The evening times., 1895-11-29
THIS TOR gM6RlssnEh
Needs Of lie Police Force Are
.~ FuIIy'ShoWn Below.
CRIMINALS 90 UNoAUeHq
One Hundred and Fifty Men should he
Added 10 Those Already Guarding
the Cny' iii order That Ample and
Complete Protection Shall BE Az
fOrdcd,

| Bat twpdays rcnei In until the Fifty-fourth
| Congress shall assemble for the transaction
of legislative business. II is certain that no
subject of municipal importance can come
UP Tor consideration winch will surIiass tia,
| OF increasing the numerical strength of the
metropolitan police.
Action or tiis character has for years
/, been paramoant TO all others of a purely To-
cal nature. hut remedial action has from
| TINE etoiimc been permitted TO go by de fault.
and while other improvements have been
made commensurate with the growth of
the city that orprcpcr police protection has
| been neglected.
There has never been any question as TO
The efficiency and thorough organization of
The police force in this city SO far Us limited
numbers wilI permit. No municipality in
The country is the superior of Washington
| in the capabili,y and intelligence OF its po
! lice officers.
| In one OF the last great speeches made by
John j. lngails prior to his retirement from
| uie Tnitcu States senate he took occasion
| To compliment and eulngize the police force
| AMI said that be was .convcrsant with all
/ the leading cities. bat none were superior
in itia; respect to Washington.
CANNOT IGNORE 1T.
II is Il practical Ger. aiBty that Congress
| during the al,proa ching session. which begaIs
next Monday, cannot longer ignore the
| urgent necessity. existing and shown from
! DAY Ia a:ly III Int lniirs. iui ima;rri;,i iu-
crease in the police protection afforded.
| Not only the taXpa y.rs and citizens, hut
| those charged with the enforcement OF the
laws. win not ;tiiow the matter 10 die from
inanltion. An emergency exists which
must bc met. With t.ic fuii force of patrol
I nhl. AMI officers working not only day and
night, hut Sunday, many outlying districts
OF the city are ieglt cteti. and hre ana prop
criy are left at the mercy of highwaymen
and robbers.
II is not a question of negligence from
choice, but a aiural result OF fCongrcs siunal
-parsimony, which. rrquires Il few men to
cover an cnormous cNpanse or territory,
and holds the authorities responsible for
that which they can 10y no manner of mea lis
prevent.
As matter of fact. there are but two
double BEATS in the city the market md the
Divisicn IT N1lilG IN the various precincts the
Officers are expected to cover beats con-
tanning from Il half dozen squa res III the
spafeseiy settled and exposed northeast.
In addition to the regular territory To he
guarded by the police. there are four hun
drcd acres or government reservations
:. which claim a certain share OF their atten-
IL
'duty~a-fJe~f iss of. Hhe time and then the
darkened and unligited pail WI ysarnturned
over 10 an i;.frcady 'cvtrworked pairolman.
;. CoULDNrTIRE.rEN CRIMES.
In the larger reservations, such as the
7smfths6fiian and Agricultural grounds. the
watchmcn confine themselves to guarding
the buildings, and crimes of every character
might Dc committed within Il stones throw
or Them without their knowledge or inter
ference.
., III, The smaller reservations, such rs
Franklin Square, i watchman is one duty
-duriueithcday Y aud uutii 10 o clock At night,
when he goes home. and the Policeman on
thai bd.ft,, %ftfi -AIr Tie surrounding resi-
deHce territory to. Protect, must also take
charge jof ,ti,e park, ,7t
With these conditions existing there can !
be but ore ef two results: Either Congress |
must adsIuately increase the police force |
to such an extent In3tit can properly patrol !
the sections allotted 10 IL for protection, |
or murders, assaults. robbcrics and out |
RACES of every kind must steadily increase |
until life and property will be in perpetual |
jeopardy.
when The Times reporter asked Mai. |
william t;. Moore. superintendent OF police, |
rega riding the immediate and urgent Reccs- !
sity for a material in crea Sc In the numerical |
strength of,ihe. Eer,s, he said:
''m view OF the peculiar conditions pre-
vaiiirg In this city, which do not exist in
other municipalities of equal or even greater
population, 1t is an utter inpossibiliiy to
properly patrol the territory we are COM
pciled to cover with the inadequate force
of men at our disposal. With the longest
hours of duty and the best possible DISPOSE
ton OF the men, the number Is found TO be
largely below that required as a minimum.
THE ABSOLUTE NECESSITY.
- ."Washingtoa is the fourth largest police
jurisdiction in. the United States. We
have 72.9 square miles to cover with
total force OF 4T5 men and officers, with al
most 20 per cent of the force constantly
SICK on leave, or performing permanent
detail duty.
II shall continue to recommend. until
sOnie action Is taken. the absolute necessity
that exists for additional policemen. Con-
gress- must eventually take some steps to
the evils which naturally arise by
rea son OF the improper and insufficient pro-
lection of citizens and property made I'M
avoidable by the maintenance of min
imzed force 80. +
Major Moore pointed out various facts
which emphasize the urgency for the prompt
Increase by at least One-third In the number
Of p,,liceinnr employed In this city. Fully
l5O additional men are needed la bring
The force up tn that degree OF numerical
WHICH SHOuju De tDaiiitsiiueu ia ,
he capital of the nation.
THIS morning there were, out Of a total
force uf 475 Officers and men, 6b men , ,
,n detail duty at the police court. the .
Executive Mansion. aud other places where ,
1aily routine work must be performed.
twenty, MEN are absent on leave and 26 .
ncn are unable TO report for duty by
eason uf, iilness., This makes n total of :,
II men, or nearly one-fourth of the entire : :
or,c, who are not on duty. The detail duty
8 practically permanent. The detention
# men by sickness averages about the same !,
II the year. -5-
OFFICERS AT THE POLICE COURT
In addition to this virtual reduction OF
he available force, allowance must be
lade for the officers who are compelled
0 each day appear in court as witnesses. !
very man who makes an arrest must be
ronIptly present in court on the following
Dorning and give his testimony in the ease. /,
here are daily from 80 to 12O arrests,
nd as many policemen must Cs,me into !
ourt as witnesses.
1t has not infrequently happened that r
u some precincts there has not been a man I
0 g, on duty in the morning by reason Q
attendanre in the pA,lice court, which s
Emphasizes the necessity for a magis- a
rate system. n
There are in Washington an unusually