The evening times., 1900-01-30
A SUBURBAN INSPECTOR
His Services Much Needed by the
Police Department.
Congress to BE Asked to Create an
Additional OGce-The Suggestion
District ommissioners-A Large
Territory to Be Looked After.

| The District Commissioners will ask
| Congress to create the office of fourth
lieutenant inspector of police. His duties
will be to look after the police district
lying in the county, and TO relieve Captain
Austin from some of the work that now
takes up great deal of his time and
prevents his being at Headquarters to
act as deputy superintendent when Major
| Sylvester is not there.
Major Sylvester has held several consul
tations with the Commissioners regarding
this matter, and it is now certain that
the proposition to create the new Office
will be included in the District Appropra-
tion bill, and the law authorizing the or
ganization of the police force will be
amended to admit the employment Of the
additional officer.
1t became apparent to Major Sylvester
some time ago that the work of tne in.
spectors in the department had so in
creased that they were unable to attend
to all of the duties required OF them.
Since his assumption of the command Of
The police force several changes have been
made in the inspectors Prior to the fall
of 1898 these men did not have any regular
hours to be on or off. They were supposed
to be in and around the city all the time
watching the policemen. They spent most
OF their time patroling the streets at
night, when the policeman is supposed to
be of his guard. Only two inspectors were
detailed for this duty. the third being
placed at the head of the detective force
The two inspectors detailed to watch the
privates were popularly known as night
inspectors, although they were supposed TO
be on duty all of the time.
In the summer of 1898 Major Sylvester
divided the city into two districts. over
each of which he placed an inspector He
also discontinued the practice that had
prevailed formerly, in having the Iieuten-
ants OF the various precincts report at
headquarters each morning bringing with
them a written report of the happenings
IN their respective districts during the pre-
vious twenty four hours. Major Sylvester
thought this was consuming too much val
liable time. so he notified the inspectors
that they would be expected to visit each
stationhouse at least twice day, in the
morning and afternoon, when all letters
or reports of any kind would be delivered
TO them by the lieutenants in charge and
would be transmitted TO Headquarters in
this manner
The city was divided into two sections
over each of which an inspector was pIac-
ed. The plan worked very successfully ex-
cept that it practically abolished the Office
OF night inspector, as the two inspectors
could not be expected TO work all day and
then at night
To correct this evil the Major appointed
two acting sergeants who should be made
night inspectors last summer. In divid-
ing the city the county was left out OF con-
slderation and now it appears that there
is almost as much territory there which
is not visited by an inspector as there is
IN the city. where two are employed. Cap
tain Austin was requested to look out for
this section as much as possible.
The duties of the captain were very ex-
acting in the first place and the increase
OF work that was the result of this order
almost prevented his appearance at Head
quarters at all. He was compelled to spend
so much of his time in his district. In his
request to the Commissioners. Major Syl- !
yester stated:
1T is not reasonable TO suppose that the |
Major and Superintendent can dispose of |
the multiplicity of affairs which require !
attention at Headquarters; neither should |
1T be expected that the two lieutenant in |
spectors could properly cover the seventy |
square miles OF territory twice in twenty |
four hours, especially when no provision /
is made for their being mounted The 1
county section of this jurisdiction is en- |
titled TO the same care and inspection un-
der the law as in the city proper, hence |
the captain must give it his attention.
1t should not be forgotten that for years /
improvements of all kinds have been ex-
tending throughout the District of Column |
bia largely induced by superior rapid tran
sit; that the force performing patrol duty
has been growing toward important dimen- |
sions; police business in its many details |
and perplexities has quadrupled, while no |
relief in the shape of assistance has been
afforded the Major and Superintendent at |
Headquarters. In order therefore that he
may have the advice and aid of at least
one official, an additional lieutenant in
spector is asked for. who may be assigned
to the supervisory work now being done by
the captain of police"
The Commissioners regard Major Sylves-
ter's recommendation with favor and have
promised to do what they can toward Sc
curing the additional inspector.
RETTEF CAN'T TNn rarE