Las Vegas optic., 1914-04-30
new YORK HAS A
CLEANUP
SQUAD
LATEST METHOD OF DEALING
WITH CROOKS DIMINlSHEs
THE PicKPocKETs

New York, April S0.-The latest
method Of procedure devised by the
police in an effort to rid New York Of
hts criminal element is the cleanup
squad" This has been in operation
for several weeks. The squad is
divided into two sections of fourteen
men each. One devotes it's time to
making it uncomfortable for profess
ional pickpockets, and the other to
thugs of the more vicious and bolder
type. The police commissioner in his
report on the work of the squad states
that during three weeks, 1876 arrests
have been made 326 reyolvers and
27 blacaiacks have been taken from
as many professional thieves and
"gunmen," while more than $4,000
worth of stolen property has been re-
covered. Since. the cleanup squad"
has been in operation the number of
complaints Of losses by pickpockets
has droped 95 per cent. During the
pilgrimages of the members of the
squad" to the various resorts in the
city the thing most frequently com
mented on is the absence of the Grim
mails who are known to the police,
but who are shrewd enough to keep
out Of their way The members Of
the squad" attribute this condition
to the fact that the new police com
missioner has given an order which
enables the police to use their clubs
freely when necessary, if criminal
does not obep the officers command
to move on" Before this order was
given to the police the toughs and
criminals would disregard the officers
command and often times laugh at
him, knowing he was powerless. But
under the new conditions they move
on as soon as ah officer comes in
sight. The squad" does its work by
inspecting districts beginning at the
first district and continuing up to the
Bronx The men average two nights
IN each district. When the circuit has
been completed they begin all over
again. During the first trip the men
visit all hangouts and if they find any
criminals within they warn the pro
prietor that he will be prosecuted for
maintaining a disorderly house if any
Objectionable persons are found there
again, the theory being that if the
criminals hangout be taken away
they will have no place where they
can keep out of the limelight There-
fore, they must either leave the city
or stay in their rooms
There has been considerable in
quiry lately at the controllers office
relative to the cost to the city of
New York of its water service. The
official report Of experts engaged to
Investigate this matter shows that the
gross revenues from the sale Of water
in the entire city during 1918 were
$12, ,753, ,O50.52 and the total operating
lexpenses, including taxes, $4, 1922, 1886,
leaving a total operating income of
$S,13O,OS1.66. Deducting from this lat
ter amount interest on outstanding
water bonds pertaining to the old wat
er system, $S,270,45172, and the au-
| thorization charges thereon, $1,584,-
1851, total of $4,S04, ,61O.33, leaves
a net income of $3,326,31111. No de-
probation or obsolescence charges are
included in this figure, although the
amortization charges have been In
cluded for the reason that it serves
something of the same purpose. The
4 operating expenses for 1913 represent
1852 per cent of the revenues, the 628
per cent remaining representing the
net income from operation, excluding /
interest on investments or bonds out
standing, the proceeds Of which form
part Of such investment, the annual
conctribution to the sinking fund Of the
city to amortize such bonds, and also
any allowance for depreciation or OBJ
solescence.