The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1914-10-20


St. MichaePs cemetery, a. large portion
OF the Luke's Alley neighborhood, the
| L. & n. freight depot and a large
number OF wholesale warehouses and
manufacturing plants)
Beat No. 10.-Bounded on the north
by Gregory street; on the west by
Baylen street.; on the south by Ro-
mana street; on the east by Tara
gona street. (This beat includes the
ISIS theater, the city's main hotels. two
| large office buildings, and a large por-
ton OF the city's shopping district)
Beat No. 11.-Bounded on the north
by Gadsden street; on the West by
Coyle street; on the south by Garden
street; on the east by Barcelona street.
| Ton this beat are located two saloons,
several negro restaurants, a number
OF Greek stores, several drug stores.
| the Pensacola Electric Compaty's car
! barns and the street car Junction
where cars are changed from the North
Hill line for st. Johns cemetery and
the West Hill section Of the city)
A careful analysis and consideration
! OF the great extent of territory covered
by the eleven beats described above
even when it is taken into considera-
ton that two mounted men are en-
pIoyed on each of the three eight hour
watches, in addition to the patrolmen
employed, must convince the most en-
thusiastic advocate of a reduced police
force that Pensacola is not over-po-
Iced. These mounted men are used,
one on each side of Pa1afox street, to
cover the outlying districts OF Ill of
the up town beats described abo re,
and, to my mind, afford a minimum of
protection to the districts patrolled by
them.
1t is true that one detail man is also
employed on each of the three watches.
but an investigation of the service per-
formed by these three officers. who are
employed as motorcycle officers. and
are not confined to any specific terri |
tory or routine duty, I am sure must |
be convincing to the investigator that |
their services are we'll nigh indispen- |
sable to the city. There are alm.,st |
innumerable instances in the depart |
ment's history where these motorcycle |
officers have responded to emergency |
calls for police protection and arrests |
Of violators of the law made before |
it would have been possible for any |
other class of police officer to have |
reached the scene of the violation Of /
law
It is also true that on each of the
three watches a station house man, or
desk sergeant, is employed. This is
a very responsible position in the &C.
partment, and exacts the highest char
acter of educational qualification pos
sessed by members of the department.
The duties of these men are chiefly
clerical, but they are also charged with
the responsibility of caring for pris-
oners and for valuabIes taken from the
persons or prisoners confined in the |
city Jail.
To meet the foregoing argument it
will be stated that the same protection
as now given to the people can be |
given them by changing from the
present three-shift system to the OLD
two-shift, or twelve-h hour system: It
is true that this could be done, and |
that in doing SO the same amount of
territory as now embraced in the city's
poiced zone could be covered, but, the
question, arises, would the people be
given the same quality Of protection
by adding fifty percent more time to
the daily service of a police officer
than he is now required to serve? Is
it not reasonable to assume that a
man is capable of more vigorous and
efficient service in any employment
under an eight-hour system of con-
tinuous duty than under a twelve hour
continuous service? In addition to
this most serious feature of the case,
another equally serious feature pre-
sents itself Under the twelve-h hour
system Of policing a city, it is neces-
sary to arrange the watches to run
from seven o'clock to seven o'clock,
both day and night. Under this sys-
tenn it is necessary that the members
Of the department report to the sta
81 :, |
to being placed on tour. This, in the
case of the day watch necessitates the
officers arising not later than $50
o'clock in the morning, his wife arising
At an earlier hour in order to pre- | !.
pare his breakfast for him in time for !.
MS departure from home by $50 :
o'clock, and his return to his home on ! !.
The evening at an hour rarely ever !
earlier than to $50 o'clock. rte
same objections are good as to the /
1ardships worked on the men serving q,
IN night duty with the additional OBJ
ections that the night men must he :
held at the station after their all-night
luty has been finished for police court
1t 8 o'clock. whenever an arrest has :
,een made during the night tour.
The proposal to cut the salaries Of ,
he department, it occurs to me, If alb :
;olutely necessary, would be more ac- :
to the members of the force
han to dispense with their services
absolutely. 1t has been the policy of :
he department for many reasons for )
several years to endeavor to secure the :
services of men of family for police y
men. The chief of these reasons is r
hat it has been found by experience
# police departments throughout the .
that men Of families are more l.
serious in their consideration Of their /
responsibilities as police officers, and II
re naturally more amenable to dis .
ipline and the fundamental of mo- h
atty. f
A very large majority Of the men- f