Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-11-16
CHIEF EAGER FOR
SUB-STAT|ONS
FOR POLICE
Beavers, Head of Police, De-
cIareS Idea Can Be Put Into
Effect With Little Cost.

Atlanta can establish two or three
police sub-stauons in sections where
they are most needed practically with
out cost to the city, according to Chief
J. L. Beavers, who agrees heartily with
The GeorRian's recent editorial point
ing out the urgent need Of sub
stations He showed today just where
these could be located, how much they
would do to relieve the present situa-
ton and how trihing would be the eX-
pense.
"All We would need for a sub-station
would be a small brick building say 20
by 80 feet, with a desk for the sergeant
a place for call officer TO sit, a tele-
phone and two or three steel cells, and
we have the cells ready now" said the
chief. Three such stations would help
enormously In covering Atlanta with
our present force.
Fire Stations Suggested.
THE suggestion that the city fire
houses might be used as sub stations
is very good from our standpoint, but
the noise OF an all-night station might
interfere with the firemen who must
sleep in their engine houses he con-
tinued. But there are several engine
houses which do not cover all the land
where they are situated and it would
cost but d trife to erect small separate
buildings for the police stations. This
is true of the Seventh ward station at
Whitehall and oak streets, where there
is a large lot. This would make fine
site for a sub station. 1t is also true of
the engine house at DeKalb and More
land avenues. another section where a
sub station could be established.
but even if these places are not
available, the city might rent small
brick buildings, vacant stores or other
structures, and fit them ~ as police
stations We have a number of steel
cells left from the old exposition station
which can be used again.
IAN such sub-station needs would
be a sergeant in charge, one cali officer
in the dag and two at night, 1t would
he an Improvement, even il all these
men were taken from our regular force
without additional expense. The pay
of a sergeant is only $40 month more
than patrolman's
Could Walk Prisoners.
"AH the patrolmen detailed to that
norton of the city would report on and
off at the sub-station and come to
headquarters only when they had cases
TO try or for other business. Prisoners
could be held at the sub-stations over
night or until the patrol auto could call
for them and transfer them TO head
ouarters. The sub-statons would save
many miles of patrol wagon driving, FOR
usually "a policeman could walk pris-
oners to a nearby station without call
ing the patrol
"A prisoner arrested for some trivial
matter OF under circumstances not
warranting arrest would be assured
more fair treatment at a sub-station
than at the central station under pres
ent congested conditions, As it Is now
there is such rush at the window that
the officer in charge can not take the
proper time to investigate case or to
question a prisoner closely, and ii often
happens that a man is locked up when
he would have been released had suf-
ficient time been taken 20 investigate
his case. This can not be helped with
only one station,
Many Locations Feasible,
The best locations for such stations
would be:
zone at North avenue and Marietta
street. This would take care of all the
Fifth ward, out to the mill district, a
large part of the Eighth ward and the
territory clear out to Piedmont park,
zone at a point near Peters and
Whitehall street which would cover the
territory from Peters street clear out
to Oakland city Pittsburg, Battle Hin
and over into part of the Second
ward
zone near the Georgia railroad, say
opposite the Fulton Bag and Cotton
mills, which would cover the big terri
tory in the Ninth ward, the Inman Park
section and all that side of the city.
with those three stations we could
improve the service greatly without ad-
ditional cost to the taxpayers. OF
course. we need more men. We have
always needed more men, but l think
we can get on with but comparatively
few more"
Figures furnished by the police de-
partment show how difficult it les for
the force to cover the city efficiently
under the present system.
Few Men Are Active.
Atlanta has an estimated population