The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-10-21
Department Elected Over Twenty
Extra Men Allowed by City.
SHOULD BE MADE REGUL AR
Chief Austin Gives a Few Facts in Con-
nection With Present Force-Re-
cord Compares Favorably
With Larger Cities

over the allowance of twenty extra men
by the board of aldermen. With this addi-
tlonal force the chief expects to give an
excellent service during the State fair. The
police force of Birmingham as compared
with that of other cities, has always been
exceedingly small, and The board of police
commissioners will make another attempt
to increase the force. With twenty extra
men put on regularly the department would
be materially strengthened, and the Biz
mingham force would compare very favor
ably with that of any other southern city.
If the force were doubled, however, Bir-
mingham would not have, in proportion to
the size of uae cities, half as many patrol
men as Atlanta. That city now has 200
policemen actively at work.
Chief Austin Pleased
In regard to the increase in force, Chief
Austin said last night:
I'VE are very much pleased at tine action
of the city council in allowing us the extra
force of men, and with these twenty addl-
tional officers we can give the city of Bir-
mingham excellent service during the State
fair. The police department asked for
twenty men, and the whole number was
allowed. 1T is my intention now to work
six of the new men on the morning shift
and eight on the afternoon Shift. The re-
naming six will patrol the city in citizens
clothes and keep on the watch for pick
pockets, swindlers, etc. There will also be
large force of officers on duty inside the
State fair grounds. Though these men will
be under my orders. they are a separate
force from the twenty men allowed by the
board of aldermen and with the exception
OF four regular policemen will be paid by
the State Fair association"
Want Them Permanent
Continuing, the chief said that Birming-
ham is sadly in need of larger police force
and that the department would endeavor to
retain the extra number of men allowed
for the fair. with this addition to the
force permanently we would have one of the
best police departments in the SOUTH" said
Chief Austin "At present there is no city
i'm the south in proportionate size to Bir-
mingham that has so small a force of police
officers. AS it is now the resident portion
of Birmingham is almost wholly I'M
protected and the business streets of the
city are not patrolled as well as they
should be. The streets of this city are
crowded almost continually and we should
have patrolman to every block. As 1t is
one man has to patrol two blocks and look
after block ON the intersecting
streets.
Too Few Men
At present we have one man In each tough
locality who has to also patrol the sur
rounding streets On the Southside two
men nave to police the entire territory from
Avenue A between Twenty-first and Eigh-
tenth streets to the city limits. Two men
have to watch the entire territory from
Eighteenth street west and we have two
who work the territory east of Twenty-first
street.
There should be at least two men in
Scratch Ankle two in "Buzzard Roost,"
two in pigeon Roost," and two in Mules
Ear" There are two opera houses open
now and two policemen are required at each
place to preserve order. On account of the
scarcity of men it is with difficulty We can
allow officers for these amusement houses.
For special occasions, such celebrations
at the various parks, we have no men
wha tever.
1.-THE city of Atlanta, the population of
which is not double that of Birmingham,
has a force of two hundred men. Our en-
tire force at present consists of thirty-two
officers. L think, however, that We could
put the department in fine working order if
the board of aldermen would allow us the
twenty extra men as a. permanent fixture
| will venture to say that the city of Bir-
mingham collects more fines and fees in
one year than any city double its size in
the United States"