The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1908-04-18
NIGHT Of POL|CEMEN'S
BALL DRAWS On APACE

The policemens ball at East Chicago
which is to be held Thursday even
ing, April %. promises to be one of the
greatest social events this city has
ever known.
It has been decided to make it a
charity ball as well as a benefit for
the policemen, and every dollar 1t
yields outside of the sum needed to
defray the expenses incident to its
original purpose. namely. the purchase
of new uniforms for the officers, will
be distributed among the poor. Hun
dreds Of tickets have been sold and
the success of the event was long since
established.
The ball will not be an East Chicago
event solely. by any manner of means.
The East Chicago police force en-
braces of course the officers from In
diana Harbor and the ball will more
over take place at the Harbor, the
Auditorium being the hall chosen for
the event. But besides the friends in
the twin cities there will be many
guests from outside towns, notably
Hammond nd Gary.
Although the time for the ball is so
near all the details have not yet been
completed. There is to be a grand
march. most likely to be led by Chief
Higgins, and suitable refreshments
will be served.
Something About the Police Force.
In view of the impending festivi-
ties which bring the members of the
police force, always in the spotlight
more or less, so much more conspicu-
ously under the public eye, it might
be of interest to give brief account
of the character of the present force, it's
achievements and is personnel.
| At present it is composed Of fourteen
good men and true in addition to it's
own brave chief, E. T. Higgins. Chief
| Higgins took his office a year ago last
September and 1t is no exaggeration of
the worth of this gallant officer to
| say that never before his regime, has
| the force attained such degree of
| excellence as characterizes it today.
| Chief Higgins, until he received his
present appointment, had no experience
as a sleuth. His had been a business
| career And while he adapted himself
| to his new duties in a surprisingly
short time, he brought to it a knowl-
edge Of business and system without
which no branch of civic government
| can accomplish good results.
| Keeps Track of Cases.
Up to his taking hold there had been
! but an intermittent attempt to keep
up the police records. With the ad-
vent of his administration, however,
| this omission was rectified and for the
entire period that it covers. there is a
record Of every case handled by the
department. This will prove invalu-
able, indeed, it has already proven of
immense value on frequent occasions
And its value will increase as time
goes on in the tracing of criminals and
for court purposes in cases of acct
dents, for Identification purposes and
other reasons too numerous to men
ton. Previously the plan of sufficient
unto each day is the evil thereof, was
adopted. and the cases handled by the
police were dropped with their dis
charge or conviction in court.
But while Chief Higgins is compare
lively new to the business, he has sur
rounded himself with experienced Off
GERS, for the most part The chief
recognized the necessity of having mer
on the outside who were no novices tc
their calling. While he made mum
Der Of appointments, upon taking Of
fee, he saw to it that in the majority
had experience as police ofgcers al
some time previously.
There are two desk sergeants, Johr
Quinlan at Indiana Harbor, and Charles