The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1902-05-08
KNOW Them
BY THEIR WORK
Chief Murphy's Valuable
Suggestions for Identity
ing Criminals.
AT POLICE CONVENTION
Newspaper Accounts Of Ar
rests. He Says, Would Be

Chief of Police Benjamin Murphy, OF
this city, who is attending the convention
Of the chiefs Of police Of the United
States and Canada al Louisville, Kys
made some valuable suggestions on the
subject Of catching professional criminals
in this country and improving upon the
system of Identification now in force. The
matter was brought before the conven-
tion by the president in a circular asking
How may the Identification of criminals
be improved upon2,
In his answer Chief Murphy said: -
Presenting the purpose Of this subject
to be not alone an Improvement on our
present system as arranged by the Berth
Ion measuring, photography. etc, but
rather what can be done to increase the
facilities for the identifcations of the
criminal classes by all of the police forces
throughout our country and Canada, so
that an important criminal may be re-
cognizcd not only by his picture and
measurements, but by his work. If am
correct in my interpretation Of this sub
ject l will say that in my opinion there
is room for much Improvement in that dI-
reetion Criminals stick as close to their
particular line of crime as mechanics to
their trade. Well informed policemen
kno wthat frequently thieves are recog-
nized and run down because of their
kind of work.
Believing the foregoing to be true l
would suggest that our central Office for
the identification of criminals be so con-
Quoted and furnished with data as to
crime and criminals that all police forces
that so desire can keep themselves in
touch with crime and criminals to tnat
extent as to add very materially to their
efficiency in preventing crime and al
pretending criminals within their juris-
diction.
st would suggest that each chief of po-
lice, in addition to sending the pictures
and measurements of criminals to our
central office for the Identification of
criminals. also send story of
each mans crime-a newspaper story Of
the arrest would be just the thing-and
that this history be so arranged and COM
piled as to be easy of access when want
ed. Should this be done it would be
found valuable to police force who may
have run on crime that they are unable
to get to. Don't let it be understood that
/ would lumber the bureau with a lot of
would be useful is that pertaining to an
archists, burglars, afternoon sneak
thieves and those who gain access to
houses by devices such as health officers,
gasrnen and the like. bunco men. pick
pockets, safe robbers, forgers and utter
ers Of forged paper and all such of the
criminal classes who are apt to go from
place to place in their operations.
..No army is successful in war unless
well armed and equipped to meet the en-
envy No police force is efficient unless
thoroughly fitted with all that is required
to meet and defeat the enemies of society,
the criminal classes. The most efficient
ammunition that can be used against a
crook is the knowledge on his part that
he and his work are known to the police
in the place where he is likely to operate.
II would therefore suggest, gentlemen,
that the Board of Governors have pre-
pared descriptive list, large enough to
contain all necessary information as to
the criminal history of important law
breakers together with the usual pedi-
gree a s taken of criminals, and that copies
of these descriptive lists be sent to each
chief of police, to be. filled out and re-
turned to the Superintendent of the
Bureau of Identification, to be there prop
erlv filed for future use.
SHOULD such system as I refer to
be inaugurated by this association and
upheld by its members, l believe it will
happen that when we ask our identificae
tion bureau for information concerning
crime and criminals we will be materially
helped out in our efforts to protect life
-