1936-04-21 - Laserfiche WebLink

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At 8:30 P.M., the Chief of Police appeared before ' the Board. The Chairman told him that he had been invited to appear before the Board to talk over the Police situation. He said that previous to the Chief's going on the leave of absence, therd was considerable criticism from the citizens on the lack of enforcement of the Parking Regulations and the speeding, and the Board had attempted to see that something was done about it. He said that during the Chief's absence there was quite a lot of{-tulk about the enforcement of the regulations and since his return there had been some rumors that he had issued orders that there should be no more tagging in the center of the Totem. The Chief said that this was not so and that the Parking Regulations were not being enforced to satisfy the citizens of the Town but to put something over on him. He stated that the Police once tagged cars in the center but did not tag them with three feet of snow on the ground when they could not get near the curb. He felt that the enforcement of the parking and speed regulations immediately after his leave of absence began was a lot of grandstand play. The Chief stated that the wag the Acting Chief had officiated was merely grandstand play and he did not feel that he was alone in the matter. The Chief said that he could enforce parking regulations and that three years ago when he was ordered to do so by the Board, he had a drive on speeding in East Lexington, He did not believe in tagging 40 people and putting in only ten of the tickets. Mr. Giroux stated that when the enforcement of the ]a ws on parking and speeding went into ei'fect, all of the members of the Board agreed to 740110e do nothing to try and "fix it up". He stated that he Department* since had.heard a great deal of complaint about speeding and he felt that the only way to stop it was to be drastic. Mr. Giroux's sister was arrested, but he did not try to "fix it up". He stated that there had been a great deal of speeding by his house. Chief Sullivan stated that he could not convict a man for speeding down Concord Hill as in a case like this you have to show condition such as houses being on either side of the street, etc., and there are fields on either side of this street. The Chief stated that he gave orders to- night at 5:45 to start in immediately to check on all speeding. Mr. Giroux asked if it was the Law that the Supt. of Public Works shall be over the Police Department. The + Chairman stated that it was up to the Board of Selectmen. Mr. Giroux asked the Chief if he would prefer to deal with the Supt. of Public Works or direct with the Board of Sete etmen, and he replied that he would Lr efer to deal with the Board of Selectmen and he thought that he should be given the privilege of spending his own ' appropriation. He thought that a citizen should not be telling a Policeman how to run his Department. The Chairman stated that the reason the purchasing was allocated to the Supt. of Public Works was that he was