The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-07-02
MUCH DISCOUNTED.
Several Policemen Do
Not Fancy the
Theatre Stunt.
DUTY FALLS TO LONG DAY. MEN
Old Habit of Doubling
Up" Has Been Stopped
by the Officials.
DUTY FALLS TO LONG DAY. MEN

Since last Monday evening there have
been murmurings of discomfort among
members Of the police department on
account of a. special detail posted at
Station 1.
This detail was for duty at the lake
caused by the opening of the theatre.
1t is a significant fact that the men
who are called upon to do this extra
duty are those who are termed long
day men," and as several of them have
remarked during the past week, there
is neither business nor fairness in any
part of the proposition.
The 'long-day men" go on duty at
1880 o'clock and remain until the usual
| time in the morning. Then they are
obliged to report for duty at p. m.
and remain until l a. m. Under the
new lake theatre detail, these men are
| obliged to report for duty in the early
evening and pass three hours or more
at the lake. Then they are at lib
erty to go to their homes or any other
place which pleases their fancy, but
they must be on duty at 1890 o'clock
| promptly and remain until morning.
| For long time past it has been adj
missible for patrolmen travelling the
same beat to work for each other,
| should one desire to be away for the
entire night Thus the man who went
on duty at 6 o'clock would continue I'M
til morning. In this manner men who
are on duty continually during the
year with the exception of the 10 days
annual vacation, were allowed, by
doubling up, to have a breathing spell
or two during the year beside their an
nual 10 days. Some months ago the
department decided that this privilege
| must be stopped arguing that extra
work on the men detracted from their
efficiency as good officers, and the priv
ilege was killed by general order.
Now comes the new lake deal which
practically requires a man to work al
night, and accompanying it is a how
of displeasure. Here is where the Off.
GERS, individually and collectively
arise in their might and say that there
is no consistency in the proposition.
One of the members of the force said
| to Spy man the first of the week: 'It
seems to me to be mighty queer thai
| there should be such a change in tht
belief of the heads of the police depart.
ment that extra work detracted from
the general efficiency of the men on the
| force.
| When we want something ourselves
then it is quite convenient for the heads
of the department to find all of a sud.
den that we are but mortal, and thai
we cannot stand all night work.
| When the ends of the department are
to be served, then the matter of the
welfare of the men or possibility thai
there might be any decrease in the eff
cheney of the officer, is an extremely
remote factor"
What is your remedy?" asked a Spy
man of a group of the mal-contents, re-
Gently.
We'll" said one of the officers, there
you are. In many parts of the city
there are groups of beats which can be
so arranged in the early evening that
two men can easily cover the territory
usually covered by three There is
but little il any danger from burglary
or fire which the police should watch
out for until, say II o'clock One man
could be taken from this triangular
group of beats and sent to the lake
theatre, and when it was over, he could
resume his duties in season to report
it's general condition to his successor
on the late relief.
| I'm this manner the men who cover
| the lake theatre are not obliged to work
all night, and the long-day man has
had the benefit of his allotted rest, and
the efficiency of the force will not have
| been jeopardized."
Here the spokesman of the party
saw a red globe shoot up, and hastened
away to attend the call from Station
l, and the meeting adjourned sine die