| Show INCOMPETENT SAY SHEARMAN AND LAWRENCE Mor Morris is and nd nd W Wells Do Not Sustain Charges but Make Sug Suggestions The report of the tile city commissioner commissioners commissioners' com corn missioners missioner on the police pr probe be was made public at their meeting meeting meeting meet meet- ing this m morning r ing Both Commissi Commissioners Com Corn missi missioners ner Shearman an and Lavrence Lawrence Lawrence Law Law- rence f find d that the charges made by THE TELEGRAM that Chief of Police Or Grant is inefficient are true Commissioners Morris and Wells while not sustaining the charge charge- in full offer criticisms criticisms criticisms concerning co c ing the conduct of the police dep department r ment The latter tw two recommend recommend the the- there re removal removal re- re moval of Detective The rep reports in full are presented presented presented pre pre- her herewith 1 I I I i In accordance with their resolution resolution tio tion the undersigned commissioners sat as as- such board of inquiry and investigation n for a number of weeks listening to charges rumors and suspicions sue sus heard and andI cn 4 bY y J different persons persons' persons persons' who were sworn to testify as to the truth of their statements Th The The- fullest opportunity was given to everybody by invitation invitation invitation tion in the newspapers newspapers and by oral statements by by- bythe the commissioners to appear before the commission and tell anything they might know or had lad heard which In any manner reflected re- re upon any department of the city government or or any person connected connected connected con con- with such department Pursuant Pursuant Pur Pur- to such invitation and principally principally pally upon subpoenas issued by the city recorder there were perSons persons persons per per- sons sworn and examined Most 1 of the testimony offered Was was vas hearsay hearsay- repetition of rumors and suspicion of the persons giving the testimony Considerable of the testimony was offered by ex of the police and other departments of the city who felt aggrieved at what they considered their unjust discharge from the department Mass of Testimony To attempt to analyze all of the testimony taken in this investigation or to attempt to sift silt the same witha with a of separating the wheat from fromI the he chaff would be an almost endless endless end- end less ess undertaking The charges Insinuations and rumors rumors ru ru- ru- ru mors as detailed by the different witnesses were principally directed against the police department So Soar far ar as any other departments of the city are concerned we are of the opinion pinion that there has been no evidence evi- evi dence ence which in any manner reflects upon the conduct of those depart depart- ments The principal attack against the police department was against the chief hief of police and the two detectIves detectives detect- detect ives ves and Leichter As to and Leichter while certain rumors were testified to that they were guilty of at accepting bribes and nd receiving pay to protect unlawful businesses we are of the opinion that hat there has been no evidence that hat either of those men was guilty of accepting bribes or a accepting money to protect any unlawful busi busi- ness There was evidence that Leichter who is not now nowa a member of the police pollee olice department improperly appropriated ap appropriated ap- ap certain articles of small value belonging to a Chinaman which property was subsequently returned returned re- re turned to the owner In view of the evidence of the district dis- dis attorney of this district and other then testimony we are of the opinIon Ion on that the usefulness of Mr to o the city had been so much much- impaired im- im paired aired that his services In the police department should have been dispensed dispensed dis- dis with v As to the charges rumors and Insinuations made against the honesty honesty hon hon- esty sty and integrity of the chief of police olice we find rind that they were not substantiated and that he has at at- attempted tempted empted according to his best Judgment judgement Judg judge ment meat to enforce the laws of the state tate and the ordinances of the city No Dishonesty Shown It appears from tile the ev evidence dence that there were several cases where the law aw was not enforced but such failure failure fail- fail ure re to enforce the law was not by ty reason eason of any protection to the violators vio- vio I I furnished by the chief of police olice and if any unlawful business has las been protected by anyo anyone e connected connected con- con with the police department it has been without the knowledge Continued on page on-page page 6 GRANT CRITICISED Continued from page 1 1 ot of f the chief of police It does not appear from the evidence that there theres s has been protection given to any 1 unlawful business for any moneyed or other corrupt consideration by any member member of ot the police department department depart depart- ment or any other department of ot the city government At the same time there Is evidence evidence evi evl dence which would seem to Indicate that certain pl places es where gambling prostitution lotteries and other unlawful unlawful unlawful un un- un- un lawful business was being carried on in the city were not suppressed as they should have been While it is charged that during the months of May June and July sf f this year there was a wave of rime crime in this city and while there la is l P pa O doubt but that there were vere more crimes crimes committed during those months than during the same number number num num- ber of months In ordinary years it itis itis is plain that the excessive number of crimes was caused by criminals passing through the city on their way to the two fairs on the coast and by reason of the fact that Eastern East East- ern em cities were making a special effort effort effort ef ef- ef- ef fort to drive out criminals We are of the opinion that in view of these and other facts detailed in the evidence evidence evi evi- evi dence the police department has done reasonably well in th the apprehension hension of criminals As to the charge against the chief of police of incompetency we are of the opinion that the evidence adduced adduced ad ad- at the hearing was not sufficient suf suf- to prove such charge In concluding these findings the undersigned deem it th their ir duty to tomake tomake tomake make some suggestions with reference reference reference refer refer- ence to the procedure at the police station Changes Suggested 1 1 We believe that some officer either the chief Inspector or one of the captains of police should be on duty constantly at the police police- station night as well as day that such uch officer of of- officer icer should be the only person having having hav have ing mg the power to pass upon the question question ques ques- tion of whether a person arrested and brought to the police station should be booked or not 2 That in is case it was determined deter mined that any person brought to the police station should not be held to bail ball or trial the name of such person the supposed offense the name of the arresting officer and the reason why he or 01 she was not so held so-held held should be recorded in a book to be kept by the chief inspector in inspector in in- or captain aforesaid 3 3 That when any complaint is made to the police department of the commission of any crime the same should be entered in a book kept for that purpose or upon a acard acard acard card and all the steps taken to apprehend apprehend apprehend ap ap- ap- ap the criminal or recover property if property is stolen be entered on such book or card II 4 That there has been some evidence evidence evi evi- dence introduced upon this Investigation Investigation investigation I gation tending to show v the arrest search and imprisonment of citizens property owners of Salt Lake City charged with minor offenses offenses' We think a system should be worked out whereby the search and imprisonment of such persons for or such offenses offenses of of- might be avoided and that such nuch parties should be notified to appear in court at the time their cases are set for hearing and that notice to this effect would be suf suf- We recommend however that this matter be referred to the city attorney in connection with the chief of police for them to work worl workout out l if possible a system in n that regard which will be practicable under the laws of t this ls state Want Records Kept 5 That That in case ap application Uc tion is made made by a police officer officer to to the city j J attorney or the county attorney for fora a complaint and the same is refused It shall be the duty of the city attorney attorney at at- torney to enter in a book to be kept by him the name of the officer applying applying ap ape ap- ap plying for the complaint the name of the person against whom the complaint is requested the offense charged the then reason for such refusal refusal re reo and in an case the complaint is refused by the county attorney the officer making application for such complaint int shall make a full and detailed detailed de de- de- de tailed bailed statement to the chief of police police police po po- po- po lice who shall enter the same in ina ina ina a book to be kept for that purpose said statement to consist of the name name of the person against whom a complaint was requested the of of- offense ense with which he is charged and the he reasons given by the county attorney attorney attorney at at- torney for refusal to issue a complaint com com- plaint Dated this day of November 1915 RICHARD P P. MORRIS HEBER M 1 WELLS |
