The San Francisco call. [volume], July 14, 1907, Page 3, Image 3

About The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913

Image provided by: University of California, Riverside; Riverside, CA

                
The San Francisco . Sundajr OalL
THE ORDEAL OF BECOMING POLICEMAN IN SAN FRANCISCO
C. W. Rohrhand
rHERE are 50 new "cops" oa'Ui^*
streets of Ean Francisco. ; : '
These 60 are the. leaders of the
winners of I a class of 200 men
*ho, on the 16th of last month, passed
physical inspectors and the civil service
"quit** and came ont of the ordeal with
55 per cent or over to their credit.
There are a few things a man must
know, a few examinations he's com
pelled *to take, before he can don the
big bjue coat and the seven pointed
star. The day of the political pull and
the "easy" commissioner is past, and
he who would be "one of the finest"
imiEt pass under the critical eye of the
civil service commission.
First he's measured for height and
\u25a0weight, for the same rules apply In
civil service as in the army. Then come
the tests for the eyea, for color blind
ness; then the ears, waist measure
ment, chest measurement, etc., and,
finally. If he passes all these, he goes
up for examination on "general knowl
edge."
"Weird and wonderful are the answers
.given by the big fellows seated at the
desks of the Mission high school. Men
who, cp to the "general knowledge" ex
amination, had stood up and feared no
one, as soon as they were called upon
to write and read, wriggled and
squirmed uneasily, w for they saw In the
Innocent questions only a trap for the
unwary. They wanted to be policemen,
not school children. But, answer they
must. ' ' «
The rating on the questfonsls divided
a* follow*, with a base of 100 per cent:
General, knowledge -Viv ».... €0;
Report SO
Arithmetic 10
Total .....100.
"Within the pttt seven years, or since
all the- applicants for a job on the pe
llce force have coma under civil serv
ice, no man has received th» coveted
100 per cent. The nearest to lt\j?M In
1904, when 10 men received ?5 plr cent
and over. The standing ef men at the
three 'examinations held since 1900,
•when the civil service regulations' went -
Into effect, are: •
t^'iret examination, 1900—
SS passed, over 75 per cent.
ft passed, over 80 per cent.
t% pasted.* over £5 per cent.
14 passed, over SO per cent ~
& passed, over 95 p^r cent
1 1902 the men stood: \u25a0
327 over 75. per cent.-
S3 over, 80 per ctnt.
44 over'.SS per cent.
12 over 90 per; cent.
1 over 35 per cent. ! ..
in 1504, the^blggest class passed out,
TOS received over 75 per cent, 163 got
over SO per cent, 97, had S5 per cent and
over. 44 had 80 per cent and 10 hit the
35 per cent mark. - .;
Of the examination Just finished, the
exact ( number cannot be stated, as the
comnilseion still has the papers in hand,
but Secretary Powers estimates the" ,
total at about 50; per cent, or that
nearly 150 men are on the eligible 11st
out of a total of SS 3 applicants and Z
257 examinations. - a ",; -
Those who failed ,ln their papers
showed . In . most cases the queerest V
mleappreclatlon as to what constitutes
£ti officer of the law. 'In answering,
the question, "TCanie all the conditions
\u25a0et forth in the penal code under which
homicide Is justifiable * when cbrnmlt- V
ted- by\a;.publlc ofllcer," one wrote:
"When ordered by the courL" Another
said,' '^Wheh' making an arrest if the
person resists arrest and the officer
draw" his club "and hit him he is'justi
fleid,". and -another, "Homicide. is Justi
fiable by the. penal code." 4 -; "
In answer* to' question «, "Name and
define five . crimes," we find "the = fun
niest bunch of all. One wrote:
"Letting prisoners escape— felony.
"Pettle loseny — stealing a- pate of
shoes. . : . • \u25a0 ." \u25a0 \u25a0 '- i,< ,". . '\u25a0.'.'\u25a0"...
' vSalt and battery 1 — to fight.. % .
"Murder— to kill. % ";
"Misdemena— to throw dead animals
in the street." •
Another: v
"Disturbing the peace _is - a*, rnisde
jnena,;. :%>'* ...- :\ ; '': '\u0084--.\u25a0'\u25a0- r.'r -\u25a0"-\u25a0.-•• \u25a0
\u25a0. "Drunlc Is a mlsdemena.
