The evening times., 1899-12-05

effort on the part OF the Major and Super
intendent Of Police and those who assis,
him. Every mans qualifications have been
measured and he has been placed In q
position wherein it has been thought he
| can do the most good. An unusually large
| number of changes have taken place during
| the past year. Quite number Of those
who are no longer fit for service have been
| retired; some have been relieved OF the
| more active duties and given positions less
| arduous but important. Much attention
| has been given to the policing OF the
| steam railroad stations and the wharves.
i There was a time when these places were
considered fit posts for the poorest mate
| rial in the department. At present the re-
verse is true, and the best men on the
| force are not considered too good to guard
| these important arteries of the city's life.
| The record of the past year shows a sub
/ stantial diminution in crime generally.
| This was largely due TO the good work
| done at the depots on the part of the de-
| tectives and policemen stationed there,
who. on many occasions, spotted dis
honest people as they arrived or were about
| to depart
| Complete and thorough plans have been
| inaugurated whereby the police districts
| in the city and county have been subdi-
| vided TO meet modern conditions, and each
I, branch is under the charge of an efficient
and experienced inspector, who is held re-
sponsible for what occurs in his district.
| The policing of a city is one of the most
important as well as one of the most diff
fcult of municipal problems. 1t is a con-
! tinual study. All new methods which
are believed TO be of advantage are in
troduced, if possible. into this department
and if found effective are retained and
used.
Population and Improvements have ad-
vanced SO rapidly that the provision made
for their protection have not been COM
mensurate with the necessities. the de-
tectiye corps, for instance. which con-
sists of twelve members of the force de-
tailed for special service in looking up
matters of a criminal nature has not been
increased for years. This force has been
required TO attend to not only great.
deal of petty thieving, but frequent de-
mands are made upon IL by other munich
palities, in finding criminals and following
up matters consistent with their duties.
1t has been deemed expedent during the
past year to detail four additional police
privates fer this work, but these men,
while performing the labors incident to the
positions. are not receiving the compensa-'
tion allowed others for the same service.
1t is regarded as in the interest of the
public that at least TWO of these men
should be serving probationary period.
and that the other two should be paid the.
general compensation OF $40 per annum
now provided for the regularly detailed
members of the corps. With two privates
thus serving on probation they can be ad-
vsnced TO the other grade should those re-
ceiving the better compensation show
themselves inferior with respect to the
duties assigned them.
Needs of New Stations.
The city is now divided into nine police
precincts. and has been since before the
growth OF the suburbs. That extensive
territory lying north of Florida Avenue,
between Benning Road on the east, Rock
Greek on the west, and the Maryland line.
on the north, has grown TO the proportion
OF a city. population and wealth being
considered while the police protection af
forded il is the same now as when il con-
sisted of unimproved lets and commons
Some Of the villages and institutions in
cuded therein are Mount Pleasant. Bright
wood. Soldiers Home, Takoma. Brook
land. lexington. University Heights, How
ard University. Metropolitan View, LIE
Droit Park Catholic University, Lamond,
Rock Creek Church, National Park. Terra
Gotta. Petworth, Lanier Heights, and Con-
gress Heights. surrounded by an immed-
late population of at least 10000. This sec
tion has its schools. churches. and engine
houses. but no police station. An ap-
preparation has been asked for to provide
and equip a new station house, TO be To-
Gated therein; also for a command of at
least fifty men and necessary employees to
facilitate the business requirements OF
such.
So greatly is this stationhouse needed, in
the opinion of the Commissioners, that they |
relinquish their purpose of at
this time endeavoring to provide central |
station in the heart of the city, to take the |
place of the old station No. l. which is |
very imperfect in equipment and accommo- |
dations, and which it is hoped may be |
provided ere long. In this connection 1t |
may be stated that, in order TO provide a |
proper complement of men for the proposed |
Tenth precinct, provision should be made !
for mounting at least six Of them for duty |
in the outlying sections Of the precinct. |
The station itself should be of modern |
style of architecture and be provided with |
everything that would tend to adapt it for |
the purpose for which 1t would be used, |
both from sanitary and useful standpoints. |
The estimates include the purchase of
lot and the construction of building at |
cost of $4,000.
Importance of sanitary Officers.
A report of the Police Department would |
be incomplete without reference to the /
excellent work of the sanitary officer. !
Comparatively few people know what is |
done in the sanitary office. There the poor
the insane. the vagrants ordered to leave
the city, the sick are taken or go for
disposition of their cases. The sanitary
officer has entire charge of the ambulance
service, the placing of the indigent sick in
the various hospitals, the transportation
Of prisoners and paupers, and the commit
ment of the insane to the asylum. Pc |
culiarly fitted for these trying duties, this
sanitary officer, with patience and skill,
in quiet way, has accomplished vast
amount of good work for the District. 1t is
I pleasure to have been able to provide him
with new and increased accommodations,
where he has better facilities for han
iling this important branch of the city's
work. Some idea of the labor in this Of
ice may be gathered from the following
figures for the past year: Eight hundred
with transportation to their homes; 1910
persons were sent to the several hospitals; |.
,28 insane persons were properly tried and
admitted to the Government Hospital for
he Insane; there were 3,079 calls for am
,ulances which were responded to; while
"cranks" and demented per-
sons have visited the Office, airing imag-
nary grievances, consuming valuable time,
ind have been sent away either pacifed or
70 cared for as to prevent their doing |
larm to themselves or others.
Congress has made provision for the ap-
Of what are known as additional
which means that in certain Sec