Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-04-15

that my opportunities for approaching the
needs Of the service are, pereaps, more eX-
ceptional than is the case with any other
peI.snu in the city ' have in addition 10
giving my best possible attention to the
public affairs OF our own city, also studied
the methods of similar service Of other
cities Of the Union. and II my humble
knowledge can be made of service 10 the
city which has for many years been my
home and 70 which I owe 50 much for its
past farors TO me, | shall. feel that l have
II d small measure repaid some Of the con-
tidence heretofore reposed in NE.
would first call your attention to the
fact that the department should have re-
cOrnized and permanent headquarters ar
which the chief should have an Office. As
the case has been during NY term OF ser
vice no OhiCe has been furnished, and
yeGieIce Of listening to complaints (often-
times OF delicate woncnl on the streets, in
some private stairway or other uusuit2 bic
place. subject TO all the embarraSSmentS of
interruption and want Of proper privacy. |
would also suggest that at least two Gala
boose keepers should be provided-one for
day and one for night serTice-to
oi L police sergeant, and whose
duty i should be, il addition
10 their regular duties, TO examine care
fully al persons before combining them to
the city prison. in order TO properly de-
terniue their condition, and to this end
none but men of unquestioned probity ana
integrity should be appointed. II has
happened that persons have died IL our
calaboose 10 whom proper examination
might have given needed medical atten-
ton. while Others after being confined in
the prison over night, have been found
TO be seriously aiiing physically, and sent
next morning to the hospital, where, in
many cases, they should have gone in the
first place OF course il would not be
possible TO avoid all these wrongs, but in
the light Of humanity an effort should be
made 10 better the service il this regard.
There should also be two special mounted
men. one Of whom should De always on
duty at the headquarters, whose duty it
should be 10 answer special calls and to
do any other special work for which they
might be detailed. ! cannot too severely
condemn any system which Recessitates
or permits Interference in any manner with
the regular beat duties Of patrolmen.
The custom of requiring or allowing them
TO do other than their regular duties tends
10 dcmOralize and vitiate the service
and should not be countenanCed for u
moment. No special private work by pa
trolmen should be expected or allowed eX-
cept under the immediate direction Of the
chief. 10 whom all matters pertaining TO
police affairs. of whatever nature, should
he promptly reported.
There should also be an increase in
the service in other respects than those
mentioned. At least two additional
mounted men should be put on and the
force should otherwise be sufficiently in
Of adequate service. The system OF re-
quiring men to DO duty sixteen TO eighteen
hours of tweUty-four is radically wrong.
tlany OF our officers are compelled
to pat in Us mitch as sixteen TO
eighteen hours cut OF twenty-four
doing service on their beats and
attending courts. This is clearly beyond
reasonable physical requirement. The
metropolitan rule IS To require eight hours
service i day. II good discipline, which IS
The vital essence of good service, IS eX-
pected, the chief should il all conscience
have Il voice in the selection of men who are
10 90 duty under him, and he should have
the power TO peremptorally suspend any Of
ticer found derclict nduLy. | would fur
Their suggest that the patrol wagon be kept
at police headquarters, and II this conueC-
ton would urgently advise the adoption of
the metropolitan system of police alarms,
which consists Of j system OF alarms SJme-
what similar 10 our fire alarm system,
which would be connected with police
headquarters. When an officer makes au
arrest under this system. il would not
ordinarily be necessary for him 10 accom-
pany the prisoner 10 headquarters, or even
10 hold the party until the arrival OF the pa
trOl wagon, as at each alarm box Il man
holder IS provided in which the prisoner is
locked to await the arrival of the wagon
and the officer who accompanies it, and the
officer making the arrest would leave
memorandum of the arrest i'll Il place pro
vided for that purpose, and go on about his
patrol duties.
IN the matter Of the city pound I would
beg TO say to the city council that reform is
seriously needed. Existing ordinance regula-
ton in this regard is, in my opinion, grew
ously incomplete. The offices of this
sarily, exceptionally close TO the people,
and should be exercised under such safe
guards and conditions Us 10 relieve it as far
as possible Of the dissatisfaction that has
been engendered under existing regula-
tons.
Ii the first place, an ordinance governing
the pound should be SO amended as
to make the keeper q sworn
special officer OF the city, 10
whom salary should be paid, instead of
requiring him 10 depend for enumeration
on the fees of the office, and the fees should
90 direct TO the city. This would IL great
measure relieve the officer of the charge SO
made Of improperly impoundiug
stock for the fees, for We're it understood
lidl W LlIL W dS uoAC v Is GClC III JIG SNOI
discharge OF duty. as is other official serv-
ice, the excuse for such claims OF impropri-
ETY. would be removed.
In the next place all assistants should
also be sworn and selected with proper care,
and should be approved BY the council.
And finally, all officers on patrol duty, as
well as mounted, should be required to
assist in the enforcement of the ordinance
by giving prompt notice 10 the pound keeper
Of any stock found loose on their beats. IL
this way the damage frequently done TO
shrubbery aud trees by animals before the
pound keepers find them would be greatly
leSsened, and the complaints Of that class Of
citizens be better met.
l would further suggest that the city Sc
riouSly needs u detective department, and
should employ at least two well chosen men
for this duty, who, acting under the orders
of the chief of police, should do such special
duty Us in the nature OF things and the
proper demands of all branches Of tie
service the patrolmen cannot properly do.
The present extent of the city makes de-
tectve service an imperative necessity, and |
| earnestly invite your attention TO this la
grant need. Neither the chief nor his other
assistants have the time 10 give the attention
necessary to this service, and only special |
men can properly ill the demand. There |
should also be two assistant chiefs instead |
Of one, as the time required to serve papers |
and fulfill the other duties of the office is |
wholly beyond the capacity of a chief and |
one assistant to properly perform with due |
regard for the efficiency of the service. |
The office Of chief should also |
be provided with a private secretary |
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