Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1906-11-01
DOGS TO AID POLICE.
cRIME-RIDDEN CHICAGO coNSID.
ERING THE IDEA.
Believes They Would Drive Out
Hold-Up Men-Cost Five Cents a
Day-SuccessfulIy Employed in
Europe.

uy-SucCcsslu11y Aa
Europe.
Chicago correspondence:
The use of dogs to rid Chicago of hold
up men and Of the creatures who terrlty
and STAY helpless women is the sugges-
tior put forth by Capt. 2. d. OBrien,
head of the city detective bureau. In 1t
many persons see possible solution Of
the puzzling problem, how to get rid OF
the desperadoes who are menace TO life
and property in the city. 1t has there
fore met with popular favor and the city
officials are being urged at least to ex-
pertinent with, if not adopt it. The adop'
ton of the plan would serve the doubls
purpose of affording protection and rid
ding the community of a growing nui-
sance. Besides, Capt. O'Brien believes
it would check graft on the force.
The experience of Client, Antwerp,
Paris and other cities proves that dogs
thus employed would cost the city only
five cents each per day. For the regu-
lar night patrolman's work Capt. O'Brien
would have the best Belgian sheep dogs,
Biards and Groennedaels, while ST. Ber-
udluS NOulu pr uSCu dS lIIc SdNCIS tl4OAA5
the lake and river and in the parks, and
the bloodhounds would constitute the de-
tective force, to be used in trailing down
criminals after crime is committed.
Capt O'Briens scheme is not a theory,
nor does he claim any credit for original
ity in it. He simply has made a study OF
the methods of the French, German and
Belgian police dogs, and he believes that,
sooner or later, Chicagoa will adopt the
system and train dogs to be the compan-
ions and assistants of the night patrolmen
and the night squadron of detectives.
From an experiment attempted by the
burgomaster of the thief-ridden city of
Client, the use of dogs was proved success
full. Thereafter dogs Wee trained and
added to the force until now every patrol
man in the outlying districts of the city,
or in the dangerous districts, is accom-
panied by dog, and the results so as
founded the police students in Europe
that the idea has been adopted in dozens
of cities. According to the reports of the
municipalities of Belgium trained dog,
accompanied by patrolman, accomplishes
the work of two ordinary patrolmen-
and he and his master can do the work
and cover the ground thoroughly-mOre
thoroughly than four men alone could
cover it.
Freed of Thieves.
So successful was the experiment in
Client that, within a few months after
the addition of dogs to the force, the
thieves and criminals, after trying des-
perately to poison or otherwise kill the
police dogs, gave up the efforts. The
city now is declared to be clearer of crime
than any city of its size in the world, and
the arrest record shows that, with trained
dogs, a patrolman can make captures
which otherwise might cause need for a
dozen men.
Chicago" said one student of Euro
pean police methods, who is enthusiastic
in his support of Capt. O'Brien's idea
could adopt the Belgian dog police idea
with better effect than any big city in
the world. The wide spread of the city,
its great open spaces, the huge territory
which makes it practically impossible for
the present force to cover it thoroughly
the great railway yards, the docks and
| such places should be made safe by the
use of dogs. In Antwerp, where l saw
lu6 uOSS uStQ. Inc Iued CdIut 10 LIE THAI
dogs would solve Chicago's police prob
lem better and cheaper than anything
else. We have in Chicago more dogs than
any city in the world, not excepting Con
stantinople, where they are used as scav-
! engers, and most of them are useless and
dangerous"
Would Keep Out Crooks.
"The fact that dogs were on the force =
says Capt. O'Brien, would have a big
effect on crooks and criminals of al
kinds. The dogs would be in charge OF
| patrolmen and would be taught to catch
| criminals or disturbers by the back OF
the leg and hold them. Police dogs are
taught that their only friends are the po
| lice, and that they must always look
upon all others as their enemies. Further
more, they are trained never to touch OF
eat any bone meat, or other substance
| they find while on their rounds The
dogs are trained to follow criminals ove'
streams, fences and all sorts of broker
ground one of the police acting as the
criminal and fleeing before the dog. The
| young dogs are trained and broken by the
use of the old ones, and in two months a
! dog of good breeding and intelligence i.
a capable officer. The dogs are kept il
kennels, specially prepared, at Tue real
of the bureaus of police Always wher
on duty they wear a tight tin muzzle, s,
fixed that the moment the pathrolman il
charge of them looses the leash the muz
| zle drops Of and the dog is ready for ac
! ton.
| st is wonderful to see how intelligent
the dogs become in police duties. They
can tell, seemingly by instinct, a thief
or robber. Their intuition is keener often
! than that of their masters. There is an
/ other thing-the dogs keep the patrol
men from lettering on duty, and keeg
them moving"
The city authorities, in view of the
| inability of the police to deal with Grim
inal conditions here, are considering the
suggestion and it may be adopted.