The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-05-13
Makes Important Recommen- dationS to Police Commission
FIVE MEN ARE DISCHARGED
Monthly Report of Chief Shows e9 Ar rests For Violations of Prohibition Law In ApriI-The Total
 Arrests Were 556.

1 it's regular monthly session. The meet ing was not characterized by any busi- ness of exceptional importance, although 1t was quite lengthy one The regular annual election of the police force was held, and five patrolmen were discharged from office for various req sons.
 There was a well-deined rumor yester- 1 day that there would be a general shake up in the police force, 1t being stated that the commission would discharge those officers who supported Chief Wier at the | time he was busted from office by the old commission. It is stated, however, that | factional politics did not figure in the dis charge of the men last night. as several stanch Bodeker men were relieved of their positions. Those left off the force were i Officers Benson, Stanton, J. J. Byers, Guthrie and Griffin. Officer Stanton was left off on account of disability due to his eyesight. Officer Byers previously ten dered his resignation to the commission The other officers were discharged for i various reasons.
 ] Five new officers were elected to posi- { tions on the force as follows: F. P. Gray. 1 A. P. Davidson, M. B. Seals J. H. Sam uels and s. W. Karrh. The discharge of the five officers takes effect immediately and the new men will report for duty at once.
 1 Chief Bodeker addressed a letter to tho commission making recommendations which, if compiled with, will to a great extent remedy the present inadequacy of | ha fanlf II phasis on the importance of the detective i department, and suggests that four add- tional detectives be granted the depart 1 ment arguing that the increased expense will be only $60.
 Chief Bodeker's letter and the recom- mendations follow: Birmingham, Ala, May 12 1908 1 To the Honorable Board of Police Com missioners of the City of Birmingham. 1 Gentlemen: As a basis for the recon. mendations hereinafter made I wish to present to your honorable board the fol- i lowing:
 l l find the detective force of the depart ment to be one of the most certain and efficient means of experimenting criminals, recovering stolen property and protecting property and the life of our citizens 1 At present the department has only four regular detectives, Lately I have worked two patrolmen on the detective force in addition to the above, and the efficiency ! of their work has more than met my ex- pectations.
 By increasing the detective force of the ] city to eight there will only be an increase in the expense of $6O per month which, in my Judgment, will he more than offset by : the protection and service the city will get.
 At present we have only one patrol driver. This necessitates using one pa- troiman for this work, as the department cannot possibly be run with only one pa- trol driver.
 i The department has no one to visit and look after the patrolmen or scouts as- i signed to the residence sections of the city. The captain and lieutenants have their regular work and cannot give their attention to this feature. We need one sergeant for this work. It seems to me that there is an unequal i distribution of salaries for desk sergeants | The day desk sergeant now receives a salary Of SS5 per month, while the night desk sergeant now receives a salary of S65 per month.
 Both sergeants put in all of their time, and the class and volume of work of ! each are about the same.
 Recommendations
 In view of the above I beg to recon mend to your honorable board as follows: l. That the detective force be increased from four to eight.
 2 That you elect two patrol drivers in stead of one as at present. B. That you elect one sergeant to per- form such work and duties as may be as- signed to him, and fix his salary. l am sure that the service and the effi- ciency of the department will be greatly benefited and strengthened and the citi- zens of Birmingham receive better pro- lection if the above recommendations are compiled with and put in force.
 Respectfully submitted.
 GEORGE H. BODEKER,
 Chief of Police
 The annual report of the police depart ment, read last night, emphasizes Chief Bodeker's argument in favor of the four additional detectives. The four detectives now in the employ of the department re- covered about $2200 worth of stolen prop erty during the month of April. A feature of the report is the number of arrests for violations of the prohibition law. There were 99 arrests for this offense, Il con victions and the amount of fines imposed was S13,760 and s020 extra days. The re- port follows:
 Birmingham May 12, 1908. Honorable Board of Police Commissioners
 of the City of Birmingham
 Gentlemen--I have the honor to submit herewith a report of the police depart- ment for the month of April, 1908:
 Total number of arrests 55G.
 Arrests for violating prohibition law 99; convicted. T.
 Amount of fines imposed, $13,76O and S020 extra days. Arrests for gaming. 39; convicted, 27 Amount of fines imposed, $5o5 and 540 extra days. Arrests for felonies. 2S. Bound over to the grand jury, 19. Estimated value of stolen property re- covered. $2319.75.
 By Detectives Murphy and Mcdonald s529.
 By Detectives Williams and Baker, By Detectives Cole and Disheroon, Other members of the department, s196 .5O
 Total amount of fines and feels collect i ed, $2713 50.
 Trusting the above will meet with your approval I am very respectfully,
 GEORGE H. BODEKER,
 Chief of Police. Other business of the commission was | not of general interest to the public.
 PERSONAL
 Thomas nozter Uho for some time has |