The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-02-22
MANY BURGLARIES
CAUSE COMPLAINT
Chief Admits the Town is Inef-
fectually patroIIed
FORCE MUCH TOO SMALL
Mayor Ward Thinks Conditions Can Be
Improved BY Abolition of Police
Commission and Asks
Aid to This End.
FORCE MUCH TOO SMALL

When the news was spread abroad yes
terday that on the previous night, there
= had occurred a multitude of burglaries
and petty thieveries, 1t was freely as
serted on the streets that the city OF
Birmingham was Intellectually patrolled
and that the residence sections OF the
city was practically at the mercy of
those who steal and pilfer. Some even
asked the question: "Would it not be
better to call off the officers from the
track of the gamblers who rob each
other, and let them become active in
preventing the robbery of houses and the
stealing OF property?'
The following are among the reports
of robberies received at police head
quarters yesterday:
First-Home of G. II. Weaver, 1916 Ave-
nue. G, burglarized; overcoat and clothing
stolen.
Second-House of Mrs Gear Avenue IL
and Thirteenth street, broken open;
overcoat and watch stolen.
Third-Home of H. II. Porter $50 Sec
ond avenue burglarized; oyercoat and
watch stolen.
Fourth-Home of Mr. McDougall, 1927
Avenue f, burglarzed; overcoat and other
clothing stolen.
Fifth-Jake Brown, deputy sheriff.
overcaot stolen from the union station.
In addition, there were several others
The above was sufficient however, to
set the people thinking.
Force Too Small.
The residence section of the city of
Birmingham is not patrolled. No officer,
except in cases of emergency, goes be-
yond Fourth avenue on the northside, and
one officer Policeman Dickson, patrols
the entire southsde beyond Avenue A.
These facts are well known, and Chief
Wier regretfully admits that they are
true.
The entire city administration admits
that the force is too small; and that as
it stands, it requires skillful effort to
scatter the men effectually throughout the
business sections of the city, and in those
places where the presence of representa-
tives of the law are imperative at all
times.
To Make Improvement.
AS concerns the criticism heard yester-
day that Chief Wier should let the gam
bers be and see to it that the residence
section of the city is better patrolled, it
is pointed out that but four officers are
used in keeping the city clean of gam
blers. Chief Wier considers this number
too small for the duty, and thinks that
should he scatter these four on residence
beats they would be able to do very little
good.
The present administration means to
improve the force. Mayor Ward states
that this is true, and intimated his plans
when he asked the people to aid him in
the abolition of the commission which, he
stated, tied his hands in attempting the
reformation desired.
Sentiment Has Weight.
AS has been published, the existence of
sentiment prevents the ousting of several
of the members of the force who have
become too old to effectually discharge
the duties of police officer, and others
who are termed "drones." 1t is charged,
too, that there is drinking among the
members Of the force, and that this tends
to render the entire department ineffec-
tive. In the recent interview with Com
missioner Parker it was stated that he is
opposed to Diminishing the old officers who
have served the city long and against
whom no charge can be brought. He
stated that lie is opposed to dismissng
the old officers who have served the city
long and against whom no charge can be
brought. He stated that he would will
ingly vote to dismiss any officer against
whom charges of intoxication have been
sustained. However, it is true that an
officer having once been dismissed from
the service of the city, was reelected to
membership in the department.
To Abolish Commission.
The city takes the stand that the solu-
ton will be reached when there is no
commission. and to that end is asking the
people to write letters to the mayor
authorizing him TO attach their names to
a petition TO the legislature, before which
a bill seeking to abolish the petition is
pending. Alderman Moore has stated that
he was confident the bill would go
through and thought July would be the
time. Mayor Ward desires that the bill
be passed Immediately. City Attorney
Smith, who is in Montgomery at present,
will very probably have the bill called out
of the committee to which it has been
referred next week.
Letters from every source are reaching
the mayor, the writer's stating 1t as their
opinion that the commission should be
abolished. 1t is evident that the commits
sion Is not in great favor.