The times., 1899-12-06
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
The COmmis~Ioner- Ask for an In
creRse in the Eorce.

crease in the Force.
The proportion between the additional
number Of policemen as provided for at
he last session of Congress and the zddi-
tional results achieved by The Police De-
partment is very unequal. The Commits
sioners asked FOR an increase Of 200 and
received but tweury-sjE additional men,
bat the records Of the department show
tnat iu preventing crime. arresting -rimi-
nails. and recovering stolen property, there
has been q decided Improvement iH eff
cheney over amy past year. This is highly
creditsble 10 the department and, IL is
believed Is appreciated by The citizens Of
the District from many OF whom warm
words OF commentator are frequently
received. These facts demonstrate how
Important II is that further and greater
increase should be granted
4 may be a repetition TO give some Of
the reasons why there should be a sub
stsniLal increase Of the force, but il IS
thought best 10 do So il should be con
sidered that this Is the Capital OF the
United States. situate IN the midst ct o.
territory comprising seventy-tWo square
miles the entire being thickly settled. and
that The population in the outlying portions
Of the District IS rapidly increasing. owing
20 The extension OF modern street railway
facilities
Within this police jurisdiction the fourth
Isrgest En- the United States are hundreds
Of acres OF public reservations. numerous
large Government workshops Rock Greek
Park, with its thousands Of acres; mag
nihceut Institutions Of learning. many
costly residences. including those OF the
principal Government officials and foreign
legations; several railroad depots. an Of
which have 10 be carefully looked after
aud protected by the police force. and
this too. when the number Of officers on
duty at auy one time does not exceed 100
Ia the county portion of the District. each
beat comprises several square miles. while
in the heart OF the city an officer Is re-
Quired 10 patrol from three TO ten lineal
miles OF streets.
The improved noadways Of the city make
them most desirable Ihoroughfares foI
bicycles and other vehicles and the con-
stsntly increasing travel Of this character
necessitates the enforcement Of strict reg
ulstions which cannot be done properly
with The limited force a. command, Penn
syivsnia Avenue and r Street the two
principal th0r0ughfares and Connecticut
Avenue. q well patronized promenade
should be patrolled by squads of officers
II Is not possible TO have this done under
existing circumstance foreign Legations
should be given constant surveillance. bat
the inadequate force precludes this; The
various circles, In the ueighbOrhood OF
which there Is q great deal Of driving auC
the parks, which furnish breathing spots fOl
nurses and children. should be given clos,
attention. while a. present an officer car
make only an occasional visit TO such a.
may De OF his beat. Is ID al all slrang,
that when . policeman Is wanted al
particular place he cannot always b,
found
q fair way 70 judge Of the police fore,
Is not by a few failures on the part o
policemen TO be on the spot at the momen
when wanted or by occasions when police
men err in judgment as 10 speech or ac-
tiou but by taking the net results 0f Wh4
is accomplished ID year SO far as th,
record 0f the city Is concerned for safety
and criminal conditions. Surely 20 an,
1air-mindgd person il must be evident tia
there & IL the police force q set OF meI
who are jealous 10 preserve the goo
name o. The Capital and who. At the gisl
- lie and danger Of personal SUFFERING
honestly and efficiently perform thei
duty. i is not denied that In this work
rs in every other department OF life, lher,
are those who fail 10 attain the higl
standard set for them by violating ia,
rules o. he department making mistake
sd otherwise giving Just cause for com