Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-10-10
SYLVESTER ADDRESSES.
NETWORK POLICE CHIEFS
Successful Modern Methods
of Tracing Criminals
Compared to Old.

Chief OF Police Sylvester, who is at
tending the meeting of the chiefs OF
police of New York. at Rochester, is
expected to return tonight Addressing
the association, Maj. Sylvester told OF
a letter he had recently received from
the chief of police of Paris which con-
tanned an explanation of new camera
that had been invented by a Frenchman.
Ht, said its mechanism is so fine that
il will show up the smallest defect'
bIemish or popularity in an article or
person snapped. Thus it's. work is SO re-
markable that a single discolored hair In
a fur garment can be shown In the
smallest detail, so that the articles II
found anywhere could at once be recog-
nized through the photograph.
The instrument has not yet been adopt
ed by any but the Paris police depart
ment, but it promises to become as Vaiu-
able in detecting crime and Identifying
criminals as the now commonly USED
''finger-print method.
Discusses Police Methods.
Discussing the invention, Mai. Sylves-
ter noted the difference between ponce
methods of today and those of years ago
and stated that with the change In the
methods there also has come a chahse
in the characteristics of the successiui
police chiefs.
..,rhe two most famous chiefs the couh-
try has ever produced, Byrnes OF New
York and Harrigan of ST. Louis, were
entirely different types from your sue
cessful chiefs of today, such as Chiei
Quig1ey, for instance, said MAJ oyTves-
ter. Those men were fe ss,ts. Ihey
went out and brought back the CRIMINALS.
They were detectives themselves; 1ouI
chief of today is an entirely dlHerent
TYNE of man. that is, he is II he Is sue
cessful. The chiefs of today are pri-
mariIy executors. They pick and judge
their men to do the ferreting. They are
the directors.
..There is also a great change in the
police forces. In 1870 policemen carried
guns for Quelling riots. Today they
carry clubs and revolvers which are
used only for defense. They are trained
as soldiers, are given revolver practice,
work in the gymnasium TO Keep theni
in condition They are picked for their
Intelligence largely, and are constantly
schooled to make them more inteingent:
The police of twenty years ago would
have laughed at such methods put the
business of running a police department
is Incoming continually more ScienuHc.
and the strides in Improvement tnat are
being taken in this country are remark
able.
Detectives Better.
Nowhere are the improvements being
more manifested than in the detective
forces. The means Of Identifying ana
tracing criminals are infinitely superior
to those of a few years ago. The hpger-
print method sof Identification is now IN
common use. We have the bureau IN
Washington where pictures and prints
of criminals are serIt for Identification,
and many other institutions that were
unknown several years ago.
But in spite of these helps good
detective is born, not educated. Besides
the additional sense that the successful
detective captain must have, he must
known his men. He must know the
men who are working under, him thor-
oughly, SO that he can direct them IN
telligently and give each the duties 10
which he Is best suited.