- "Stealing any article valued at ; leas
than $20 ls.a'mlidemenor."; '-. s \u25a0*=\u0084
"A crime Is a felony/case committed
', by, any* one that . murders ' a human < be
ing,". Is tha answer.glven? torthejques-
lion \u25a0 "What * Is iA\CTImtV'M He ? further S
it-rote "that VVa : >pollcemari ssmays s may intake
arrests \ without a -.warrant for, murder,
rober>y~ salt "and '.batery.'/ f '... \u25a0/:.'\u25a0
. Of course, thrf writing. or the. reports,
which In 5 some cases Vwere sot lengthy/:
that It" would take pages to give: them;
In full, while . ' tot v abbreviate . them"
would spoil ithe •humor. -was- by ~ far :
the . piece de resistance lon each : exam -
1 nation ; paper, and here's ' a'V gem 'In
\u25a0 answer to: the j following*:'- T - %>
. yin executing a' search warrant glven~
you to recover a suit case from a house
at 2310. Fifth street. you foundj the door
barred ; against 'you- j: Tou effected an
. entrance . and_ seized : the prope rty. .Write ?
' a report, to the chief of stating
\u25a0- lnj f ijji , : just wHatVyoii dld T ln\th)i i per
, foraaacej of fyour^ duty; from' the • time
you -received-, the search iwafrant."*? .
\u25a0?^TheJgem: *>\u25a0\u25a0'\u25a0[. \u25a0'[ ',-* '"~'i/;-} ' -v:^, -
.v VI beg ;to state.upon serving a search
at ; SliO/Flfth'ictfeetifofJaiiSiilt^
-."caiVs I \u25a0 was f refused edmltance and waa '}
f os>ed ' to ;i break open f theY door 1{ and v
. there Z \ found v five ; men' armed I with f re-/
.vovlersi^they.y first '\u25a0> offered l§ to '•\u25a0\u25a0s fights
,bat ' seeing : that < I L^as as - quick sas
; flash * they threw up ' their - hands Z and
yXeflti&r- /dont ;.-'.BhpoC"; ;dont i'shoot, v .'. i';
- £.then^placed t thetn" under,; arrest %pyj or; 1 ;,
,"i derlngj' them &to > line, lup,.j. throwj? yoiiri
% hand t above j y ouM heads t end ' 1 1 si t nia n |
moye y ,before I \u25a0 tell^hini'-to'. 1*
•^will "shoot:- :':V: then! searched?. them- all •
\u25a0% disarming' them / ' I ; f ourid j the " suit caso n
\^had£bcen;: opened"-; the 'isiilt^ case Valid V
y'| p'rlsoiiers : : I i have 5 turned f over Sto '\u25a0<\u0084 tho;;
*£Bush"'streetjStatidh'houso'ahd?the T a.fras^
Mtihued hion 'a next 3^ page^ I?> have '^.turned '"
fethem '\u25a0 o%etAo : the ; proper ty/.clerk |S I .' cer- i
".'rect.' "'•'"•; \u25a0;':':.-\u25a0;- - : " . : :':;\u25a0\u25a0 \u25a0'•-. 'v -.-«\u25a0\u25a0\u25a0'\u25a0:•, -\.\- -\u25a0 ;r\
•\u25a0, '- . ' .'7—ls—6::' '
•,\u25a0\u25a0 •'\u25a0-\u25a0'' \u25a0\u25a0•\u25a0\u25a0.-.,\u25a0•\u25a0:'\u25a0""?:-\u25a0\u25a0\u25a0\u25a0. ':'-< .;-'\u25a0•• ?\u25a0;- "f; v.,:.':v; : -IJ'n,;::-.:'^';
\u25a0', In; answer to "What warrants may,; be-,
' served 'in Hhe nighVfTimVr^onefwroVe*:! 1
' \u25a0\u25a0' ;- j."-- -•:-- •^. »:-.-C'V/ .. *:..,-- \u25a0- .... v %i , <\u25a0:\u25a0,/;\u25a0>.\u25a0,:} r:*^,:::,
). f-i^Vlfiittwasia'ivery^serioutjoaaeiand^
icould|npt!getjthere> t in|the;daytim«[an4'j
9 ltiwt>uldlbe itoi royi interest ; to I get there ,
\. at s night.", I would;do' bo." 4ls v ; i
subpoena you; I have iub
. poena^ you," wrote one bright ; onil/tej!
\u25a0i} a^swerj tolrHowf wouldif you| MrT«Kandl
make return, for. a .subpena?" •\u25a0\u25a0•,*/-, \u25a0}! '\u25a0*...
: '"Revolver, Blllle, Handcuffs/;Stalrs,'?l
>.wrote •. the same one,: answering. iJ'Name >
'^fcAlled ' upon- ito"; enforce. ' Hefmistook?
• JtheTword! ordinance. , of Icourse/^ * ;-v <
Here are a few , answers j at > ran#bnv
|^£r^alth^pjip<B|«,'| K whleb i > :^sho^to|lQtlj|
ilmateiknowledgf' iof fthef sub JectrS^^^S
jatfellbn.'!-: ;
.:.-\u25a0 . .
crime' l ls an ( unjust ; act committed •'.
