The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-05-17

| SayS-Number of Arrests | Shows Further Decrease
 Captains Recommended
 for Precinct Commanders.
 There is less crime in the City of | Bridgeport to-day than in any city of the same size in the United Sta tes.
 This is the assertion of Superintendent
 of Police Eugene Birmingham, made in his 16th annual report to the Board of Police Commissioners, last night. | A decrease in the number of arrests
 for drunkenness appears, and in the | total number of arrests, against a year ago.
 The report says that the reforms in stituted by the Police Commissioners
 have not been spasmodic-
 | '"There have been no serious disturb ances that caused the department any particular trouble; only that we have i had some house and store burglar1eS, which are very annoying at times. We | have endeavored to cope with them, but are not successful in all cases. endeavor 70 correct conditions that do l exist al times by ordering the men un- der me to enforce the Sunday liquor law, to drive out of existence all gam | bling houses, to keep a sharp lookout
 for local thieves, and noted burglars, confidence men and porch climbers. l '.Pickpockets of the country keep away from this city, knowing that no protection awaits them here.
 %Thieves of all classes have among them a strong band of fellowship and | they keep each other posted to the
 cities easy to work, as well as the cit i ies to be avoided"
 The report pays tribute to the late
 Sergeant Patrick Otis, saying that his
 record was clean and that he per
 formed his duty in a thorough man. ner.
 | The extension of the signal system | is recommended, by from six to ten
 more boxes. It is suggested that three of the boxes in the second precinct be equipped with a red or blue signal | light, and also that the third district | boxes be equipped with signal lights. There is stationed in the second pre- cinct under Lieut.. w. H. Anderson, IS I menS These the superintendent de clareS, are not enough to patrol the | territory, which includes all of East Bridgeport from the Pequonnock River | to Stratford town line and from Old Mill Green to the Harbor. Under Lieut.. John H. Redgate of the third precinct, there are IS men. These in
 not enough to properly patrol the ter ritory, which extends from Seaside Park to Brooklawn avenue and from Mountain Grove cemetery to Park av- enue.
 The detective department is called
 the 'mainstay of any up to date de- partment'' and the work done by Cap tain Arnold, of the detective bureau, and the Sergeants under him is. spo- ken of in terms of praise.
 For the improvement of the traffic squad it is suggested that there should be a day man at State and Main streets and day man at Main and Congress streets.
 1t is recommended that the depart
 ment become a member of the Nation
 al Bureau of Criminal Identification of Washington, D. C., that the depart
 ment may receive the photographs of criminals arrested elsewhere. He a1- so recommends the adoption of the Bertillon and finger print systems of identification.
 He recommends the appointment of Captains to the second and third pre- cinct stations; the increase of the de- partment by from five to eight new men, the purchase of lot in the West End as the site for new station to be erected; and the purchase of an auto mobile for the use of the department.
 In conclusion the members of the de- partment are complimented for the eff ficient manner in which they have per formed their duties during the year.
 The total number of males arrested was 1922; females, 346, for the follow ing offences: Assault, 149; assault and breach of peace, 198; assault and drunkenness, 19; assault, breach of the peace and drunkenness. Al; breach of peace. drunkenness and carrying con- cealed weapons, 8; breach of the peace. drunkenness and resistance, 19; com mon drunkards, 5; drunkenness, SIP; drunkenness and breach of the peace, 172; drunkenness and injury to prop erty, 3; drunkenness and abusive 1an- guage, IS; drunkenness, breach of the peace and prostitution, 2; drunkenness and resistance. 2: drunkenness and va grancy, 33; drunkenness and theft, 20; drunkenness and carrying concealed weapons, 4; burglary, 37; bigamy, i; bastardy. 2; cruelty to animals, 6; em bezzlement, 13; forgery, l; frequenting saloons on Sunday, 80; frequenting house of assignation. 6; frequenting gaming house, 37: frequenting disor- derly house, 20; frequenting house of i'll fame, IA; gambling, 1; rape, 4; per jury, 1; non-support. 49: street walk ing, 10; stealing chickens, 4; shop lift ing, 1; theft, 263; theft from person, '; trespassing railroad property 192; violation of city ordinance, 27; viola ton of Sunday liquor law, 27; viola tion liquor license law, 27; violation of statutes, 127; vagrancy, 43; violation of Independence Day Act, 8.