The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1891-07-08
POLICE PATROL.
The System by Which 1t Is
Proposed 10 Avoid
Appointing New
Officers.
COST, ABOUT $4,000.
Strong Arguments for an Appro-
priation by the Financiers
This Year---Details of
the System.


ing fiscal year, submitted to the Board Of
Finance. have inserted an item Of $4,000
for the establish hment Of an electric patrol
system. The system will be great saw
ing to the city. It viii enable the Com
missioners to cover the city more thor
oughly with less men. The law permits
them to appoint twenty men each year at
salary of 1000. With the patrol system
but half that number will be required,
and as It will take only about $1,000 to
keep the system in order after IL Is once
put up. the city will save annually 200
In speaking of the matter last night
Chief Murphy said:-
''The law allows an Increase Of the ten
per cent per annum In the force. This
means about twenty more patrolmen
man Is a Thousand dollars. In other
words, the Police Commissioners are al
lowed by law $20, 900 additional each year
TO increase the force. This year they
have asked for but one-half of that
amount In order to put in plant Of what
is known as police electric patrol signals
THE Police Commissioners, after much
thought and inquiry among officials of
cities where the system is in vogue, have
decided upon this move. Nearly every
first class city in the United States has
adopted II. The money was appropriated
for it In New York three years ago, but
the Police Commissioners Of that city
have not been able to decide upon which
OF the various systems to adopt. The
usefulness OF electricity in police business
has become an acknowledged fact, and
no police force is properly equipped to
give proper protection to property aud
life without this electric patrol system.
Its various phases Of usefulness are so
numerous that one scarcely knows where
to begin to speak of them.
THE SIGNAL BOXES.
In the first place signal boxes, similar
to those used by the Fire Department,
would be located at various points
throughout the city. The system was
first introduced In Chicago by a police
officer named Barrett The boxes are
located on corners. All policemen are
furnished with key to the boxes or
adopted. A sign is posted to tell where
key may be found A citizen can 60
there with this hey, and by simply pulling
down lever, give an alarm. Thus every
citizen can assist the police. On the
Heights are very large posts and It is
almost an accident to run across police
man. say in a case Of an accident where
the patrol wagon Is TO be summoned, or
where the arrest OF a sneak thief or dis
orderly person Is wanted. Even the
women folks OF the house can send a SER
want girl or boy 70 the nearest box and
summon the wagon and policeman imme-
diately. A record Of arrests where alarms
were given BY citizens have been Kept in
those cities where the system is in vogue,
and / tell you it makes a splendid show
ing at the end of the year.
Another effect Of the system is
to Undue the people with conf
dence. for they are sure of getting i'm
mediate police service when they send in
the alarm. It's presence in all the cities
where the system has been introduced
has resulted in decrease in crime, for
criminals fear such prompt and efficient
police service.
BENEFITS OF THE SYSTEM.
NOW as to the benefits which accrue
directly to the Department In the first
place electricity Is the best roundsman in
the world TO compel policeman when on
patrol to perform his duty. for the reason
that the patrolman is required to send in
signal to his station at stated inter-
walls. Tnen again It keeps policeman
on his post from the time he goes out IN
til he is regularly relieved. Instead OF
taking prisoner to the station house he
goes to the nearest signal box, sends an
alarm to the station house which Is
promptly answered by the patrol wagon,
and the policeman remains on his post.
There are posts on the Heights where by
the time a policeman makes an arrest,
takes his prisoner to the station house
and gets back to his post two solid hours
have elapsed. During all that time his
post is uncovered.
SHOULD the prisoner be 6isorderly and
the services of two or more policemen are
required, it correspondingiy depriYes that
portion of the city OF police protection.
Then, again, when an accident occurs on
q mans post and he signals tor the patrol
wagon, the victim of the accident Is more
promptly removed 10 the hospital. 1t is
intended, if the Commissioners succeed
In getting the appropriation, TO place
box ct the various ferries, SO constructed
that the officers in the various station
houses, when q crime has been reported.
can send out signal that In the night
time will display red light, and In the
day time cause q continuous ringing of a
gong at the boxes in order TO attract the
attention of the patrolman on the post.
He will unlock the box or booth, and by
telephone be instructed to LOOK out for
escaping criminals
WHERE THE STATION WILL BE LOCATED.
sit is intended 10 establish an electric
station at headquarters that will cover
the First precinct; one at the new pre-
cinct station house IN Seventh street to
cover that part of the city; another at the
new Fourth Precinct Station House on
Communipaw avenue TO cover Lafayette
and q portion of Greenville and the
Seventh precinct. The one in the Second
precinct will also cover a portion OF the
Third and Sixth. IL is on the Heights
where the location of these boxes will do
the most good, especially on West Side
avenue, and In the Sixth district, along
the Newark and New York Railroad,
where so many new buildings are going
up.
''The new police stations that are being
erected are provided with patrol stables.
The new patrol wagon for the Fourth
precinct will be ready for use in about
week. and another will be ready for SER
vice by the time the new station house in
the Second is completed. The first cost
Of this system, for the erection of poles
and lines, the placing of the boxes and of
Instruments In the station houses. will be
all that is necessary for several years"