nd ordered
placed on file.
Ladislaus Vdegner and Joseah Fearkes v�ere apaointed �ssistant
Chiefs of the Fire Department. Charles Roop w�s reduced Pr�m Assistant
Chief to Lieutenant; �ssistant Ci�ief Louis Leder was reduced frcm that
, rank to Captain. George Geltz w�s reduced frcm the rFink af CGpt�in ta
that of Private. C�ie�' V�illiGm Freeh was reduced to the rank of Captain
and given a ten days vacation by tne Board with orders to report to
Station No. 10 on January 10 at 6:00 P.P�I.
POLICE DEPI�RTIdiENT:
Ar�piicaticn for a position�on the Police Department was presented
by ti'dilli�m p. Dotivnes, age 32, of 73cs N. ilotre Dame Ave. and ordered
pl�ced on file.
Upon resolution duly made, sec nded and carried, it was
RESOLVED, tnat tne office of Assistant Chief of Police shall
be abolished. �
A letter was sent to Chief Lane embodying the new rules and regu-
lations of the De�oartr�ent and also incorporating tne temporary changes
made in the personnel of the Department:
. "Lawrence J. Lane,
Chief of Police,
South Bend, Indiana.
"Dear Chief:-
"�t the meeting of the Bcard of Public Safety this morning cer-
tain actions �vere tFiken relative to the policy and personnel of tiie
Police Depart�ent.
"As y:�u l�otv, ti'tilliam K. Ingr� has been appointed as Chief' of
Police by N;ayor Pavey and we understand he will arrive in SouthB:end
to �ssume his duties as Chief scmetime on J�.nuary 4th. Until the
arrival of Chief Ingr�, tne n:agor has asked us to inform you that
he wishes you to continue as Chief of Police. Following Chief In-
gram's arrival, vre would like Lo have you confer v�=ith him �nd assist
him c;,ncerning �atters pert�ining to Lhe Chief' s office and duties
until abcut January 10, or a later date, if necessary. The Board
grants ;��u a ten-day vacatien vrith pay, at the end of Vrhich you will
re�ort for duty and your new assi�nent.
TMAt the meeting this morning, u�pon resoluti�n of the Beard, the
office of Assistant Chief of Police ��►as abolished. The present
�ssistant Cnief, ti�illiam Diedricn, i^,iill assume the ran1� of patrolman
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to be temporarily re-assigned by you to such c3uty as ycu may designate.
"Captains Charles VanDusen and Bert dlmstead were reduced to the rank
of patrolmen, tempora.rily to be re-assigned by you.
"Captain ti"1Yiitmer will assume the rank of Sergeant in charge of records
and identificati-n in the Detective Bureau.
"The following sergeants will assume the rank af patralmen and will be
tem�orarily assigned by you: Patrick Burns, Edward Detzler, August
DeVos, Claud� Keller, Louis Kish �nd Edward Tesmer.
"i�e have divided the functions of the Department into th.ree divisions:
A captain or acting captain v�ill be in charge of each division. Captain
Horace Hamilton will be in charge of the Patrol Division. Acting Cap-
tain LaFortun e �vill be in charge of the Detective �ivision. �cting Cap-
tain F�mi1 De�'�ispelaere will be in charge of tne Traffic Division.
"Under the Patrol Division, S�t. Harry Everett will be in charge of
the first detail. Captain Hamilton, himself, will assume chaz•ge of the
second detail. Sgt. tiRiiliam HudaK will be in charge of the third detaii.
f1The following a.cting de�k sergeants have been appointed and will work
the following details: Harry Henderson tivill work the first detail;
Casimir Kubiak will work the sec��nd detail and Ellsworth Butz the third
detail.
"The patrol sergeants will be ranking officers in view of the fact that
tney are perf'orming duties previously� perf�rmed by captains.
"Leo Williams will b� in charge of the raiding squad as Acting Ser-
geant under the Detective Captain.. �
"Leo Berner will be Acting Sergesnt in cnarge cf tue Tr�ffic Bureau
under the Traffic Captain.
