Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-18
POLICE CHIEFS MEET
international Association in
Session at Jamestown.
HUNDRED AND FIFTY ATTEND
Address by Maj. Richard Sylvester,
the President.
AIMS OF THE ORGANIZATION
Better Service in All Cities Due to
United Effort Of Police
officials.
ms OF THE ORGANIZATION

of police of Washington headed a
delegation Of police chiefs who arrived
here this morning from Washington to
attend the annual convention of the In
| ternational Association of Chiefs Of Po-
| lice. Several Washingtonians who are
connected with the exposition were at the
dock when the boat reached here, and
some of the members of the association
who came here yesterday were also there
to greet their friends Part OF the Wis
itors went to Pine Beach Hotel. others
going to the Inside Inn. Chief Mallory
Boush was on hand to. look after the
interests of the guests.
More than $50 delegates were present
when the convention was opened in the
hall on the grounds. When the address
of welcome had been concluded Maj. Syl-,
vester addressed the delegates, follow
Ing the custom which has prevailed dur
ing the existence Of the organization. He
spoke of the several invitations the
ISOLATION had received to hold this years
session. and said that jamestown was Sc
lected, not through sentiment alone, but
| out by the people of Norfolk-southern
hospitality and reduced rates of trans
portation.
An Added Inducement.
| Associated with the invitation" said
Maj Sylvester, came the solicitation Of
Mr.. c. Brook Johnson on behalf of the
exposition management, and we are here
today, for a brief season. in response to
these urgent biddings. 1t should not be
regarded as strange or unusual that the
question of economy should be given
consideration in the arranging for and
carrying into effect these annual con-
vocations, but it should be realized that,
as class. the heads of police forces are
1nadequately compensated and that in
most eases the municina 1ifioo
posed to defray the expenses attendant
upon this yearly schooling and recrea-
ton. That it is Junket is not true;
for nothing has tranSpired in the annals
Of police improvement that has tended
to more fully establish a kindred feeling
and official cooperation and relationship
than these gatherings. The disscmina-
ton OF information along police lines In
this wise and the close individual rela-
tionshfp brought about in this manner
strengthen the weaker institution in
methods and facilities. and make strong
er the more prominent departments.
Quicker thought, keener judgment high
er regard for unfortunate human nifty,
with greater awakening to the
result from the observation OF q part
OF our land prominent in the pages of
history and instruction derived from
the grand exhibit of object lessons of
genius. thrift and industry.
AS the world advances population and
wealth increase. With these varied real
interests are constructed and developed.
The crude gives way to the modern To
be capable, the agent of society who has
been selected to protect life and property
to preserve peace and maintain order must
which stand for intelligence, integrity and
energy.
Nowhere can be found representatives
engaged In this cause possessing more fully
the attributes to which 1 have referred
than In America, which assertion might
be made with greater emphasis did not
the political engine operate as a powerful
FACTOR in establishing for them rules OF
action. In this regard however, Conditions
are not as bad now as formerly. The de-
mand for protection that will protect Is
more earnest than ever before. The disas-
trous consequences which follow frequent
changes in police control and member
ship, the Ill effects which result from these
public servants being underpaid, the In
Justice which ensues from casting adrift
those who have given their best years In
protecting the lives and properties of Others
and who have not been afforded retirement
and pensions, are more fully realized by
states and municipalities than ever before
This Is evidenced by the fact that in forty
cities out of ninety pensions are accorded
members of the forces on retirement, or to
their widows, in cases where the husband
has died In the service. The average al
lowance is half the amount OF salary re-
ceived by the officer while connected with
the force Investigation goes to show. fur
est hazard the lowest amount Of pension
is paid, or none at all.
On Half Pay.
"Of the thirty-one municipalities with
population exceeding 100000 each. twenty
five retire members of their police estab-
nshments on half pay This large pro-
portion is exceedingly gratifying and con-
clusively verifies the claim that there is a
growing faith in the police, especially in
the larger centers of enlightenment The
records in ninety cities. excluding New
York, show that during the year which
ended January last eleven policemen were
killed and CSC injured. Chicago leading
with 20s injured Baltimore following with
land fourth. registering forty-five. and the
District Of Columbia next with thirty
| five.
The Bertillon System.
ut was not many years ago that the
French method of measuring and describ-
| ing an individual was first placed in oper-
alton In this country. in the city Of Chi
cago. Although familiar to the police and
| criminal world abroad. little was known of
| its applications and worth here Though
satisned OF the ever-prevailing disposition
| and general ability of the criminal to con-
| ceal. the authorities were slow to accede
| possibility of success to the new method of
| Identifying. Reason properly applied. how
ever, resulted In the extension Of the initial
| experiments with the Bertillon measuring
| instruments. and the police in the larger
cities soon realised that to be effective it
| was necessary that the means should be
| extended to make a system. To have It
| thorough, the practice had to become gem
| eral. and the only way 1t could become so
| would be through its adoption by the prin-
| cipal cities and towns of the country To
| say that there has been a general intro
| duction by the authorities would be an ex-
| travagant statement, but the leading juris-
| dictions have made it q part Of their police
| institutions
THE criminal subjected to the process in
| far off Japan may be Identified at the CEN
| trail bureau in Washington, had he ever
| been measured in the United States, and
| did the Toxic authorities request the
| bureau in Washington to make known to
| them his identity. The application of this
| system accomplishes much toward the pre-
| vention Of crime. That Is what society
| wants, not the punishment of those dis
| posed to commit it. Prevention of crime
| Is not difficult when the criminals are
| known, and those who make up the hard
| ened part Of the world live In dread Of the
| light which makes their presence known"
! Finger-Print Method.
| The speaker also told Of what had been
| done in the finger-print method of identi-
flying criminals, saying It had been adopted