Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-16


extingu,sn blaze and the policemen
make arrests and let the matter drop
there The duties Of these men, who
must be brave and true cover q re-
sponSibility that does not rest upon any
other set Of officials and 1t is a respon-
sibility which the local departments have
met In manner that has reflected credit
upon them as well as upon the higher Of
ficfals who have been their sponsors from
time to time. Congress has enacted laws
year after year and the District Commits
sioners have adopted minor regulations. but
without their proper enforcement the tax
payers would be in a sorry plight. During
the fifty years these departments have kept
pace with the times, and now have all the
modern improvements and methods that are
to be found In any big city. Indeed, the
local departments are already far ahead
Of similar branches of many older cities,
except that in most others the number of
men employed in such work is greater in
proportion to the population.
The Police Department.
Fewer crimes of a serious nature have
been committed here than elsewhere and
fewer criminals have escaped. 1t is true
that more attention is paid to minor mat
ters by the members of the police de-
partment than by the police Of other
cities, and the people naturally expect more
from them. The methods employed are en-
tirely different from those in many other
cities. For instance, no charges or fees
are assessed for work done. Then again
charges of bribery are not repeatedly made
against those entrusted with the policing
of the District. and the department has
I,on oeot;t .aJxy nH11S
such as are experienced in the cities
where the police department Is moth
ing but political machine. Politics has
been eliminated from the local department
as much as possible, and it has been many
years since charges of a political nature
have been made against it's management.
Police methods have so much improved
that arrests are made and disturbances
queiied without attracting notice and with
out crowds of curious people following and
disturbing the police. Street riots are now
unknown here. and so well is the city cared
for by the guardians of the peace, that it is
possible for ladies to go from one part Of
the city to another at any hour, day or
night, with but little danger of annoyance.
The Introduction of the telephone and pa
troll system increased the efficiency of the
force and gave the citizens better protec-
ton. while it lessenedl the burdens of the
patrolmen.
The present metropolitan police depart
ment was organized September IL, 1861, but
before its organization the city had police
force. -.r
The City Police and the u. s. Police.
About the beginning of the half CEN
fury just ended there were two distinct
organizations. one known as the city police
and the other was the United States police,
better known as the auxiliary guard. The
former were paid by the city. the latter by
the government. At that time the city was
divided into seven wards and four city po-
licemen did duty in each ward, two In the
day time and two at night. There were
about forty members of the government
force. While the guardians were few the
city was, of course, not nearly SO large as
it now is, and prior to the civil war the du-
ties of the policemen did not make their
task severe one. They were under the
disadvantage OF having three sets Of laws
under which to prosecute offenders. and