Putnam patriot., 1915-12-03
SIGNAL SYSTEM Citizens Should Inform Themselves As
 To Its Use Much Extra Work Put on Police Through
 Ignorance

The new police signal system in- stalled in the city some weeks ago is working well mechanically. There are three boxes one at the corner of Pom- fret street, one at the corner of Bridge and Elm streets and the other at the corner of Church land Providence streets. When the police are wanted a telephone call to the central tele- phone exchange results in the opera. tor on iduty pressing button which turns on IA red light over each box which is signal for an officer After answering the call the officer is obliged to go to each of the three boxes and open and shut the box door which ex- tinguiShes the light. This part of ihe system works to perfection but whether as whole the system is n success is not so easily decided. 1t has resulted in many useless and needless calls being registered which has kept put out the lights. The only remedy for this is in the hands of citizens themselves. It results partly in tue listing lof the telephone calls. The lights were put up for emergency calls only. Heretofore there has been but one call for the police and that was 3l9 , at police head quarters This call is still in the book but has been put under the name "City Prisonn and this is generally unknown. The 1other call listed under Police signal is 3S3 and the average person wanting an of- ficer quite naturally looks under opp for the number so that it results in having the light turned on even if only a word Is wanted with an officer over some trivial matter. Puinam's police force is probably one of the smallest in nun bers in the state. The Captain Is the:only officer doing day duty and at night the Sergeant and one patrolman cover tue city. It is easily seen that a day call means a walk of about a'mile flor the Captain to turn out the lights while at night two officers being on auty 1t is not quite SC bad.
 As an illustration of this phase Of the matter two recent incidents may be noted: While the city court was in session few mornings ago a witness was wanted The Captain called up man by telephone and requested him to notify the party wanted. Being un- able to locate the man the person called the number under police which resulted in the lights being turned on making a mile trip for the Captain when court adjourned. A local theatre wishing an extra loflicer for a specisl occasion wanted to make the request of the Captain and called up. On went the lights andsanother mile walk for the officer. These are two of many in- stances when there was no intention that the signal service should be used' Such calls should be made to the City Prison and not the police signal sys- tenn. The system Is an excellent thing if used as intended and the only way this can come about is by the co opera. tion of the citizens and by having them become familiar with the calls. It was suggested by Alderman Padgett of the police committee that ,unless such needless calls are stopped and the sys- tenn be used for emergency calls only as intended it would be necessary to pass city ordinance making 1t mis- demeanor to use the signal system ex- cept in case of emergency. It is to be hoped that the citizens will give the matter due attention and consideration that all this unnecessary walking and work of the officers may be speedily eliminated.