Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1906-12-15
BERLTN'S POLICE.
Highly Organized System May Be
Introduced lin CHICAGO. .

by a corps of clerks In special books,
and in fash the police can tell the
movements of every man in the dis
trict for years.
The expense of the system is large,
and 1t is claimed by English and
American police experts that the
large expense is scarcely justified
by the results, although they admit
that in Berlin ninety-nine per cent.
and over of all big criminals are
caught within week and ninety-tive
per cent are convicted, while approx
imately eight per cent. of Chicago's
criminals escape and only about two
per cent. OF its murderers are con-
Yicted.
Perhaps the supporters OF the Ber-
lin Idea are wanting the support of
Chicago women for their plan. They
call attention to the fact that the pos
lice of Berlin insure good house SER
wants.
In Berlin the police keep the refer
ences of every servant. When a SER
want is hired she must register, or
her employer must register for her,
and when she leaves or is discharged
she must bring her references to the
police station. Detectives then verify
them and give her u character" to
carry to the next employer British
experts claim that this system Is pro-
ductive of much private spite and
venom.
The station system is the same as
that Of Chicago. There are two
0Pgrators" on the police phones,
specially JruiEeu men wnO- rutiSeH.srss
send messages. Also, there is tele-
graphic apparatus for sending orders
to other stations and to headquarters
or to outlying cities.
Policemen on night duty are per-
mitted to sleep in the stations, re-
moving only their coats and shoes,
ready for instant action, and in every
station there are sleeping quarters
for the men when not needed on
active duty. They do not live in the
stations, the sleeping rooms being
really only rest rooms for men not
needed temporarily.
In every station in Berlin there is
a sergeant specially trained for the
criminal investigation department
and three detectives, and every sta
tion has its detective bureau, subor-
dinate to the central criminal bureau.
But what would strike a Chicagoan
as strangest Of all Is that there are no
police courts and that the officer in
charge of the station can hold court
instantly, except in cases of grave
suspicion and where a crime is COM
mitted.
There are two cells in each station,
one for men and one for women, and
no such thing is known as throwing
a prisoner downstairs for the
night" A prisoner never is held in
any Of the stations more than eight
hours, for the Green Car, which is
the name Berlin calls the Black
Maria, calls at each station four times
a day-at 8 a. M, noon, p. m. and
a. m.-and removes the prisoners
to the central bureau.
The prisoner is. taken to the CEN
trail bureau and sub jected to further
inquiry before the president of police,
who is always present at the arrival
of prisoners. The president really is
the greatest police power in the
world. He is judge and jury togeth-
er-but only in minor cases. He
has the power to fine a prisoner or
sentence him to Imprisonment with
out further hearing in small cases,
The others are held for the regular
"oV'~t",~ th" pnlioa notwithstanding the |
collection of all evidence in the case,
both for and against the prisoner.
The president has power to punish
all beggars and vagabonds, giving
them sentences Immediately, accord |
ing to his own judgment, and their
protests are of little avail in COM
parison with the police registration
records, which show instantly the |
whole career of the man. Chicago
Tribune.