The Washington herald., 1907-11-10
BETTER POLICE PROTECTION
Forceful Demands Made in Report
by Maj. Sylvester.
Recommends Abandonment of First
Precinct station, and Asks for
200 Extra Policemen.

In forCeful language. Mai. Sylvester.
superintendent Of police. recommended
in his annual report. submitted 20 the
Commissioners yesterday. the abandon
mert Of the old First precinct police
station. and the erection Of a new and
modern building. containing a drill hail.
gymnasium, bathing pool and such con-
tingents as would contribute 10 the
health and strength Of the men physi-
cally and mentally.
The major condemns the present sta
ton in no uncertain language. He says:
Dark, damp, aged. and contracted,
this building is untitled for the tempo
rary confinement OF persons, much less
as a domicile for the members of the
force who must slee-s there when on re-
serve duty. ThiC ".dding has been con-
demned by the police surgeons. Strong
and hardy members Of the force have
succumbed to disease by having 70 make
this building their quarters
The government should dispose Of the
lot on which the present building stands
and replace the station on elevated
ground. II should afford an armory for
ponce purposes
II a new building is not TO be had.
the major recommends an extensive rem
ovation and the placing Of new and mod
ern cell cages.
Similar recommendations are made
with respect 10 the Second. Third.
Fourth, Sixth, Eighth, and Ninth pre-
cincts. The Harbor precinct and the
quarters of Lieut.. Dutton and his corps.
at the Seventh street wharf, are criti-
cized.
Other important recommendations are:
An increase of 200 in the present force of
policemen. establishment Of inebriate
asylum, stringent regulations for clubs
selling liquor, passage Of law prohibiting
club pool rooms, or in lieu thereof a
SIS tax on their pool tables. and a censor
Of billboards. 10 put the lid on pictures
OF burglaries, train wrecks and beauty
shows
There has been no increase in crime. -
says the report, except as to violence
The number of cases Of assault with dan
gerous weapons increased from forty
eight to seventy. in the year. and the
carrying Of concealed weapons has not
diminished"
Attention IS called 10 the frequency
with which cocaine and other poisOns are
sold. Recommendation is made that the
law be amended by making it a INSIDE
meanOr for any person other than a IL
censed druggist physician dentist or vet
erinarian to have in his possession any
narcotic drugs except upon the prescrip-
tioin OF a licensed physician.
The aggregate population of the Dis
trict, says the report. is 329 .501. of whom
2S3. 400 are white and 961SS are colored.
On July I the authorized police force
consisted Of 731 men. but there were
twelve vacancies on that date, so that
the number was reduced TO 7i9.
The business section. including Penn
sylvania avenue, F and G street, and
Seventh. Fourteenth. and Fifteenth
streets and Connecticut avenue, should
be so closely patrolled as to permit OF q
member Of the force being called into
requisition without long search and delay
1t is not the part OF wisdom that citizen
may not succeed in finding more than
one or two patrolmen between the United
States Capitol and the Treasury, N a
distance of fully a mile"