The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1913-09-12

white men were dealt with by the re-
,order on charges of forgery and the
handling of worthless checks.
Petty thievery cases have swamped
the detective bureau. Snatch-thiev-
cry, pocket-picking, "fiim-flamming"
crimes have occupied every available
man on Chief Lanford's staff He was
called back Monday from the midst
OF his annual vacation TO take charge
of his over-worked department.
Chief Lanford stated to a Consti-
tuition reporter Monday afternoon
that there was more crime in Atlanta
during the present period than at
any normal season of his experience.
He is unable to explain the phe-
nomena. except that 1t is a periodical
wave Of wrong-doing that sweeps
spasmodically over every city.
More Men Imperative
Chief Beavers sta ed that his men
had shown themsei tes competent to
cope with the situation, but had
been sorely hampe-ed. at times. BY
the lack of facilities, equipment and
by the need of additional men.
At present, inducing the ranking
officers, attaches TO headquarters and
wagon men, the department num-
bers only PSI. This includes the de-
tective bureau. The evening watch
of patrolmen. the heaviest of the
three, which is on duty from p. m.
until midnight, requires ninety-three
men. Nineteen of this number patrol
the residential sections on wheels.
Four remain at headquarters for mo-
torcycle duty and the remainder are
distributed over the downtown dis
trict.
The morning watch contains sixty
eight men. Sixteen of these are wheel
patrolmen who work the residential
beats. Two perform motorcycle duty.
The day watch numbers sixty-eight,
sixteen of them being mounted men
who take care of the residential Sec
tions
The plainclothes squad contains
twenty-five men, who work chiefly
residence territory. 1t is divided into
two squads, one of which goes on
duty from p. m. until l a. m, the
second from a. m. until p. m. The
traffic squad, including both the day
and evening watches, numbers nine
teen.
Lanford Asks Bigger Force
Chief Beavers intimated that fifty
more men could be put to good avail,
and that the residential section could
be better covered than at present.
Chief Lanford has declared that in
order to put the detective depart
ment on an entirely satisfactory
basis he will need at least dozen
more men
The need of three police sub-sta-
lions has been urged by Chief Beav-
ers for months. An appeal without
success has been made to council
for the establishment of these sta
lions. Atlanta is the only city of the
south of its size which depends alb
solutely upon a single police sta
ton.
In event of three additional sta
lions, the chief has stated time and
again that the entire city can be sue
cessfully covered and protected. One
of the proposed stations was sug-
gested for the lower end of Peters
street, which would cover all of the
bad territory of this street, which.
in many respects, is worse than De-
catur, the street in which police
is situated, and cover
the whole Of West End, a residence
section.
Too Long to Reach Scene
At present it requires call men
from 10 to Is minutes to reach West
End from headquarters on motorcy-
cles, where a third of the time would
be required from a sub-station at
the point suggested in the chiefs APP
peal to the police commission.
A second station was proposed for
Marietta street in the stock yards
and railroad district This would
cover a quarter of the city, a section
now protected in emergency by call
men from headquarters. who require
from to ID minutes on motors.
The third additional station has
been proposed somewhere on theI
north side at an indefinite point.
An instance of the lack of facili-
ties for the department was shown
last Saturday night, one of the
busiest spent at headquarters since
the Christmas holidays, when both