Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-10-21
Annual Report Of Superintendent Of
Department.
ESTIMATES MADE FOR THE YEAR 1899
Suggestion for Increase of Men
and Equipment.
ST ATISTICAL SHOWING

The annual report of the major and su-
perintendent of the metropolitan police
| department for the past year, together
| with an estimate of the amount required
| for the conduct and support of the
/ fo1ce fer the year ending June 30, 1899.
was submitted to the Commissioners today.
I he estimates in detail are as follows:
One major and superintendent S, 300; one
captain. s1,S00; four lieutenants, inspec-
| tors, at $1,000 each, $1,000; one chief clerk
who shall also be property clerk, $1,000;
| ore clerk, 1.500 one clerk 5000; four sur
geons of the police and fire departments, at
| S5l0 eacn, S2,lG0; additional compensation
for twelve privates for special service,
s2,eSO; nine lieuteEants, at $1.320 each, $1l,-
$50; thirty-one sergeants, at $1,14O EACH
$3.50; 80 prvates of class l, at $500 each,
Sz'9,U0; 30 privates of class ., at $1,OSo
each. S259, 200: twenty station keepers at
sl2o each, s14,tO0; nine laborers at $3.50
each. sl,320: one laborer also in charge of
morgue. $3.50; one messenger. 800; one
Z 'enSer, 500; one major and superinten-
| dent. mounted. s2l0; one captain, mounted
$40; fcrty-three lieutenants. sergeants and
privates, mounted. at $40 each, sl03a0:
twenty-three drivers. at $3.50 each. s11,OlO;
tEree pCllce matrors, at 5000 each, 81 800;
for rent of substation at Anacostia $2o0;
fuel. $40; repairs to stations, 5000.
Miscellaneous and contingent expenses
li-CIiiuiHS StdtlOneTy. DOCKS, telegraDhlng,
photographs, printing. binding, gas ice,
washing, meals for prisoners. furniture and
repairs thereto. beds and bed clothing in
sigma of office, purchase and care of horses
bicycles, police equipments and repairs OF
same. harness. forage, repairs to vehicles
van. ambulance and patrol wagons. and
expenses incurred in prevention and detec
ton of crime and other necessary items,
S24.OO0; improving the stable and grounds
of the third precinct station. s27oo; ad-
ditional story to the second precinct sta
ton house, $4,000: additional story to the
eighth precinct station house. $1,000: pur-
chaSe of lot and erection of a station house
in Aracostia. S1S,3U. Policemen's fund and
firemens relief fund-provided. that here
after the Commissioners of the District of
Columbia are authorized and directed to
deposit with the treasurer of the United
States, cut of receipts from the District If
Columbia revenues, a sufficient amount to
meet any deficiency in the police fund
firemens relief fund. Total, s7I4,60O; ap-
preparation 1898, s619, ,416: excess over 1897
$50. .lS4.
Items of the Increase.
This estimate exceeds by s35,ls4 the ap-
preparation for the current fiscal year. the
items of increase being as follows: One
Heute1ant-inspector. 81, 800; 10 privates of
class l, at $500 each. 5000; 40 privates of
class =, at 81 $50 each, s43,20o; laborer,
$50; repairs to stations, 5000; miscellan-
eous and contingent expenses, $1,000; i'm
proving stable and grounds, third precinct,
S2,i0o; additional story, second precinct,
$1,000; additional story, eighth precinct
5000; purchase of lot and erection of sta
ton house in Anacosta. d. c., slS.3OU.
Total increase, $36, 1SO; less total decrease,
S996, 800, 1S4.
Police DiscipIine.
In order to insure compliance with the
rules and regulations for the performance
of police patrol duty in well-organized
force of men there must be a constant
supervision of their conduct. While pri-
marily this work devolves upon the lieutea-
ant of each precinct, that officer must in
the main depend upon the observations and
reliability of the sergeants under him to
secure this important end in discipline.
During the lieutenant's hours of active ser
vice he may keep himself advised by in
Spection of the conduct of the SergeantS
and privates of his command, but after ac
tive business hours there would follow a
cessation of activity and lax!ty of discip-
line if provision was not made for supple
mental general supervision of the sergeants
and forces under him. This important
feature oi the work is assigned to two of
the three lieutenant-inspectors, already pro-
vided for by law.
The third of these officials is the chief of
the detective bureau. 1t would be at once
unreasonable and ineXpedient to require
him to perform constant service, and this
has AsoesSitated the detailing OF the several
precinct lieutenants, alternately, to act as
lieutenant of the detective bureau during
the twelve hours when its chief is ''of
duty
Sucn a course, at once, in a measure, lie
tracts from the physical capacity of the
heutenants i'll the performance of their le-
gitiIaate business IS commanders of the
several police precincts, and likewise di-
verts their atteltion from the precinct af-
fairs. which should receive their personal
and constant consideration. 1t is necessary
that superior officer should be in charge
of the detective service at all times to in
sure intelligent action upon public demands
and to secure respect and good work on the
part of subordinates. The department, to
be relieved of the existing embarrassment
needs another lieutenant-inspector, that he
may take charge of the police headquarters
from o'clock in the evening until S o clock
the next morning.
Existing Conditions.
While it would seem reasonable that a
police force of four hundred and eighty pa
trolmen should preserve peace and prevent
crime in the District of Columbia, the cit
liens and press should not be too hasty in
condemninss the efforts of the force which
Is often done through misconception of the
manner in which ii must be employed to
secure the best results. In the first place.
the whole District force is not on duty at
any one time. 1t las been found advan-
tageous in this jurisdiction to employ what
is known as the six-hour system. That is
the twenty-four hours are divided into four
reliefs Of six hours each, and the force so
arranged as to apply the preponderance of
it to service during the night time, with a
minimum force constantly on reserve at
the station houses. Before this assignment
of men is made, however, the total force
of four hundred and eighty is depleted by
sickness, absence. details to the Executive
Mansion, which should have a force OF its
own: to the Police Court, for which bailiffs
should be provided; to the workhouse where
watchmen should be employed, and 10
other imperative duties, to the extent of
fifty-seven, leaving but four hundred and
twenty three, in lieu of four hundred and
eighty privates for street duty.
From o'clock pm. until 8 O'Clock a m
the full strength of the force is empIoyed
its highest average any one night during
the year having been one hundred and
sixty-six privates. This division is made
on the hypothesis that there Is more neces
sity FOR tine policing of life and properly
when the good citizen sleeps and the crimi-
nal stalks abroad. crime being usually
committed under cover of darkness
The details referred to are as follows.
Bathing beach, 2; District building, 6: Can:
itol building. l; Executive Mansion. ..
headquarters. Z; health department. 1: post
Office. 1; hack inspector. !: Humane So
Continued on Thirl zPaseJ