The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1919-05-15
Thirty New Policemen.

cd bv one of the members of the COM
mon council. Mayor Joachim has stated
that he believes ten would be enough
to add to the force at this time and
still another suggestion is that the city
have one police officer for each thous-
and people of population.
Most people in the city believe that
the city should have more police pro-
lection but lot Of people are not
agreed that more protection would be
afforded by multiplying the number
of men on the pay roll of the police de-
partment Undoubtedly larger num-
Der of blue coats walking the streets
at night would have some restraining
effect on man bound on robbery but
it is not certain that if Kenosha had a
hundred police officers all Of the men
who burglarize would be captured.
Clever criminals are accustomed to
working with the idea that the police
officer may catch them and they usual
" arrange their business with a view
of not flashing with blue coats. The
man who goes house-breaking knows
that the proper study of a successful
housebreaker is not mankind or woman
kind, but blue coats and he usually
knows Just about what to expect from
a police officer. The house-breaker
can probably tell better than any one
else Just where police officer will be
at any hour Of the night, no matter
what beat that particular officer is
travelling. To put on more police Off
GERS might delay burglars by forcing
them to study longer and more COM
plete schedule but they would probably
work it on in q short time.
Kenosha has a good police force now
and the average work of the men who
wear uniforms in Kenosha is infinitely
better than the average work Of the
men who wear uniforms in o lot of
cities of the state and nation. We are
well aware that criminals escape from
these police officers but we have yet
to find the town with a police depart
ment a hundred per cent. efficient IN
catching burglars or murderers or any
other kind of violators Of the law
Just at present Kenosha has some.
thing over thirty police officers and
to double this number would bring a
considerable expense on the city. It
is not believed by men who study po-
lice problems that this enlarged police
force would be one hundred per cent.
efficient.
What Kenosha really needs is re-
organization Of its police department.
Such reorganization has been urged
by Chief Of Police O'Hare for many
years. The chief may be from q Z" small
town hut he knows proper police
methods when he sees them and his rec
ord is such as to make him man
whose opinions are worth considering.
If the city council wants to bring bet
ter conditions to the police force in
Kenosha le' the members of it 90 to
the chief Of the department and ask
his suggestions and then follow them.
The chief would scarcely seek to tell
the manager of big factory how best
to organize the forces of the factory
and it is just as foolish to think that
men entirely unschooled in the work of
trailing criminals know just what is
best alone these lines.
Chief Hare has repeatedly suggest
ed a small detective force for Kenosha.
This does not necessarily mean big
force Of high priced "hawkshaws to
cat up the public funds and levy black
mail against the people hut force of
competent men in plain clothes who
would prove most valuable aid to the
members OF the present force Men in
plain clothes have a better chance to
catch thieves than men in uniform.
THE house breaker fights shy of uni
form. Detectives in plain clothes may
work for months without their identify
becoming known to the average thief
Thirty more police Officers arc not nee,
essary to round up the gang of juvenile
criminals working as house breakers in
Kenosha. A hundred police officers
IN uniform would find it hard to get
hold Of the expert crooks who come into
tho city from other cities bent on muir.
der and robbery Instead of multiply
ing the number of Officers the officers
now on the force with a small addition
for detective force should be given
better equipment. One thing badly
needed in connection with the police
force is to impress the people that
time is a valuable asset to police of
ficer in seeking an offender The 20
lice officer hasn much of chance Il
catch criminal if he is given a couple
OF hours start before the case is re
ported to the police The suggestion Of
the mayor OF a patrol car constantly
at work on the streets during the nigh
hours has elements of value Such +;
plan would aid materially in having
police officers ready for work at al
time and not make it necessary to hunt
up some special officer to find othel
men to trail crooks.
The policn cunetion ;S Mn a,,as4;n,