202 S.W.2d 166 | Ky. Ct. App. | 1947
Affirming.
Paducah, a city of the second class, operates under the city manager form of government. During the latter part of January and the early part of February, 1946, a strike of the employees of the Dixie Greyhound Bus Lines was in progress. Pickets were placed in and around the bus station of the company, located at the corner of Fifth Street and Kentucky Avenue in Paducah, and trouble arose between striking and nonstriking employees. During this period Harry G. McElwee was the city manager, and the Ohio Casualty Insurance Company was surety oil his official bond. Henry Collins was the city treasurer, and the United States Fidelity Guaranty Company was his surety. On or about February 1, 1946, McElwee, as city manager, appointed eight persons as special policemen at a salary of $7 a day. None of them served later than February 13, 1946. After their services ended, they were paid the total sum of $511 from the city's general fund. On March 13, 1946, Charlie Shepherd, suing as a citizen and taxpayer of the City of Paducah, brought an action against the city manager and the city treasurer and their sureties to recover for the use and benefit of the city, the sum of $514. He alleged in his petition that there was no law of the State of Kentucky or ordinance of the City of Paducah creating the office or employment of special policemen, and that the payment of the $511 from the public funds of the city was unlawful and a breach of the covenants of the defendants' bonds. He also alleged that he had made demand on the city through the proper officers to institute suit against the defendants to recover the money paid to the special policemen, but all of those officers had failed and refused to do so. The defendants demurred to the petition and, without waiving the demurrer, filed an answer. In the second paragraph of the answer it was alleged that because of *697 disorders and lawlessness which occurred during the strike an emergency existed; that there was insufficient time within which to secure the enactment of an ordinance authorizing the appointment of additional policemen; that by reason of the riotous assemblage of persons involved in the strike and disorderly conduct, the continuous fighting between them, and the obstruction of the streets by participants, there existed a state of lawlessness which endangered the lives of citizens and threatened the peace and good order of the community. It was further alleged that the personnel of the regular police force of the city was not of sufficient size to cope with the threat of a riot and the law violations which were taking place, and that by reason of these facts the city manager was within his authority in appointing the special policemen. It was alleged in paragraph 3 of the answer that the mayor and members of the board of commissioners informally agreed to the appointment of the special policemen, and thereafter on March 19, 1946, the board of commissioners, at a regular meeting, passed a resolution approving the action of the city manager, and at a regular meeting of the board of commissioners on April 9, 1946, an ordinance was adopted ratifying and confirming the appointment of the eight special policemen by the city manager and approving the payment of their salaries in the sum of $511. The plaintiff filed a general demurrer to the answer, and the demurrer was overruled. The defendants' demurrer to the petition was sustained, the plaintiff declined to plead further, and his petition was dismissed. It is contended on this appeal that the Legislature has not granted to cities of the second class, either expressly or by necessary implication, the power to appoint special policemen, and the emergency alleged in the answer did not authorize their appointment.
Subsection (1) of section
The power conferred by this subsection is not limited in respect to the right of the legislative body to take such action as may be necessary to insure the peace, good government and welfare of the city. It is as broad as the police power of the state. Silva v. City of Newport,
In Commonwealth v. Kroger,
Under the general power conferred upon cities of the second class by subsection (2) of KRS
Judgment affirmed. *700