Cleu v. Board of Police Commissioners

San Francisco—Police Commissioners—Bules por Police Department—Policeman Failing to Pat Debts—Punishment.—Under article 7, chapter 3, section 1, of the charter of the city and county of San Francisco, giving the board of police commissioners power to establish reasonable rules for the government and discipline of the police department, and chapter 7 thereof, authorizing the punishment for a violation of such rules by reprimand, fine, or dismissal from the department, the board of police commissioners has power to provide ‘ ‘ that any member of the police department neglecting to pay any debt owing by him shall, on complaint by one of his creditors, be punished by reprimand, or fine, or by dismissal from the police department.”

Id.—Jurisdiction of Board—Judicial Determination of Indebtedness—Bankruptcy of Policeman.—The board of police commissioners, before punishing for violation of such rule, is not required to wait until a court has passed on the question of the indebtedness of the policeman, nor is its jurisdiction affected by the fact that after the charge against the policeman had been lodged, and the evidence taken, he filed his petition in bankruptcy.