The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-01-04
A YEAR WITH THE POLICE.
The Commissions Annual Report to
the Council.

the Council.
The annual report of the police COM
mission on the work of the department
for 1897 was received yesterday by the
mayor.
1.-THE conservative policy which charac-
terized the first years work of this board"
the report states, ''has been strictly fol-
lowed during the past year, and we think
that the force has improved, both in dis
cipline and efficiency. To further guard
against the appointments of unfit men on
the force the board has established during
the past year quasi civil service examin-
alton, by which every candidate after
having passed the physical examination
by the surgeon, has to prove his familiarity
with all parts of the city. The average to
be obtained by a candidate has been fixed
at 60 per cent of the questions asked, for
patrolmen, and at Is per cent for detec-
tives. This examination is in writing, so
as to show the educational qualifications
of the candidate. Every new member of
the force has to undergo a two-months
trial, during which he receives only $55 a
month, and at the expiration of the two
| months apprenticeship he is again exam
ined by the commission, and if proven eff
I. l
pay of $50 month"
Although council did not increase the
budget of the commission for 1897 the
board was enabled by economy to- estab
fish a thorough ambulance system, a new
| two-horse ambulance of the most approve
pattern being purchased, the ambulance
| service connected with the Gamewell sys-
tenn and the Gamewell station house en-
| larged, so as to accommodate both ambu-
lances and patrol wagons.
1--WE feel that this additional ambulance
service" the report says, "has proven of
| the greatest value to our citizens; and the
Importance of this service will be duly APP
| preciated when it is borne in mind that
our department actually does the whole
ambulance service for all the hospitals in
the city, also carrying sailors who fall
sick, from their vessels to the hospitals
| and often bringing sick and disabled peo-
pie, in need of ambulance transportation,
from distance into the CITY,"
| The force was Increased during the year
| by four men, whilst, at the request of
| council, by resolution of Oct g. last,
! fun relief of three patrolmen was furnish
| ed to the southern extension. The addi-
| tional appropriation offered by council for
| this purpose was not needed
improvements have been made in the
sanitary accommodations of the sleeping
quarters and the stables, new closets built
! closets and sink demolished. The stable
yard has been paved and partly asphalted
and proper arrangements made for drain
| age.
The whole property of the department Is
| reported in good repair, with the exception
of the old guard house, which is said to be
| absolutely unfit for service. Under the ex-
| listing cond tons the separation of the sex
| es and also Of the races Is often an i'm
| possibility, the keepers being often forced
! 10 leave youthful delinquents in contact
with hardened criminals, there being no
provision for the solitary confinement and
safe keeping of the latter class of evil do
| ers.
The expenditures of the department dur
! ing the wear were S79,OO0.S7. The receipts
| from various sources were $147S6. The APP
| nronriation for uniforms was $1,000 and the
expenditure was So, 2S0.90, the excess being
| deducted from the department appropria-
ton. Summing up all these figures there
was a saving in the department appropria-
! ton of $780, 600 of SS66O9.
"The detective department has proven
! Thoroughly competent" the report says,
land its value and importance is best IL
lustrated by the record 1t has made rs
| given in the chief report.
"The ef1cient services of Chief McDer-
mott and Lieut.. Reilly are especially COM
mended and a thorough esprit du corps
! pervades our entire force
Tbe cheerful cooperation or the author-
,.ias Of The Ocean steamship Companys
,roIice force is testified to and the cheer
mi and efficient attention of the surgeon,
nr J. S. Howkins, to the many calls
,nade. unon him by the department, is
/ snecially mentioned.
Tbe report of the chief of police accom-
J NAMES that OF the commission. A brlef
evnonsis has been printed in the Morning
News. The report shows that there were
osg arrests for the year 1897 including the
I,,formatlon cases. This almost doubles
! the number for the previous year, which
was q IN. The enforcement of the bicycle
! ond road ordinances, adopted by council
during the year, account largely Tor the
! increase I'm the number OF arrests the
! chief states. The number of persons ar
roeted for state offenses is less than Tor
the previous year. The detectives mace
S5T arrests during the year and recovered
! stolen property of the value OF Sl7,Ao.5O.
| Iicvcles TO the number of eighty-siX were
| stolen during the year and OF this numner
! setentv-three were recovered, TO the value
- "a $40 OF the total number of arrests 1874
s,ara white and 3,i2S colored. There We're
! seventeen arrests for murder during the
! year. of which six were for crimes COM
| mitted in other states.
| The department has made good record
| during the year and has been brought up
40 a high state of efficiency