Los Angeles herald., 1908-08-31
AUGUST CRIME
RECORD LIGHT
POLICE DEPARTMENT ENJOYS
BREATHING SPELL
CALLS FOR PATROL WAGONS ARE
COMPARATIVELY FEW
Exact Methods of Registration Enable
Officers to Keep Track of Work
Done by Different
Members

August. 1908, will live long in the
memories of Los Angeles patrolmen'
| Judging from present indications, as
| the month when the fewest arrests
were made. the least number of calls
| turned IN for the patrol wagons, and
the least number of miles Travelled py
| the wagons in answering calls, Tor
many years past.
There seems little cause to doubt
that Los Angeles is becoming gooo.
| According to patrolmen VINO nave
served the city as guardians OF Ine
peace many years it is a whole lot
| better now than it ever was before,
and they do not know how to account
for it.
It is estimated by the drivers of the
patrol wagons that not more than ioo
calls for the wagons will have been
turned in during the present month. LII
this number is exact it will be thirty
six calls less than for any month since
the present system of keeping track OF
the business of the department has
been in vogue.
This method of keeping a list OF
calls was introduced a number OIL
years ago. BY it the officials OF the
| department are able to tell just What
work is being done by the different
wagons, and can keep cases on the
| different wagonmen and drivers and
tell to the minute when any prisoner
was arrested, who arrested him and
what time he was taken to the station,
! as well as the point he was taken
from.
When a call for the wagon reaches
the police station it is taken down by
the operator and the time, the address
where it comes from, the name of the
officer who sends it in and the words
FAST or "slow," to show whether or
r,1Is raII AIn
on a slip printed for the purpose. This
is shot down tube to the desk SER
geant, who in turn hands it to the
wagon man. The wagon is then driven
to the point where the call came from
and the prisoner is turned over to the
wagon man by the arresting officer.
| When the wagon reaches the station
on the return trip the wagon man takes
the prisoner to the desk sergeant, where
the prisoners name is entered and his
pockets searched. He is then turned
over to the jailer. The driver of the
wagon then goes to his office in the
basement of the building, where he
carefully notes in a large book the
name of the prisoner, the arresting OF
ficer, the time, number of miles trav-
eled and what was done with the pris-
oner,
At the end of each month he checks
up his books and prepares report,
which is turned over to the chief OF
police.
There are three drivers, John Mart,
George Sheets and William Pilische.
Each of these men works eight-hour
shift, changing from one to another
the first day of each month.
During the present month the driv-
ers have had much time in which to
loaf, and several days they have had
to leave the station only two or three
times during their shifts.
When Calls Were FeWest
The month in which the least number
of calls was received hitherto at the
central station was June, 1906, only
736 calls being turned into the CEN
trail station. According to the reports
only 8S1 miles were Travelled and $40
persons taken to the station. OF this
number 1O6 were taken there for med
ical attention 1T the receiving hospi-
tai; 30 were taken to the county jail
| 23 went to the detention home, l to
the county hospital and were sent
! to their own homes.
Last month was a comparatively
| light month. Only 855 calls for the
wagons were received, Oil miles trav-
eled, 906 prisoners taken to the central
station, 7S persons taken to the re-
ceiving hospital for treatment, 20 pris-
oners to the county JAIL IA to the de-
tention home, patients to the county
| lOSplIal ana & TO Lnelr MONIES.
| In June of the present year 839 calls
were received for the wagons, SS4 miles
were traversed in answering them, and
S64 prisoners were taken to the central
station. SeVenty-three persons were
taken to the receiving hospital, 13 to
the county Jail, 81 to the detention
home, to the county hospital and 8
to their homes.
One of the heaviest months in the
history of the department was March,
1907. That month 1929 calls were an
swered, 1859 miles travelled and 1866
persons taken to the central station.
OF these 1877 were given medical at
| tention, % were taken to the county
Jail, 16 to the detention home, to the
county hospital and Ia to their homes.
The busiest time of the day for the
patrol wagon drivers is between 4
o'clock in the afternoon and midnight.
1t is between these hours that the
streets are most crowded and acci-
dents most likely to happen. The av-
erage person who attempts suicide does
so between these hours, and a case of
that nature always demands a fast
drive.
There are two wagons used at the
central station, one being hitched and
ready for calls at all times. The other
can be hitched and sent out on min
ute's notice