The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1909-07-02
TRAFFIC SQUAD
IS ESTABLISHED
Police Will Guard Public at Con-
gested Corners and Railway Dcpots
Cops Must Wear White Gloves.

Downtown street crossings, boat
landings and railroad stations are %
be guarded every miuate during tn
busy hours by Police COMMISSIONS
Croul's new traffic squad under tn,
charge OF Sergt Thomas O'Grady
Supt. Downey gave on, officially Fri
day morning that the plan is now
past the experimental stage and viii
be made permanent.
| All crossings from Jefferson-ave. to-
Grand RNerave. on Woodward-aye.
are TO be guarded, and the officers in
J charge VIII be distinguished by
particular insignia on the left sleeve.
Already the squad has been increased
from eight TO 10 officers, and. within
a few days, IL will be increased to 30
men.
The new system wilt require that IT
such crossings as State-st.. the traffic
policemen will temporarily halt all
east and west travel and allow the
north ana south travel, reversing these
conditions within a minute or two.
When the Broadway officers go TO
lunch other officers will take their
places
There will be no more Broadway
cops swinging their clubs under avn
ings, states Supt. Downey. They
will be out I'm the street guarding the
people"
Another important change ordered
by Police Commissioner Croul is ex.
/ pected to put an end TO the daring
work OF certain class OF clever
sneak thieves. who have, on several
occasions taken advantage OF the
change or shifts Of policemen TO kick
/ In show windows and make hurried
escape with jewelry or merchandise.
while the beat is left unguarded Tn
/ der the previous rules. many OF the
police beats were left open for spaces
OF time varying from 10 minutes TO a
half hour. while one set of patrolmen
was reporting In at the station. and
the other set was about to take up the
work
Under Commissioner Croul's new or.
ders. no policeman will leave his bea-
until the man who is to relieve him
arrives and takes his place.
Some OF the officers are kicking
about the change, protesting that 4,
means about 20 minutes added TO
their long hours, but the public will
doubtless favor II.
New saloon regulations went into If
feet Thursday night in the central
precinct. when the hour OF grace"
was taken away from the saloonkeep-
ers While saloonkeepers have been
ordered TO officially close at midnight
II has been the custom to allow them
until / o'clock before clearing their
places OF customers The IL o'clock
order simply called for the shades 20
be drawn, and that no more patrons
be admitted. Thursday night. how
ever, all downtown saloons were tight
ly closed at midnight. and the cur
tans and blinds were all raised, so
that the empty bars were exposed
Under the new commissioners gen
eral orders, all patrolmen on day duty
are to wear white gloves. The men
on night duty need not meet this re-
quirement
That idea comes from New York.
said one patrolman. IT'S all right in
New York, where the men get from
81 400 up, but it's an added expense
for lis on our $1,000 salaries
Police Commissioner Croul has or.
dered Department Surgeon Gorento
TO put all OF the men In the depart
ment through a physical examination.
but he declared. Friday morning. that
the examination was not primarily In
tended for a wedding out OF patrol
mer who do not come up TO the strict
requirements
There are a great many soft snaps
in the department, and in some cases,
big strong fellows have the soft snaps.
| while some OF the men, who are hard
ly capable OF doing real hard work
have the hardest duties TO perform"
said the commissioner I'VE are go
ing 10 find out who the strongest men
In the department are. and we are
also going TO learn what men are IN
able to perform hard duties. Men who
have done long and faithful service
and are not as At as they once were,
will get some OF the snap jobs. and
the big strong fellows will get the
other work"
The Office staff OF the Detroit Oak
Betting Co, of which Mr. Cloul is
president and general manager. have
sent the new police commissioner.
big stick" OF handsomely polished
mahogany. In the exact form OF q
mammoth police club
Barry Tells Of Fire Waste.