Omaha daily bee., 1900-02-07
WORK OF THE OMAHA POLICE
Chief Donahue Submits His Annual Report
to the Commissioner.
DEPARTMENT tNRoLLs ONLY stWNTY.oNE
Many Pntroimcn work Overtime in
order to Cover Their Heats
over 5000 Arrests Made
During the Year.

The annual report Of the chief Of police,
]. j. Donahuc, for the fiscal year, just re-
cciyed by the Board of Police Commissions
crs, contains much interesting information
concerning the work accomplished by the
department during the twelve months end
ing December 81, 1899, the Improvements
and needs OF the service and similar data.
The report shows the total number Of males
and females arrested, the different crimes
committed, the nativity OF offenders, the
number OF children under 16 years of age
taken into custody and much else of value
TO those interested in the welfare and order
OF the city.
Scvcnty-Onc mbcr
From March /, 1899, until December D.,
1893, - eays the report, I'VE had on leave an
average of six men daily, virtually cutting
our force down to slXty-scyen persons all
told. Since December l, 1899, there have
been two designations, which leaves the
force at present with sevcnty-one mem
bers, distributed as follows: Chief, /; clerk,
/; captains, 2; sergeants, 4; desk serceants
and jailers, ,; detectives, 10; pawnshop
men, j; emergency officers, .; sanitary Of
ficers. .; patrolmen, 80; turkeys. .; court
officer, /; patrol drivers, .; patrol conduc-
tors, .; matrons. 2; hostlers, 1; total, IL.
Taking into consideration the large extent
of territory within our city limits, the large
number of railroads centering here and the
frequent attractions which bring thousands
of strangers and visitors here during the
year, it will be better understood how we'll
and efficiently the department has performed
its work.
w now have thirty-six p%atrolmen who
are compelled to patrol their beats twelve
hours each day; twenty Of this number are
nm lttyg 1 "a tIn ,grlt ,nl .tyt,,y I,rg,r tIn
daytime. An average of s per cent of these
officers are on the sick list at all times,
the cause of which l believe is overwork.
Nine hours each day or night is certainly
as long a time as any man ought to be asked
TO patrol a beat, as he cannot do more and
perform his duty we'll; also giving each
man ample time for gymnastic exercise,
which is a necessary duty required of them
in order that they may be able to cope with
rogues in cases of resistance.
"As the season advances the Migrants,
tramps and petty criminals assemble here
to establish their winter quarters; often
times they purposely commit petty crimes
which will insure them a probable thirty or
sixty days county Jail sentence, where
they all we'll know they can enjoy their
~victuals and comfortable quarters without
work. This state of affairs is suggestive of
our great need of a work-house, which
could easily be made self-sustaining, COM
polling all criminals to earn their living
and which would have a great tendency
10 lessen crime and in consequence pro-
tect our citizens and their property.
Crimes Committed.
Following are some items from the re-
port Of the business done by the police de-
partment for the year ending December 81,
1893:
Number of males arrested, 1916; number
of females arrested, LILO; total number ar
rested, S,lS6.
Abusing family, .; adultery, %; assault,
So; assault and battery, 254; assault to rape,
6; arson, 6; attempt to pass counterfeit
money, 2; bastardy, /; bigamy, /; breaking
and entering, daytime, 80; burglary, 60;
carrying concealed weapons, 80; cruelty to
animals, 7; cruelty to children, 3; disorderly
conduct, 1888; drunk, LAG; drunk and dis
orderly, $40; f~ugitives from justice, Al;
forgery, 81; fast and reckless driving, IA;
gambling, 1913; grand larceny, Al; horse
stealing, s; highway robbery, 10; incor-
rigibility, 81; insane. 40; interfering with
an officer, %; inmates Of opium joint, 4G;
inmates of gambling house, As; impersoH-
ating an officer, 3; keeping vicious dogs,
&c; keeping saloon open Sundays, 2S; lar
ceny, 40; larceny as bailee, 2S; larceny
from the person, ~; libel, , disturbing !
the peace by fighting, 231; disturbing the
peace, l21; disturbing religious assembly,
4; discharging firearms in city limits, 10;
enlightenment, 10; malicious destruction of
property, %; maintaining nuisance, 1903;
maintaining gambling device, II; murder, 3;
obtaining money by false p~retense, Is; ped
ding without license, 80; petty larceny, 257.
Nativity of offenders: American, $3.50;
Austrian, u; Armenian, 3; Bohemian, AZ;
Belgian, A. Canadian, 16; China, s; Dane,
IS; English, 80; French, 81; Germany, 273;
Greek, .; Hebrew. lOS; Hungarian, 6; Ha-
waiian, !; Irish, 31S; Italian, 33i Indian, |
4; Mexican. .; negro, 1858; no nativity, 8;
Norway, IA; Pole, %; Russia, 10; Swcde,
III; Scotch, 20; Swiss, ); Syrian, 5; Welsh,
4; total, S,lS6.
During the year 5,1OS men were arrested,
as against 563 women. This table shows the
police court record by months: