The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-12-05

the need OF more room at the Pawtucket
police station, and since then a number
| OF prominent citizens have said the matter
should not be dropped until something has
been done to give the police better ac-
commodations.
This week the new clerk OF police began
his work at the station. and with his ad-
vent the necessity for more room has be-
come more evident. At present the police
heads consist of the deputy chief, the
| captain OF police. the lieutenant OF police.
the sergeant OF police, the station detec-
tive and the clerk OF police, and the pro-
bation officer, and all OF these officers are
obliged to be accommodated In one room
which is designed for the reception OF the
public who may have business at the sta
tion and a small private rooom which
must under the present conditions be used
by all OF these officers.
This room is nominally the office OF the
chief OF police. on the door which leads
Into IL is board bearing that designation.
but in the absence OF the chief it is being
used by the deputy chief his head
quarters. But this means that the cap
tain Of police, who is on duty during the
day and the lieutenant who is on duty
during the night. has no place where he
can have any private conversation with
people who may desire 10 consult those
officers privately. OF course, II is possi-
bic for the deputy chief to give up his
office for few minutes TO one OF his
subordinates, but this is certainly rather
unsatisfactory.
Then the new clerk of police whose du-
ties keep hi min the station from o clock
ties keep him i'm the station from o'clock
no place which he can call his own. His
books must be kept out In the public room
and he has not even a desk where he can
sit tc make up the records. There is not
the slightest doubt that this official can
be made of considerable value TO the po-
lf,l - rtf hut NIL g
provided a place which can belong 10 him
he will be sadly handicapped and his use
funess will be greatly impaired. lie is
spending a part of his time in the office
with the deputy chief, but this Is GER
tainly far from satisfactory
The police detective has a kind OF an
office on the second floor of the building,
but IL is so located that II Is almost i'm
possible to have any privacy. Not long
ngo case OF Importance was being inves-
tigated by Detective Henry and several
persons came from out OF town TO consult
with him II was not desired that their
presence should be known 10 the numer-
Gus attorneys who happened to he In the
building that morning and so II was
necessary 10 guide the party through the
dormitory where one or two policemen
we're sleeping and TO reach the office OF
the detective in this manner Such
method certainly did not reflect great
Zeal % credit on the city.
Probation officer Maymon ought also
20 be provided with an office. II this
was done the rent for IL would be
paid by the state so that the city would
be getting a revenue in this way, but
as things are now the officer is work
ing under the very greatest disad-
vantage.
There is seldom a day that some per-
son is not turned over to his care, and
there is never a day that he does not
fro tn
Some OF these are women and some
are children and under the present con-
ditions his conversations with them
must he held either in the large pub
lie room or in the corridors of the sta
tions. and in either case IL is wholly
unsatisfactory.
In the annual report Of the city ply
sician which is now in the hands Of
the printers, this lack of room for po-
lice officers is treated on at consider
able length and special stress is laid
on the conditions which prevail in the
quarters that are reserved for the po-
lice matron. Or. Richards considers
that these quarters are wholly made
ouate for the requirements and he be-
lieves that the time has come when the
station should be enlarged by the build
ing OF an addition 10 the rear OF the
present structure over the present
stable. He believes that an additional
story could be put up here which would
provide the room which is very much
needed.
One of the needs that is very apparent
to anyone who takes the trouble TO
Investigate is for a police dormitory.
Under the present conditions there are
16 men of the police force who are
expected to spend portion Of the night
at the police station, and for the ac-
commodation of these there is a small
room about the size OF an ordinary
business office. In this room are four
single beds and in these four beds the
16 men are supposed to take turns
sleeping. OF course when one man gets
up there is no attempt made to make
a change OF bed clothing and the only
thing TO do is for the next man TO
tumble in where someone else has been
sleeping. There are sanitary reasons
why this is all wrong, and there are
some of the men on the force who alb
solutely refuse to occupy a bed which
has been slept in n half hour before
by someone else. In this they cannot
he at all blamed, but on the contrary
they are TO be commended and GER
tainly this city ought not to expect
any such thing of the men.
All this could be changed by the
building OF an addition to the rear of
the present structure and there should
be no delay on the part OF the city
council in making an appropriation
for the beginning OF the work.
DEMOCRATS SATISFIED.
The result OF the recount Of the votes
cast In this city at the recent election
gives the very greatest satisfaction to the
Democrats OF the city because It shows
that Pawtucket was true TO the forces Of
reform which swept over the state. The
plurality OF sol for Higgins was n per
sonal tribute 10 the worth and character
OF the man given to him by his friends
and neighbors who knew him personally
and because the others on the ticket fell
below him does not show that the Demo-