The herald., 1896-12-07
What Has Been Accomplished
the Past Year
NEED OF INCREASED FORCE
Suggestions and Recommendations for
Needed improvements
Arrests Made, Convictions Secured and Fines
Collected In Court


Moral, Law-Abiding, Safe and De-
sirable Places of Residence in
the Worid-Some Data.
Chief of Police J. M. Glass has pre-
pared for presentation to the council at
it's next meeting, which will probably be
tomorrow, as today the city election
occurs, his annual report of the business
of the police department during the fis
cal year just ended. Accompanying the
report are tables showing in compact
form the results OF the work, but as the
principal items are touched upon by the
chief in his review it is unnecessary to
publish them in detail. The document
in full is as follows:
To the Honorable Council of the City
of Los sAngeles-Gentlemen In compl-
ance with section So, article iv., of the
charter of the city of Los Angeles. /
herewith submit my annual report of the
police department for the fiscal year
ending November 30 1896, and in accord
with custom, respectfully suggest such
changes, Improvements and additions to
the equipment of the force as will further
increase its efficiency.
The roster shows that the present num-
is SO. The detective squad and neces-
sary details for headquarter duties take
20 men, and four officers are detailed for
corner duties, so that we have but 50
officers for regular patrol duty, which is
entirely too small a force to properly
protect our people. When 1 was first
appointed chief of the police department
there were fully 120 regular and special
police officers on duty, and this number
was then found none too large, notwith-
standing that our city then had GER
tainly not more than one-half of its
present population. In the past year
the area of the city has been increased
by the addition of several square
miles of territory on the west
Iy annexed districts are entitled to police
protection, which, with the present
force. it is impossible to give. In my
judgment. the most serious question in
police matters to now be considered is
a substantial increase of the force, and
l therefore recommend an increase of a
least 30 men, and of this number or 10
should be mounted.
Since my last annual report the po-
lice force has (thanks to your honorable
body and the good citizens of Los An
geles, who voted money for the improve
ments) been given very excellent offices
and a commodious and safe Jail in which
to detain the prisoners we arrest. for
which we are duly grateful. Occupancy
and use of the same show, however, that
some small changes can be made, which
will not be expensive, and will be a
great aid to the officers and lessen the
chances of prisoners escaping. 1t has
for years been customary to use some
of the long-term prisoners as attendants
and nurses in the receiving hospital
This we could safely do in the old hos
inc Of he io;I
the new receiving hospital has no direct
communication with the Jail, and pris-
oner left for moment in attendance
upon patient and without an officer to
watch him, has an opportunity to es-
cape l therefore recommend that steel
gratings be placed in the windows of the
receiving hospital and that a door be
cut from the hospital to the Jail, which
will enable the jailer to have personal
supervision of the hospital, and greatly
decrease the liability of prisoners escap-
ing from the same. If this is not done,
l suggest the employment of a regular
hospital attendant.
also respectfully urge your honorable
body to make an appropriation for inte-
rior telephones in the police building
and Jail. All necessary wires for the
same were placed when the building
was constructed, and furnishing the in
struments will not be expensive, and
the completion of the system will be a
very great convenience and aid.
The large increase in area and popula-
tion of the city makes more necessary
than ever the building of some branch
police stations, and l again recommend
that branch station be established in
the southwestern portion of the city,
near the corner of Adams and Hoover
streets, and another in the Vernon dis
trict: and think that the city should
purchase the ground required and erect
the necessary buildings, as it is impossi-
BILE to rent suitable places for stations,
each of which should contain one or
more cells. in which to detain prisoners
until they can be removed to the central
station.
l also desire to again respectfully
urge the adoption of my Recommended
ton of last year that an appropriation
of at least $4,000 be made for the purpose
of establishing police signal system,
which shall consist of register in the
central office, and at least twenty-fi five
or thirty signal boxes in different parts
of the city. The greatest deficiency in
the police equipment is the want of
adequate means of supervision over pa
trolmen on their beats, and facilities for
prompt communication between Off
GERS at the central station and the patrol
men, upon whose faithfulness and Wig
| ilance depends very largely the efficien-
cy OF the police. All of the large cities
of the United States, and very many of
the small ones, are today equipped with
police signal system of some kind
| These systems, although different in
| some respects. consist in the main of
| signal boxes and a central station ap-
| paratus. The signal boxes are placed at
| intervals throughout the city, and are
| 80 arranged that there shall be at least
| one box for every four officers flour
| officers could use one box by having it
| located where four beats corner but
| it would be much better to have one
box located in the center of each beaD
Each box is connected with the central
station and contains a telephone and
also an automatic signal device by
means of which the reports of the Off
GERS of their presence on their beats
and the more usual calls-for the patrol
wagon, fire or reserves-may be quickly
sent and recorded at the station house
Instead of iron boxes attached to lamp
| posts or the walls of buildings, some sys-
TENS use iron booths. These give the
| officers greater privacy in sending and
receiving telephone communications and
| also provide places where prisoners can
| be placed in cases Of emergency Other
| notifications Of the system are the ''vis-
] ual signalS'' used In some cities. Thess