Salt Lake Telegram | 1921-03-20 | Page 6 | Time to Act

- Time to Act j IN PROVIDING a civil service measure for the police and fire departments of Utah c'ties the legislature offered the basis for a constantly improving personnel fn these departments. This act alone, however, will not make the service or provide" the best men available for the work. Before the city can realize the most in these departments of public safety it must make the pay of the various officers and employes commensurate com-mensurate with the work. At the present time policemen and firemen receive less than the unskilled un-skilled laborer, notwithstanding the fact that the requirements of the service demand many personal per-sonal sacrifices. The city commission should begin at once to take up the work where the legislature left off. By providing a respectable wage for th; members of the police and fire departments it will do much to Improve the quality of public protection. When the service is manned by the finest the city has to offer many of the curren' problems will be dissipated. This point, however, how-ever, cannot be reached so long as expert officers can make more money in other lines in which they are less proficient.