The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1913-10-09
GILLESPIE PLANS
BIG CHANGES IN
PRECINCT Lines
Finds That Central District Has
Too Little Police Pro-
lection
WOULD MAKE OFFICERS
MORE RESPONSIBLE
Wants Them to Report Defective
Sidewalks-Will Ask ApprO-
priatiOn for More Men

Police Commissioners Gillespie u
having maps prepared for redistrfct-
ing the nine police precincts In the
city. His idea Is eventually to equal
ize all the precincts and properly
place the patrolmen according to area
and population. At present, the police
commissioner says, the force IL poorly
distributed and some Of the important
beats In the central district are being
neglected In order that desOlate out
lying districts may be furnished police
protection.
The central precinct will be en-.
larged to extend to Aexandrine-ave.
on the north, Sixth-st. on the west
and Russell-st. on the east. The
boundary lines Of other precincts will
be Strengthened out and where posi-.
hle an effort will be made to central
ize the location of the precinct sta,
ton.
Commissioner Gillespie Is having
drawn. for his personal use, q large
map showing the boundaries Of every
police beat In the city. Each beat on
the war map" will be numbered and
the commissioner will use numbered
pawns representing patrolmen To
move over the beats.
WY idea Is to see at glance what
beat q certain officer covers and who
the officer is" said the commissioner
Each roundsman will have a certain
district that he will be held RESPONSE
BILE for, as will the lieutenant and cap
tain at each precinct station. Every
man will be held responsible for his
beat. BY that l do not mean that an
officer will be called before q superior
and asked why he did not prevent q
crime. But In the matter Of defective
sidewalks, accidents, etc., It will be up
to the man on the beat to make a com
plete report and to make suggestions
TO prevent their repetition. We want
to teach the patrolmen to use their
eyes and keep everything In a safe
condition on their beats. will send
a communication to the corporation
counse's ONCE, asking that all claims
against the city for damages due to
accidents on defective sidewalks,
pavements, etc., be brought to the at
tention of the police department for
investigation. l think In this way we
can ultimately save the city q great
deal of money in preventing costly
damage suits"
The commissioner Is also preparing
early for an assault on the board OF
estimates, next spring. He will use
his war map" to demonstrate to the
estimators and the aldermen just how
much territory inside the city limits
he can adequately cover with his
present force Of men, which Is 62 men
less In strength that It was two years
ago, due to the new law granting DO
lice officers one day OF In every IA.
81 will show how I can properly
police the first, second and third pre-
cincts and a. many more as I have
men for" said the commissioner.
This will leave a large portion Of the
outlying territory without any police
protection. The fault u that while
the city has grown at an enormous
rate and its territory has greatly In
creased, the police force has not kept
pace. The policy has been to shift
men from the central precincts to the
outlying districts, thus scattering the
men over a large area and making
them practically useless for protective
purposes"
The commission is also contemplate
ing scheme to place q red incandes-
cent light on every police box In the
city. Whenever a general alarm Is
sounded, these red lights will fash
simultaneously In every part of the
city. A patrolman passing a box and
seeing the red light can promptly call
his station to get instructions.