Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1895-10-17
POLICE DEPARTMENT Helps
How Records Are Kept of Men
on the Force.
THE MANAGEMENT IS SYSTEMATIC
Every Criminals History is
Preserved.
Many improvements in Our Department
of Public Safety Which Are Valuable
Aids - Chief Dolan After Suggestions
from Other Cities.


Aids - Chief Dolan After Suggestions
from Other Cities.
Chief of Police Dolan is revolving
certain matters in his mind with
view to increasing the efficiency Of the
Police Department. AS is generally
known, the officers are rewarded for
meritorious conduct, but it is moi
known to the public Just how the sys-
tenn works. The chief has in his pri-
vate Office three special books, in which
are recorded the conduct and general
worth Of the men. In the merit book
every officer who displays heroism,
bravery or commendable conduct in the
performance of his duty is credited
according to the real worth of the act
forwhich he is rewarded. III he arrests
burglar, discovers fire late at night
and strikes the alarm, or personally de-
tects criminals and runs them down
and arrests them he is given a No. l
mark, which is indicated in the book,
opposite his name, by long stroke.
III he performs the same work with the
assistance of others he gets a No. 2
mark, which is shorter than the No. l
mark. A No. 3 mark is given for
general good work when it results sue
cessfully in special cases. No. l marks
are gotten mainly by brave or daring
acts in the middle of the night, when
1t is supposed about e. 600 of the
20, 900 people in the city are asleep.
This is the time when the officers are
expected to be the most vigilant, and
it is to stimulate them to work at this
time harder than at other times that
they are specially rewarded,
These merit marks are not intended
as merely an empty honor. They have
great deal Of weight with the Police
Commissioners and in case of vacan-
cies in superior positions the commits
sioners have announced that promo
lions will be made according to the
records mads by the patrolmen. The
system was inaugurated by the present
board, and as yet it is not thoroughly
developed. The chief is now at work
devising means to improve the system.
Whenever man is given mark of
merit the reason for it is given in
another book. At present the officers
do not see their records, but the chief
intends to adopt the custom in use in
some other cities and have large card
Every mans name will be there re-
corded and his record will appear OPP
posite to it.
Another book containing dement's is
kept by the chief. In it are recorded
all the misdeeds of the men, including
tardy marks. The third book gives the
number of times the men have been be-
fore the commission and the nature of
ha off rall fhn n
of the cases.
So it will be seen that the Police
Board has at hand at all times the
record of all the men on the force and
whenever charges are prefeHed they 60
to the books and look up the record. 1t
must be said, however, in Justice to
the men, that many of them never were
arraigned, and the majority of those
who have been brought before the
board were not guilty of fragrant mis-
conduct, but only Of hardness.
The complaint book and rogues' gal
lery are also valuable additions TO the
facilities of the department. The com
plant book, which is an entirely new
form, is used for recording all the com
plants, with the details thereof. As
soon as a complaint is lodged with the
blhttl IL tndIEG II lb pldteU IN llt
book, as is also all the information
that can be obtained from the inform
ant. The Complaint is read out wher
the men form in line before going on
duty, and if it is received in the middl,
of the day it is sent to the officers OF
the districts over the police telephone
system. a II grave cases are sent GU
immediately at all times. When thu
al ii G L
POSITION is recorded opposite the com
plaint A reporter of 1.-The Gazette
was in the office of the chief of polio,
a few days ago and young man en-
tered and informed the chief that HI
could give some light about IA theft O
which he had informed the authorize
several months ago. BY referring {,
the complaint book the chief recalled
the case and as il agreed with wha
the young man said he knew the in
formation was genuine and an office
was detailed to follow IN the informa
tion at once. There is now no troubl
to get data concerning old crimes, a
they are carefully kept in this boo
Systematically.
The rogues' gallery, which is a larg
book, is another important adjunct
= ~ '4b AiNNilpAa VI htNHlUB Inv gamer
was to get cabinet photographs an
slip them in position the same u.s. in a
ordinary album. The new book doe
not contain the cards at ALL hut tn
photographer mounts the photograph
directly on the leaves Of the book, $
that they cannot be removed, and ther
is no danger of losing any of them
Another book IS kept in conncctio
with the rogues' gallery, and in it
entered the record of all crimina
whose pictures appear in the bool
Thieves, burglars, murllerers and sus
picious characters who fall into til
clutches Of the local police are pilot,
graphed in two positions--fron an
side view-and their records are entere
up as soon as they are obtainahle.
In addition to keeping record ,
criminals their terms Of imprisonmet
are noted, and on the day that they al
to he liberated from Jail the office
are all notified, and their special attel
tion is directed 10 all free criminals
they remain about the city.
Chief Dolan is making study
police matters, and he readily talk
cognizance of all the suggestions /
gets from other cities.