Birmingham state herald., 1897-01-13

needs no eulogy from me, but in it's op- eratfon the efficiency of the force will be increased at once to a degree that will largely compensate for the lack of num- hers.
 ROGUES GALLERY. As I stated before we are in great need | or a rogues' galelry. Numbers of con- | Victs are released every month from our. penitentiaries who, al one time were our | worst enemies, but who have been away so long that their names are forgotten py the older members of the force. which were never known by the younger mem bers, return to our city to commence op- erations anew. With this gallery we could easily call their names to memory and recollect to a certain extent their old haunts and practices By this gal lery the younger members of the force. Who were not members when these vet eran thieves operated in our community, could nave them pointed out to them in the gallery and if they were to see them they could easily identify them and he on the alert. Besides, we receive pie lures from other cities of rogues that visit other cities and bring back t11eir spells to be disposed of in their commu- nity. These travelling light-fingered ar tfsts could be driven from the citv f'thev could only be identified by our men. The saieIy IS d great necessity, and I hope that your ble body will use every exertion to secure it for the department. ana especially for the public good
 BERTILLON SYSTEM. The Bertillon system of measurement would also be of great benefit to the de partment. This with the rogues' gal Iery, would enable us to rank among the | most successful departments in inc country. There was created last May by the National Chiefs of Police IJnion or the United States and Canada. A board or oHlcers who have for their purpose tl tne iuentincation of criminals. This board ha hna lnSton, D. C., and will be composed of sucn men as William A. Pinkerton. de- tective of Chicago; Jacob Frey. mar s@nai @ or the city of Baltimore and Col. thn ,th d:. Dei'sch, superintendent of police of the city of Cincinnati. This board will De called the Central Bureau of Identifi- cation of Criminals
 Birmingham should be a member of ,ii thls poaru To illustrate this fact and the necessity of it, say, for instance we arrest a man here who we do not knov w take his measurement by the Rertil- lon system, forward this with bis nin ture @ to the headquarters of this board at Washington and they place him ants notify me who he is and all ahoIt bir, This system can be purchased at a very snail cost and would be greatly bene nclal to the department
 MATRON.
 m my last annual report I suggested tne employment of a police matron
 
 now of the same opinion
 The number of cases of runaway and uesefted girls, who may be on the very threshold of vice, that are constantly coming under my observation, impress me with the fact that great deal of good could be accomplished by the employment or matron, at a small cost, who could investigate such cases and afford relief to worthy persons by having them turned over to the proper charities.
 POLICE HEADQUARTERS.
 When come to report upon the condi- ton of the building which we are com peiled to use as headquarters I cannot too strongly deplore the fact that the city has for so long time neglected to erect a suitable building to be used for this purpose. Here where the city's needs would suggest that a suitable building with the proper accommodation and equipments should be had, but we have instead tumble-down, dirty, unsafe and incommodious building, building which is scarcely safe for occupancy, the con- tinued use of which may result in in- jury to the city's property therein, and also to the members of the department who are stationed there
 I would urge upon your honorable board the necessity of taking vigorous and decided stand in favor of a more suitable headquarters, and continue in your demand for this until the city will recognize this need, and furnish us the
 
 tied.
 CRIMINALS.
 I find by close observation that our city has, perhaps, more persistent thieves than any other city in the south. We have arersted any number of them and sent them to the mines, and as their terms expire they again take up this ne- fariouS business in our city As you are well aware, all of these criminals are not Birmingham's own production. Birming ham is the dumping ground for the state for criminals. They are sent up for short terms and some for long terms from every city and county in the state Their terms must expire sometime, of course, and they are. released and given transporta- tion to their homes; but instead of going to their homes, they seem to prefer to hang out in our city, just for a few days" they say; that means until they can sell their ticket, which was given them, and until they can get acquainted with others of their type who reside here. They organize and commence on their exploits of offering in short while.
 But I find the most persistent thieves and law-breakers to be youths and some times mere children. Our courts say they are too young for legal punishment, and their parents claim they are unable to control them. This makes 1t quite problem as to what is best to do with them. One thing is certain, something ought to be done; we are practically at their mercy as it is.
 Our men have succeeded in bringing to justice some of the worst criminals the city ever had the misfortune to be troubled with. They have also recovered a large amount of stolen property and returned same to the rightful owners, as you will notice by the amount of stolen property recovered" in value in the with in report. They have taught the thief and crook and also the professional criminal, that this city is no place for him. and our city has the name and repu- tation of a most successful criminal catcher. None knows this better than the criminal himself
 REVISION OF ORDINANCES.
 I must again call to your attention, that we are greatly in need of a complete revision of the city ordinances.
 I thought when we began the year of 1896 that this would be done before I made this report, but it has been serious ly neglected. Many ordinances are pass ed and amended that the new members of the force never know anything of.