The evening times., 1900-01-15
A MORE EFFICIENT FORCE
Changes in the Police System Dur
ing the Past Year.
Free Hospital Treatment fer Mem
hers of the Department-Precin
reseHtatives of Foreign COun-
tries-Improyed Telephone service.

| During the last year 4 number of i'm
portant changes were made in the police
force, with regard to the performance Of
police duty, which have probably done much
to increase the efficiency of the force.
Early in the year the Superintendent made
arrangements to have members of the de-
partment stricken with disease or injured
| in the line of duty treated without ex-
| pense TO themselves in one or more of the
| hospitals In the city. This arrangement
was very gratifying 10 the policemen, who
heretofore have been compelled to pay for
| hospital treatment.
Other changes with comments by Majo.
| Sylvester. are as follows:
For two years preceding August last the
bicycle squad comprised four privates
| mounted on wheels. who traversed the city
portion of the District in the performance
of their duties. This small troop with a
large territory to cover, was abolished, and
wheel patrol established 70 reach of the
precincts.
The practice of removing bodies Ct de-
| ceased persons who may have died without
| medical attention, sor otherwise, and
| drowned bodies from the place where
found TO the morgue, in patrol wagons was
discontinued, not only as sanitary meas
ure, but in order that the vehicles might be
| used for the purposes for which intended
They were not intrequently required for the
| transportation of a prisoner when thus en-
| gagged.
1T was deemed expedient TO revoke an
order which required the privates assigned
| as detectives 10 make out written detail ed
morning reports of their peregrinations and
work for preceding twenty-fcur hours.
| Much Of their time was employed in pre-
pairing these papers, which included many
minor immateral matters, while many
| important matters, which ii was improper
| to have presented in such manner. neces-
/ sarily had tc be excluded. The requireme nj
in a measure. had the appearance of shlken
confidence in the operators, a situation at
/ once antagonistic TO reliable service.
| 1t became necessary TO give special in
| structions TO protect persons attached to
! foreign legations from embarrassment and
disrespect at the instance OF the rowdv
element The Government guarantees and
owes TO those who come 10 Washington
! from abroad in an official capacity i'm
| lnunity from trespass or disturbance at ali
times, and il is only to be regretted that
the police force is so limited numerically
as not TO permit of a closer and continuous
surveillance of the neighborhood in which
the legation buildings are situated.
The limiting of members OF the force
to prescribed areas known as precincts,
| for the performance of general police duty
/ is a necessity. Responsibility for good
| order in defined districts requires that
4 those assigned to the task give such terri
! tory their undivided attention. but IL the
/ course OF years the several precincts be
4 came so distinct as police colonies as TO
engender a kind OF rivalry and when q
/ criminal escaped from one 10 another puT-
/ suit by the police officer in the one was
| TelinqUished when he reached the boundary
| line of the other. or until he had permis
| sion from the lieulnant thereof 10 enter
/ such subdivision in search OF the escaping
| criminal Such unbusinesslike restrictions
were promptly removed. so that members
! OF the force might be at liberty 10 pursue
| a criminal anywhere and at any time III
order TO apprehend him. The abolition Of
| this embarrassmnt has borne most salts
! factory results.
THE subdivision Of the District of
| Columbia into two police divisions, num-
| bered ! and , the former containing the
| First. Third, Seventh and Eighth precincts
| and the latter the Second Fourth, Fifth,
Sixth. and Ninth precincts, was accom-
| plished The lieutenants inspectors. en-
| ployed previous thereto in detecting
| derelictions on the part of priyates in the
night time. were assigned to the supervision
of these divisions and to <he direct routine
communication between the Major and
Superintendent and the several lieutenants.
Changes have been made from time to
| time In the uniform clothing. with a view
| to obtaining serylceable goods, well made
and comfortable garments. Some difficulty
has been experienced in obtaining prop
| er fit but as a general thing the uniforms
wear and appear better than those in other
cities. As a protection to the eyes against
reflected heat. it was found advantageous
| to adopt the low viZor caps Of military
pattern for the officers.
| 1T became necessary in October. 1898. to
direct that members of the force who were
| detained at court or elsewhere from carly
morning throughout the day, with a tour
| of duty awaiting them on return 10 the
| station in the evening, be permitted. ex-
cept in extraordinary cases of emergency,
| to have recreation and rest commensurate
with the hours of their detention. a con-
| tinuous duty being detrimental TO their
health and efficiency.
AT that time officers were required to
keep their beats free from crime and dis
order. continued reports of such being
records against individual members and
operating TO their disadvantage in the line
of efficiency. Later it was deemed adyis-
able to strengthen the rule by making SER
geants responsible for repeated failure on
the part Of privates to perform a satisfac-
tory service. Working on these lines. the
| sergeants were advised against old meth
DDS in pursuing defined routes while exer-
| cising supervision of their several pre-
| cncts, and instructed 10 retrace their
steps and follow irregular procedure in
maintaining performance of work on the
| part of the subordinates. While in all
bodies of men there are malingerers to be
| found it is a satisfaction to know that the
District of Columbia police force, possess
| ing an inadequate number of men, the
| members thereof are generally intelligent.
! respectful, and conscientious in the per-
| formance of duty.
'As a result of an improved telephone
| service, embodying the prompt concentra-
| tion and dissemination of facts pertaining
| to violations of law, the regulations per-
| tanning to the same were made adequate.
on the hypothesis that time and prompt
| ness of action are of more avail than all
| else in the apprehension of wrongdoers."
To achieve the best results as found in the
qualities of Heurichs Maerzen, Senate, and Lager,
| the best malt and hops must be used in brew
| ing. combined with the facilities for storage TO
give the beer the proper age. Phone 6S4, Ar
| lington Bottling Co., for case of the best
| beer brewed.