The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1896-08-13
HOW CHICAGO POLICE ARE PAID.
A Wagon Carries the Money Around, and
Has Never Been Held LIN.

Wagon Carries the Money Around, and
Has Never Been Held Up.
1t takes over 100000 every month to
run the police department of Chicago.
The amount varies according to the
fines imposed at police board trials or
extra men employed on extraordinary
occasions. For the month of May
checks were drawn for 1926, 530.24. From
this amount there was the usual reduc-
tor for the pension fund; for May the
amount was $2,348.S6. The actual
amount paid to the force, from the
chief down to the lowest in the depart
ment, was the difference between the
pension fund and the amount given.
The 18th of each month is pay day in
the department, unless Sunday falls on
that date. On that day a wagon con-
tanning 4 pavmaster, two specially de-
tailed officers and the driver, the last
also a policeman, leaves the city hall in
the morning. The wagon contains a
safe, and it is full of checks-not cash.
The driver knows the route. The pay
master has the payroll. The first step
is made at Battery d, of the First pre-
cinct. All The men of that precinct
not on their beats are lined up when the
| wago2 arrives. The paymaster goes in
with the payroll of that station and
| checks for each man. The desk SER
| geant calls the roll and as each man an
swcrs he steps out of the ranks and re-
ceiyes the city treasurer's check for
months services, according to rank, an
| less there is deduction for fine. Checks
| for absentees and men on duty are left
with the captain. The captains check
| is for $3.50; the lieutenauts' checks are
TO" $125 each; sergeants' 500; that for
each patrolman, $S3.33, and of the in
| spector, 500.
The chiefs check is always handed to
him personally, if he is in the city, and
he always scrutinizes it to see if it calls
for $500. That is his monthly salary.
| Then he deposits it in his bank.
The pay wagon of the department is a
| gay outfit, huiIt for the express pur-
| pose, and if some of the bold highway
men of Chicago should conclude to hold
it up as they do the cashiers of stores it
! is not likely that they would be able to
elbow" the safe before assistance ar
rived, and the police are unusually alert
on the 18th. If the wagon should be ten
minutes late at a station the whole force
weld be on The qui vive.
The check of the city treasurer of Chi
| cago, according TO an attache of the po-
lice department, is good at any bank,
saloon, or brewery" If there is bank
near the station the former always
stocks UP with cash the day before the
monthly pay. If there is no bank in the
vicinity, the saloons, or brewery, if there
| be enc, cash the checks, as that usually
means little business"
There are 5000 names on the payroll
of the police department of Chicago.
| The chief comes first, with a salary of
! $500 a month. The assistant, or deputy,
follows with 1900. The inspectors, four
! in number, get $2lO each. The chief Of
detectives and captain rank alike on the
| payroll, each getting $1S7.50 a month.
| Tho lieutenants in the detective depart
ment get $141.G6 each. The lieutenants
of the regular force get 1925 each;
| sergeants, 500 each; custodians $11G.-
66; secretary of the department, $751;
| so; private secretary to the chief, $50;
| detectives, 500 each.
The department, like similar depart
ments in all cities, comprises represen-
| tatives from the principal nations of the
earth. The irish are in the majority;
| then come the Swedes and Norwegians
| and Scandinayians. There are some
r L
and Scotch, and now and then an Amer
lean. 1t is said by one who knows that
there are not 100 men on the police force
of Chicago who come under the head
usually known as genuine Americans"
although every man would resent being
called anything else. The head of the
department and his assistant and most
of the captains are of foreign eXtrac-
ton, if not foreign born. - Chicago
|