The evening times., 1899-06-06
COMING CHANGES
IN POLICE CIRCLES
Reorganization of the Local
Detective Force.
Increase of BluecOats on the First
Of July.
Lack of Funds Sadly Felt by the De-
partment-OmciaisP Pay for TAX
ing n Rogue's Photograph.

Major Sylvester will soon be able to put
into operation his ideas for the reorgani-
zation Of the detective force, a prospec-
tus of which was published in The Times
| several months ago. His plan embraces a
| large increase in the number Of the men
who are detailed at headquarters for the
/ prevention and detection of crime. Al
| present there are twelve detailed for such
duty, but after the 1st OF July it is ex-
pected that this number will be increased
to twenty. The men who are now on duty
will be placed In what will be known as
| the second class. and will be given more
| work to do than the first class. These men
will also receive more pay than their
brethren of the first class. The latter will
not get the regular increase which is given
| a detective when he is appointed, but will
| continue on the salary received for duty
| as regular patrolman.
The first-class men will have all the
cases of a minor character to investigate.
They will, in a measure, be probationary
force. and will be compelled to work hard
to keep their positions. AS the force is
constituted at present a detective may
have a dozen assignments at once, and at
least nine-tenths of them may be to look
for lost dogs or stray horses. Wsrk OF
this kind often interferes with the more
important cases. The loser Of the dog or
the horse always imagines that his prop
erty is the only thing the detectives have
to look out for, and the whole force should
be put TO work on the case. The proba-
tionary men will be assigned TO look after
all of these petty cases in the future and
allow the regular men more time to attend
to matters of Importance.
The lack OF funds is not more severely
felt in any other branch than in the Police
Department of the District. The contingen-
cy fund ran out some time ago and what
ever call there may be on this very i'm
potrant item of the District appropriation
must be paid out of the pockets of the Off
cials in charge or the work is not done. A
few years ago it became necessary to take
the photograph of a criminal and there
were no funds at the disposal OF the de-
partment for this purpose. The money
was made up out OF the private funds of
the officials or the photograph would not
have been secured. If it became necessary
for a member of the detective force 10 go
away from the city for any purpose what
ever he would have 10 do SO at his own
expense. or secure money from private
sources. 1t very often happens that de-
tective is compelled to leave the city on
official business and the department has
been fortunate in having few of these cases
since the appropriation ran out. The next
appropriation will not become available
until the first of next month All of the
incidental expenses of the department are
paid cut of this appropriation.
The lst OF July will also bring with it
an increase in the regular police force.
Congress provided for the appointment of
number of additional policemen at the
last session. The provision was made for
about one-tenth the number asked for by
the Chief of Police in his estimates, but
it was made, nevertheless. and the officials
are correspondingly elated. The police
force is about the smallest for 4 city of
the size of Washington of any in the world.
and yet the police are as much needed here
as elsewhere. They have a great many
hard characters to contend with. They are
as a rule hard-working men. and make
every effort to do their duty honestly.
The new appointees will be assigned to
duty with the older men until they have
be ONE accustomed to the position of guar
dian of the peace, and then will be given
beats of their own. II is expected that
the appointment of the new men will
cause a revision of the beats of the va
rious precincts in the city, and the Chief
of Police will have the rare pleasure of
possessing more men than places to as
sign them.