The City Council’s Policing Scandal

The action of the Council in refusing to sustain the action of Mayor Yesler in removing Officer Murphy from the police force is at once inexplicable and disgraceful. That the members of the Council feel themselves ashamed of their action is shown by the fact that immediately after refusing to sustain the Mayor in removing Murphy, they passed a motion requesting him to resign. This makes the whole thing absurd and ridiculous. Officer Murphy was either guilty of gross and serious neglect of duty and of aiding in the open violation of law on Sunday, February 7th, or he was not so guilty. If guilty, as the evidence seems to indicate, he should at once have been removed in disgrace from his position. The Council, however, in refusing to sustain the Mayor in removing him, declared in effect that it did not consider him guilty. But if not guilty, why was he requested to resign? This double action has a most extraordinary appearance. It is evident that some members of the Council have placed private friendships or private interests above their duty to the public. This is supposed to be a 'business' Council, but it has a most unbusinesslike way of doing some things.