% byj anyone. I ' --. v. - . ; , \u25a0.:'.' r.Y'' .-••.->.:-.\u25a0\u25a0
vf^VMurder-^-When ;": a person, bruterly; :
pklilsVanother.£v£r v ;v-V.>- v *'\u25a0•' \u25a0".?- •,;^>f^
\u25a0^^ J'Bijf amy~rWhen > «. . a • man ; . . marries i
;"agaJnKbef ore I ; getting. "a", divorce,'' v-- ;.'V \u25a0<
i'l '?-\u25a0* BurgleryJY'is V£ ( . taking i\J of ; , personal }
; ; ; y \ v .
to •• allow no liquor
f^ellihg:| to |minors.!Vw-r ;,,.;; ; . : „
;i^;\7Blgamy^Any,maji~or,wife whomar.
% rles 'without \ the consent of the* Magis- V
4trateV,'j. v -.v-*; '^V:--r"tV"'. ; i.;: ; »v : ~}'<i\ .:,-'fi:'\^- ! t-'-.[t -'-.[ V
'.^ ' '/Extortions-Getting, money-. by .means i;
woCsyourjofflclal'posltion."; \u25a0 v '\u25a0-.;"- !•
>yi^iVßobbery~Taklng '*,-.' a way X personal „
; property] against {fishes'; of, owner.",
"*. Of /course* there* are-more \>ot the sattio
-\u25a0. and tthesei given^are; but \u25a0a* f ew : picked " ;
; ap: here'< and there among' thelpapers of ,
y^ Among
j percentages » one i finds \ not \ only,;i clever. '
r; answers but deepVcbnalderation^ofltne '
k subJecL \u25a0iThU; Is v espe'claiiy^truefof £the %
f//reports*'-J;wrltten;f //reports*' -J ; w r ltten ; but : one ? f e*atu'f 9; is!^
Even the men:! who ranked i
<j*'hlgh"^were' so(taken ; up -the' seri-^
satlonal' feature of their, story that they i~;
quite overlooked s\the j fact Tthat v they^
; had, anything r to- do with ? the' suit ci.se 'I
Rafter"! recovering," lt, 1 :^or that a* receipt
i'ahbuld.be left for, the case and the con- '
tents: .?;\u25a0\u25a0;:.\u25a0,\u25a0\u25a0;;;;--*;{-' )*?:'\u25a0•;-'':>. \u25a0' - '\u25a0/"',->; i- - -
;But n6t!only^ln;examlnatlon3^for po- \u25a0
found .the, many; bits rof*
:ThumoV'; ;^thaVrmake7thV^llfeT6f/av*cJvli/
\u25a0* _ -. . \u25a0'.... • ..'...
,'servlco exajblner Vbrth living. The"
present charter of the city and county
..of ..San 'Francisco provides for civil
service /in all its departments. Xot
: Rlone in the police^ and fire, but al3o
. in- the ' public^ works, electricity, tax
r | collector, and audito'rfs 'offices.' At pres
.' ent 2,246 positions' are .filled b" em
ployes v Tinder civil service. '• In the •
/lire department the men hay e 7 the same
ivork'cut out for them na In the police. \u25a0
•. and .many and funny things happen
"•when theyigo up for examination. ?
One "man wasV 22 -pounds overweight.
- so . lie donned innumerabla ' sweaters,
hiked to .the park, and after two . 'days' *,
hard training, managed to make it.-"
- Another was • a - pound and 'a> half
4 uhdeV; weight* liol hied, himself -vt'o^a:
, booze .emporium * and i drank ".water Vf or :
* two , hours,\then; returned *to .the exam
' lnatlon^room"; and/ ; mountingj tho 'scales. •
.madeV the .weight; i but "when', e'e'j was
.^measured / he" '.-was more " around^ the"*
j'Belng; a shrewd
\ one,;'. he "saw that the?- commissioners
\u25a0; were "on -to him." ' So-helretlred. ,
','\u25a0*.* Reports "to the^clilef s are "required': of
Ithe'men.up.for/examlnatlonin.the fire
\u25a0yas'^well as ; in*^the police department.'and I
- iust i as comical ,« reports ' are " handed i In .
.' by /.the'V candidates ; . for 3 the; bravest > ? as '
.'"for. \u25a0'.the*_nncst/' ..-;- * l>ast \u25a0' year." after 'the .
