The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1907-05-27
POLICE FORCE
To REACH LIMIT
IN NUMBERS

BY the end OF the present week, the po-
lice department. as was stated in Tho
News-Democrat last week, will be
brought up TO It's greatest numerical
strength. and will remain In that condi-
ton until after Old Home week.
At present there are only about 800
men available for all kinds Of duty. Quite
number OF these never make arrests.
though nominally under the orders OF the
police commission. Included among the
80 who are paid out of the police appro-
priation are five superannuates, the
plain clothes men known as inspectors
at headquarters. and in the various dis
trtcts, the property clerk, the detention
room men. the superintendent OF hacks
and the superior officers generally whose
work is OF a supervisory character
For day and night patrol duty not more
than 26O men are available and OF this
number the day patrclmen I'm this city
of more than 100000 inhabitants and a
floating population considerably larger
number only 5s on a general average, di-
vided as Follows:
Central district, IS; Second district, s.:
Third district. 4; Fourth district. q; Fifth
district, s; Sixth district, 8; Seventh dis
trict, 8.
In the Third district to illustrate the
work that has TO be done in the summer
season. there are more than 200 houses on
one beat closed for the season while their
tenants or owners are away In Europe,
the mountains, at the seashore or in the
These have to he looked after
cay and night by one officer. or two at
most. in addition to other duties.
1t has been necessary to largely in
crease the detective squad and this has
been done at the expense of the
patrolling force. With the circus COM
ing. to. town and-t the opening of the
shore resorts and the consequent large
increase OF down the river traffic the
gentry flock here. This
class of visitors is best known to the
detectives and can be dealt with eff
fectively only by Chief Inspector Hor-
tons men.
An illustration OF this was con-
vincingly shown only last week. when
Detective Haran captured two sus-
picious characters at Fields Point.
These men did not know the detective
and thought they were outside OF the
stopped there IL we had known IT was
part OF Providence" they stated
at headquarters TO which they were
taken and then told TO move on. or
course. they didn't stand on the order
OF going, but went at once.
The commissioners turned back into
the city treasury about $4,000 OF the
This year they are not likely TO have
much OF a surplus, as they intend, ac-
cording TO Chairman William III.
Luther, to put on as many men as they
can spare the money TO pay
THE men are sadly overworked,"
said Mr.. Luther. They have more ex-
ira duty than they should have and
we have to scatter them over con-
siderable territory The outlying dis
tricts are growing rapidly and more
men are required by far than were
Necessary 10 years ago.
"If we could have a larger force the
city could be polced more effectively
and properly would be much safer
than It is. though Providence does not
suffer at all by comparison with other
large cities in this respect, l am sure.
We need so additional men. but shall
do the best we can with the force as
it is made up at present.
Several new men will be added to
the force this week, bringing Il up as
high as the appropriation will allow.
This will give us more men than we
have ever had before, though not
nearly so many as we could use and
need" ......