The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1914-01-06
VICILANTES TO
HUNT SLAYERSOF
POLICE, PLANNED
Metropolitan Club Would Organ
lie Committee Of 200 Armed
Citizens
TO CALL MASS MEETING
TO DISCUSS PROJECT
Gillespie Will BE Asked TO Have
Officers Patrol Dangerous
Beats in Pairs

Members OF the Metropolitan club,
composed oi policemen. bremen and
letter carriers. are thoroughly aroused
over the frequent shoodngs OF police
men. aud In special meeting. toll
lowing the death OF Patro.man Jonn
-seEdonr the !ll-,-a44e pt--A-EeSo4n-i ions
demanding the limit o<punishment for
gun toters." AMI suggesting that a
vigilance committee OF citizens DO
formed. OF about 200 members. each
legally permitted to carry arms, the
vigilantes TO do posse duty in cases
where attacks were made on police Of
.icers
Paul Hofrrichter letter carrier and
president OF the club. declared that
members OF the club would be glad 10
make up The vigilance committee. II
given authority.
A mass meeting will be called 10
discuss the project and also ways AMI
means TO see that stringent punish
ment Is melted out TO gun mel
Aid. Jakel. OF the Ninth ward. will
introduce 4 resolution I'm the common
council. Tuesday night requiring the
police department to send patromen
In the Italian district. and other dan
gerous beats. 10 walk In pairs.
"A lone policeman has no chance.
with a man bent on shooting to kill"
says Aid. Jskel
Immediately after the slayiSg OF
Patrolman WilsoH. by Humans who
were making a disturbance in the red
light district. years ago, there was a
hue and cry against sending officers
out alone in tough sections. For a
Tong time. patrolmen travelled in pairs
in all such districts Then the hue
and cry subsidized and the old practice
OF lone patrolling was resumed
at is a matter tina is largely dis
cretionary with the sergeants. at pres
ent." said one policeman One ser
geant viii allow his men. in dangerous
districts. 10 pair off. for mutual pro-
lection. The next sergeant 10 come
on the shift, will force them TO sepa.
rate, and walk the beats alone, or Will
report them"
Police Commissioner Gillespie, asked
Tuesday about Aid. Jakels plan TO
aave two policemen travel together
In the dangerous beats OF the city, de-
clared that the idea was right. but
was not feasible. with the number OF
men now available.
There is no one district where po-
flicemen are being shot" said the com
missioner and there is no particu-
lar district where policemen should
be given extraordinary protection.
Bad districts are scattered from Wood
ward-ave. to the Boulevard on the
east side alone. What We should
f., have. Is double the number of police
that We have now. so that beats could
be shortened, and an officer on one
bent would at all times be within
hearing distance OF night stick
call from the officer on the next beat.
the alarm TO be given by pounding
night stick on the sidewalk or iron
post
Commissioner Gillespie pointed out
that New York city's splendid system
OF having fixed posts with police
men standing at intersections every
few blocks apart, and with other Of
ficers scouting through beats. only
four blocks long. Is made possible by
the immensely OF the New York police
force.
They have no more territory 10
cover than We have he says, and
, they have 10000 officers, and are ask.
ing for 1900 more, while We have a
total OF 919, including ranking Off
GERS