Bloomington (Monroe County, Indiana) Weekly Star, August 30, 1919, p. 1. BOTTOM DROPS OUT OF THE REPUBLICAN POLICE FORCE "Internal Unrest" of Many Months Causes All Members to Be Let Out. BOARD SPRINGS THE TRAP The bottom fell out of Bloomington's Metropolitan police force last week, and when the remnants were gathered Wednesday morning Police Chief Browning was the only one left clinging to the debris. The trap was sprung the night before at a meeting of the police board which followed much ill-feeling among members of the force for many months taking the Sergeancy away from Hazel and giving it to Peterson being partly to blame for the blowup. The trouble came to a head when charges were preferred against Patrolmen Walter Peterson by Capt. Perry Cardwell and Patrolmen Hazel, Clark and Hinkle. Peterson claimed that the charges were false, and both sides demanded a hearing before the police commissioners. Instead of hearing the case the police board kicked the slats out of the whole organization and ordered Chief Browning to hire new men. The police force had been in a state of "internal unrest" ever since its appointment, it is said, and hard feeling and jealousy was ever brewing among the seven good Republican members. The law governing a Metropolitan police force says that the Chief shall be an administration man, the Captain a man of opposing politics, and the rest of the force divided between the two parties. Chief Browning announces that he will polish up the new force at the outset and give it a military atmosphere by hiring several ex-soldiers as policemen. Constance T. Shotts, Ed.D., CG(SM) CG and Certified Genealogist are Service Marks of the Board for Certification of Genealogists, used under license by board certificants after periodic evaluations by the Board and the board name is a trademark registered in the US Patent and Trademark Office.