"iVien who have been designated as Ac�cing Serge�n.ts snd Captains wiil
remain on their �resent pay scale for at least thir�y days .�r until
such time as the Bcard snecifies ttiat tney should assume the pay or
the rank to which they are designated. Captain Hamilton T�vil1 remain at
Captain's pay. Sergesnts fiudak and Everett will rem�in on Sergeant' s- pay.
Ce.nta.in� lydhitmer will receive Sergeant's pay.
"The newly designated acting officers will assune their duties be-
ginning with the first detail at�8:00 o' c1ocK on J�nuary 3.
ttCertain matters of policy have been discussed with the newiy designated
acting efficers. The generai policy of the Board of Safety in connection � .
with the P olice Department can be described as efficiency. In order
to obtain efficiency, we believe the following rules to be primarily
essential: First, we shall exp ect off'icers at all times to be courteous
in their treatment of the uublic. Second, profanity will. be absolutely
prohibited and the use of rrofanity by any officer at any tizne while on
duty will result in suspension, �'ine or dismissa.l. Third, efficers
should at all times be particularly careful about their personal appear-
ance. To tnat end, alI officers in ch�rge of details should be direc�ed
to make daiZy insp�ctions of all men on th$ force to see that this rule
is carried out. All men, either in uniform or in pl�.in clothes, will be .
reauired to have their clothes cleaned and pressed, shoes shined, be cle�n
shaven and generally neat and clean in appearance at all times. Any
violation of this ru�e will result in fines cr suspension. Fourth,
drink�ng of alcoholic bev�rdges while on du�y or in uniform wil.l be
absolutely prohibited and any man who drinks on duty or ��hile in uniform
will be sumznarily dismissed.
� "�Ve believe that participation in outside activity by police officers
should. be discouraged. No nolice officer will be permitted to act as an .
employee of any tavern or dance hall for police protection at any ti�ue.
Be#'ore an officer shall participate in outside activity for pay �t �ny
time he must get the permission of the c�ief of police. It is s metimes
necessary and desirable for police of�'icers to act as special police in
ecnrieeti�n v�ith the traffic situations that develop at the University of
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Notre Dame. These activities are in the public interest and police of-
ficers may be given permissi:on by tue chief of police to act in tnat
ccnnectior� For pa,y, �roviding auch activity does nct interfer� with
their regular duties on the department.
"Until other means are devised to g�t the informa�tion contained in
this letter te the officer�, we request that you see that the instruc-
tions ef this letter, insofar as it pertains to the golice officers,
be read at each roll call, so tnat the officer� may become thorou�hly
acquainted with tne wishes oP theBoard.
"In closing, ner��t us to �extend our sincere appreciation for your
fine co-operation which you have extended to us as the incoming Board
of Safety and to wish you happiness and success in the future.
"Respectfully yours,
George id. Beamer, Ch�irman (si�ned}
Harry S. Driggs (signed)
Clyde E. ti°�illiams (signed}
Board of Public Safetyt'
U�on resolution duly made, seconded and carried, the fol�owing
nc�tice was sent to all desk sergeants:
"NOTTCE TO �iLL DESK SERGEAIITS:
"At the �irst meeting of the Bonrd oP Safety of the City of
South Bend, Indiana, held on Janu�ry 2, 1939, the following policy
was adonted:
t'Bondsmen sY�11 not be permitted in the City Hall exce�t on call.
"NO solicitatien of bonds �.vill be permitted in the Police Station
or in the City Hall.
'TNo members- of the Police Department will be permitted to call
any bondsman or attorney except at th� specific request of a defendant.
"Any defendant, when booked (exce�t when bookea for inv�stigation)
shall be given the opportunity oP calling his attcrney or br..ndsman �uho
will be permitted to c:nfer with tne defendant on call. . �
�� "No member of the PaliceDepartment shall be perrlitted to call any
attorney to renresent a defencl�nt unless thut attorne� has been desig-
nated by the defendant himself.
"1�e ex�ect this order to be strietly �nfc�rced �nd will hold all
Desk Ser�eants responsible for seeing thet this crder is carri�d out.
r'George N. Be�xner, Chairman (signed}
Clyde E. ;Nilliams (si�ned)
H. S. Dri (signed)
� BOhRD OF '�i3LIC �tiF�1'Y"
r�eeting ad jaurned �t 1:00 P.I��.
ai an
ATTEST: � Clerk