?the, firo force -was In; a* bad i
t way for ; e'r%ineers - and :ah ''examjna t|6n ;
lot "candidates • held. _ The 1 answer's \u25a0
to the TQUtlpe questions were -easy ;forr
-the men; r Dut'->when> '<hey"came ; to the '
/i'repoft" lifeVsuddenly/became-Aa bur-
Jden.- 1, They Jwerej required^ to" write "*»\u25a0
Iword on the \ breaking '
e 2of fa'crank'pin' and^wbati.wa3fdone"tto'
I'repairj it.'*^~ ln' one report-' the; applicant^
3 used Vup" nearly^ the full;; 100 'words ,'in'i
# how;.the; alarm 'came'; In ;\u25a0 to .
the flrehouse* how; he had responded,; as .
fall? good * firemen v Should: y :how ;• «they
': for * the i lire; :i jhad < gained .". the •
;fi;had I attached; the" hose, • and
\u25a0 ? jthen,lnndlng that jihe" had used *up all
his >' space *|in? descriptive .writing. ,fln-^;
;; ished, byj/saying-.f Vand : then * the crank
pin;; broke,; hit mo foh * the- head f and I
taken rto I the 3 hospital." v Another •
\u0084w asJ shortVand sweet." : He wrote: : , "I'd
Vsend^for^an. Engineer." v In 1 this; ex
, amlnation, only S yutiof 40 parsed with
%the i necessaryATo 3 per Jcent.^ and " i the
•ihighest*percentage?reached' was *96.5.
;:;; After,- the \u25a0 big ' flre 'of April, iaO6^an : ;
examination was,' he)d in tee fir* de
partment for promotion from hoseman
;to lleutonant.
"In this examination no physical test
was required! of the applicants, sine*
all are. ln active service, and thosewho
•were appointed through civil . servlc*
had been required to pass a rigid physi
cal examination before they were .ac
cepted for further examination.
Both the board of fire commissioners
and the civil service commission were
unanimously of the opinion that : pro
motion in the fire department should be
based upon the proven merit of the
candidate under trial, and that'knowl
edge of whether men possessed the pe
~ cullar elements of courage in the facs,
of imminent danger, quick Initiative,
under stress of srreat excitement, . and
executire. ability necessary to secur*
the "best efforts of subordinates, could
be secured only through the compari
son.of -[ Ideas of tn<» battalion chiefs
undjr whom the applicants had served.
In consequence a special board of ex
aminers .was appointed, consisting of,,
Chief. Engineer P. 11. Shaughnessy,
Battalion - Chiefs Michael O'Brien,
Thomas Murphy. E. F. McKlttrick.
John R. Maxwell.. M. J. Dolan,* J. Me-
Cluskey.'John ."Wills. J. J. Conlon. TBVD.
> "Waters, T. S. Fernandez. Walter Cook
anrl Chief. Examiner Aaron IL Fow#t».
Chief , Engineer Shaughnessy presided
. over ths special , examining board, t Tlw
.case of each applicant.. T.-as considered
\u25a0 before the entire board, the Judgment
*of «ach chief under a whom the appll-
served being given upon each
point considered. " The applicants were
'\u25a0 accorded' credits for experience as.ofll-*"
Veers under temporary appointment and
£ f or^priority, of ,'servlce. .Those who" had
received \u25a0 special "recognition foroieri
;torious service • were also given extra
r credits. The-proven/ablltty of the ap^
plica.-it In regard to flrcmanshlp and bis
'capAclty for'dlrecting men were
carefully, considered.' as were his record
- In -the matter of knowledge of sending |
" and , receiving the Morse telegraph slg- :
'-->. As^a -result of .the examination the
fact; developed. that \ some. of the men in
- the ranks ranked higher, than; some < of
;the men who^bad been serving as 'offl-*
I ccrs'under, temporary appointment, and
that several of the men who had been
'\u2666 *ery ihgY; as , lieutenants * were ranked -|
v higher; than '\u25a0 some of - those who \u25a0 had
been serving as . captain a.^QSPß3BHSMl
\u25a0 In the" examination ' for engineers in
{the flre department a special board of
I examiners .was appointed.' consisting of
I E. W.^Tuckcr. D. J. O'Brien >nd . O.: H.
Falrchild. . ' Thes^: gentlemen devoted. a
j; great deal of -time and thought ,to t the
preparation of the examination and the
consideration of the .papers of the va
rious applicants, v. iT .
- the board was assisted by Dr.E.vC.
' fat ..en «ii*a C. w '-.. c '\u25a0'\u25a0' : — iU
ear," Dr. %J. A.' Slmou and "0 from the
\u25a0\u25a0 Cooper medical college for the physical
"tests.. These gentlemen served without'
pay at the request of the board, for aa
I appropriation was \u25a0 denied.
- Tho civil service board >is composed
;of Edward F. Moran, prealdant; George
I£. Bahrs and Klchard Cornelloa.