Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-08-07
ONE OF THE FINEST
Grand Rapids Has One OF the
Best
POLICE PATROL SYSTEMS
In the Coustry-An intesesung Sketch
81 th< DepaTtmens and ms Method
Of opesstioa-

one OF the best organized and most
systematically arranged aad governed
police patrol systems IN the Uaitesi
states Improvements IN this depart
ma Ut IL the eily's political mechanism
have Kept . steady pace With the oass-
ness growth, development aud the in
crease IN population Of the city until
today It ia unexcelled IN It's proficiency
and diselpll1s. The duties VI a blue
COAX today are As boys play IN conn.,
parison with the work required of him
when the systsm was IN ITS incipieney.
Previous u 1856 there were no regular
patroimen or wa.cAmen IN the city.
The system Of street lighting consisted
Of lanterns and oil lamps. aud were
usually extlnguished at bedtime. The
city was left IN darkness from that
time until morning. Thieves, burglars
and night prowlers Of all descriptions
were afforded ample opportunities for
carrying on their work. About this
time the merchants of the city dubbed
together and hired . night watch at
their own expense. Henry Baker was
employed To keep . watch over the
evil-doers that roamed sbou, at night.
GA.sd Into the Darkness
There were no lights and Baker
peered about through the darkness for
several years. His beat extended on
Monroe and Canal streets, between Of
tawa and Lyon atreeta, and 1t 10 said
that his keen eye and quick ear de-
tectsd many . rogus IN the act or CON-
uniting some breach of the law. When
the city charter WAS revised IN 1857 the
common council WAS gwen the power
TO appoint . Waterman and police
constable for each ward. TINS provis-
ion In the city charter was not taken ad-
vantage OF until 1871. Private parties
continued to engage watchmen at their
own expense, In most instances, until
June of that year. when . regular or
ganization of the police force WAS
effected with one chief and eight pa
troimen. James l.. Moran was ap-
pointed the fret chief of police and the
eight patrolmen consisted OF Charles
Sanders, Thomas McLain, William
Whalen, William OrmAnd, Jacob Hoch,
John Uppenear, Tucker and
Cornelius Cast. The chief and patrol
men were appointed or elected by the
city council until 1881. when an act was
passed By the state legislature estab-
fishing the board OF police and fire conf
mlssloners, and The powers and duties
connected with the government and
discipline of the police were transferred
from the common council to that
hoard.
Location OF Headquarters.
OF late the title of chef of police has
been superseded by the designation of
superintendent of police. Prior to 1882,
for near . dozen years, the police
headquarters were located in the build
ing now occupied by Elliott h Co. al
the corner Of Monroe and Ionia streets.
At that time there were no patrol wag-
ons nor signal stations, and besides at
tending TO the regular duties of a
patrolman. each officer was required TO
play the role of private detective.
Policemen were frequently compelled
to drag 10y main force an obstreperous
prisoner from the ID. Il nj. depot to
police headquarters, . distance of two
miles. In those days considerable diff
ticulty was experienced with the rough
and rowdy element of nOrth-woods
lumbermen who would steer for this
city In tho spring rs soon az camp
broke. They would cougregate IN the
low dives of the city and continue their
drunken carousals until their surplus
cash was exhausted. These men caused
no little trouble for the police force,
working as II was with limited facilities
for handling that class of infractors.
Hand to Hand Flights.
They would resist arrest with the de.
termination to lay out the arresting
officer or die IN the attempt. Many a
CORY hand TO hand fight was the out
come Of the purpose OF the police to
preserve peace. When the officer had
succeeded in subduing his man he
would bundle him into a drsy cart and
have him drawn To- police headquar-
tiers. IL dray was not at hand the
officer would he obliged 10 drag or
carry the prisoner tn the lookup. As
! many as ten arrests of this character
per day have been made by each
| patrolmsn during the season of the
lumbermen's visit of debauchery 20
| this city.
There were but three patrol beats,
Monroe, Canal and West Bridge streets,
Change day occurred every eight days.
One Of the eight men was detailed for
office work two days out of the eight,
co each policeman had q variety OF
work, acting in his turn as policeman
clerk, turnkey, detective and specla
hustler.
Added . Patrol Wagon.
At the end Of seven years after th,
| organization of the service o patro
wagon WAS added 10 the departm en-,
The wagon was kept at Tabor's liver
barn anu when an unusually obstinat.
| prisoner had been punched" word wa
sent TO headquarters for the wsgon
| which after considerable time hse
| elapsed was scot TO the officer mskiny
| the request. The changes made IN tn,
| Departments within the last few year
have been remarkable. In June, 1855
system OF signal stations and TIT
necessary apparatus to operate . cen
| trail office were procured by the boar,
| Of police and fire commissioners at
/ cost of e. $50. The force as now con
stituted consists az eighty pstrolmen
five detectives, . superintendent. tw'
sergesats, enc captain. one lientenan
two court officers. two clerks. one tTu
ant Officer, three drivers of ratro
wagon. three operators. one janitor,
one natron ard two turkeys. Their
are thirty patrol beats, ten OF which
are constantly pstroIlsd. The remain.
ins twenty are pstrolled from o'cloc'
/ D. IN. until o'c eek .. m.
| nave Three Watches
The nstfoimen are divided into three