The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-05-11

In adding needed equipment.
After specifying the additional equip
ment the report says:
Your Honorable Body asked the Mayor
and Board Of Aldermen for an increase of
% patrolmen, which was badly needed
in order to give our citizens better pro-
lection in the residence sections of the
city They gave us 10 of the % asked for
claiming that the finances of the city
would not permit a further increase of
the force at that time.
Territory Patrolled.
Considering the vast amount of terri
tory to be patrolled. I would recommend
that the Mayor and Board of Aldermen be
asked to give us the additional 10 patrol
men Ito be placed in the resident portions
OF the city, just as soon as possible.
When taken into consideration that this
department Is called upon to enforce the
law and keep order within a radius of
three miles from the city limits, taking
in the suburban towns of Elyton, Smith
field. East Birmingham Avondale Cot
ton Mills, Rosedale and Green Springs,
one can readily see where an increase
of the department Is badly needed. This
also shows the vast amount OF work done
by this department outside of the city
limits. These suburbs, with the city in
clude population of over a hundred
thousand inhabitants, and explains the
great number of arrests charged to Birm-
ingham proper which has. according to
the census reports. only B0o0 population.
Il also ask and recommend that the
Mayor and Board of Aldermen be re-
quested to install for this department,
as early as possible, the Bertilion sys-
tenn of Identification, together with
photo-cabinet.
ITO show the great necessity for this
system, l respectfully call your attention
to the work done by the department,
in arresting fugitives from justice. There
were 50 whites and 14O blacks. dotal 1889
apprehended, identified and turned over
to officials of other places during the
past year without any system OF iden-
tification The above figures show that
this cosmopolitan city Is a centre of at
traction for the criminal class-that the
large amount of crime committed here,
is by this floating population, to the great
detriment of our good name as a law
abiding community.
with the equipment of the system
spoken of, Birmingham could be and
should be. member of the national board
of Identification, of which almost every
city of Importance is a member. This
| and identifying criminals or the worst
type, who flock to this congested centre
from all parts of the country. The known
efficiency of police department to de-
tect and apprehend criminals tends to
keep them away, thus saving the lives
and property of the citizens"
Law and Order.
"Our citizens have been law-abiding
and orderly during the past year, as
compared with other cities. There have
been no riots or public disturbances of
any kind during the time. Although
we have had some labor troubles in our
city. good order has been preserved with
out the loss Of life or property.
by the vigilance of the officers de-
tailed at the State fair and the street
fairs good order was maintained and
very little loss of property by theft was
experienced. Several travelling pick
pockets were promptly arrested and con-
vlcted, which served as caution for
the others. / take pleasure In stating
from observation and with facts to justi-
fy the statement that while our popua-
ton Is daily increasing. crime in our city
Is on the decrease, and to support such
statement, will herewith give figures
showing total number of arrests for the
years 1903 and 1904:
Number of arrests in 1903. ...........1 II, 64S
Number Oh arrests IN lOf. ............ll,U ZO
-
Decrease. 80. -. -. 49,. -. 623
Taking into consideration the vast
amount of territory dnree miles radius
from the corporate limites) and its pop
ana,,un VI tet thar n,t,as 81 I,,le s a1'a
vou will fnd tha comnar.son favorable.
and mr. citv does not deserve 20 be called
pad Rir,ningham, abroad.
oetectlve 6rancn.
"Officers r. H. Patton. G. II. Bodeker
and S. A. Hamilton the three men elect
ed by your honorable body to do detective
work, have been very efficient and I'M
firing in their efforts 10 recover stolen
property and apprehend criminals. They
have often worked overtime. and under
gone many hardships when necessary.
They have been very successful in re-
covering numerous stolen articles for our
citizens here. as well as property brought
here from other places.
1.-The patrol. station and call men con-
sist o. one pa,ru s ur.ef am one mount
place to answer emergency calls. There
IL no station or post or cuty that is of
araator imnortance and assistance 70 N.
nuhfic than that of the mounted man,
One needing Immediate assistance can
readi,y ohtain same by ,e.epnonine at
any time. day or night. and the territory