Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-04-17
POLICE PATROL.
CHIEF LEES RECOMMENDATIONS
ON THE SUBJECT.
Advantages to be Derived from
Adopting an Alarm Telegraph Sys-
tenn, and Patrol Wagon.

For some time Chief of Police Lee has
been considering the ACCESSIBILITY of hav-
ing patrol system in this city, and as the
result of his investigations has prepared
report which he proposes to submit to the
Police Commissioners, and they in turn can
lay the matter before the Board of Trustees.
His report will be an explanation of how
read about as follows:
would most urgently recommend the
adoption of the patrol wagon and police
alarm telegraph system, confidently be-
ieving that when the same are fully un-
derstood the introduction of the apparatus
will be favored by every taxpayer and
every good citizen. The wagon, which is
the most important factor in doing the
work, is marvel of strength and lightness
built SO as to turn around within its own
length. 1t has two hair stuffed leather
covered cushion seats, one upon each side,
and each capable of comfortably seating
SIX men. One man can also ride on the
back step and two on the drivers seat.
Each wagon is equipped with hand-rail
at the sides, an alarm-gong three lanterns,
and rubber covered stretcher, which can
be in moment easily slung between the
two seats for the purpose of conveying
without jar or jolting sick or wounded
person, or one in the last stages of intoxi-
cation. There is also a tool-chest and
partitioned medicine chest for simple rene
dies, stimulants, surgical instruments and
bandages under the drivers seat Each
wagon is also provided with compartments
for handouts, ropes, jumpiug-canvass for
use at fires, and hand-grenades for subdu-
ing incipient fires. There are also rings
attached to the floor, to which a violent
prisoner can be tied down and secured.
THE sTRErcHER
Is an ingenious arrangement worthy of
particular notice. When not in use il is
rolled up on the poles and placed under
one of the seats. When required for use it
is drawn out through a small door at the
end OF the wagon, and four spring hooks
which accompany it are fitted in their
places-two on each side of the wagon.
Into these hooks the poles of the stretcher
are placed, and the canvas hangs between
the seats of the wagon without jolting. The
stretcher can be lifted from the wagon and
carried without disturbing the patient One
patrolman and the driver should be held in
constant readiness, day and night, to &C
company the wagon at every call. AT the
present time the manner in which patients
are removed from the Receiving to the
County Hospital is next to barbarous. They
are compelled 10 lie on the bed of any ex-
press wagon and to undergo almost con-
slant Earring over the cobbled streets. The
result is, that a very sick man is almost
exhausted when he arrives at the hospital
STREET STATIONS.
Next. as to the method of calling out the
wagon for active service: At every selected
street corner throughout the city there
should be :" street station" This consists
of an octagonal box about eight feet in
hight and three feet in diameter, which
also serves as a lamp post. The structure
is of heavy iron, with roof or top of thick
glass. serving to admit ample light to the
interior, either by day or night. Upon
opening the door to this sentry box with
his key (which every citizen who applies
for one should have), one steps inside and
finds himself facing small square box with
convenient hook projecting from the right
hand side. One downward pull of this
hook and in few seconds he hears the an
swering tinkle of little gong inside, and
knows that in very short time he will
have at his side patrol wagon manned by
three officers, ready for any kind of police
work.
- ADVANTAGES TO BE DERIVED.
Among the many advantages growing
Oul vi IlOSt 4LApOlldut diu pOllCG
work is, that it keeps the patrolman upon
his beat and attentive to his duties The
officer at the statlon-house must hear from
him every half hour, from some one of the
boxes on his beat, and as the registering
apparatus at the station house is automatic,
the record will be made even if the operator
is not present, and its absence from the
paper would show that the officer at a GER
tain time neglected his duty, and he would
be Obliged to give satisfactory explanation
therefor.
Under the present system it is impossible
for one Captain or roundsman to visit all
patrolmen on their beats. Most emphati-
cally is the patrol wagon and its accompani-
ments the policeman's and citizens friend
in an emergency. By its aid he will often
be spared the use in his own defense of
weapon, and by its aid the citizen may not
only protect himself, but prevent the COM
mission or secure the punishment of crime.
In fact, all of the Eastern cities that have
adopted the patrol wagon and police alarm
telegraph system pronounce it decided
success. The city of Oakland has also
adopted this system, and in conversation
with an officer from that city short time
ago, he wondered how they had ''got along"
all these years without the patrol wagon.
Quite large amount of money is paid
out yearly by the city for hack hire in con-
veying " DRINKS or disabled persons to
the station house, which can be saved by
the adoption of the patrol wagon.
COST OF THE SYSTEM.
am reliably informed that the only
expense TO the city for wire will be from
Second and / streets to the station-house
so that the actual expense to the city would
be the cost of procuring and putting up the
boxes at the selected street corners, and in
furnishing the wagon and team, all of
which, in my opinion, would not exceed
the following estimate;
Cost of building patrol wagon............ $3.50 90
Cost of twenty patrol boxes, at sS5....-.. 200 90
SOsk OF nOIsts-.-.... gu W
COST OF DaVtetles 9oO W
Cost of about one mile OF copper WIRE. 100 90
Si,ooU W
The above estimate is based on the sup
position that the wires now in use by the
Fire Department can be utilized.
The city of Oakland has forty alarm
boxes, thirty-four miles of copper wire, one