The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-01-06
REALIGNED Police
TRAFFICIlCLUDED
TO WORK AS UNIT

VI ttNHStVy NOV
Distribution, ExaCting Work
on Beats to Be Worked Out.
The law enforcement machinery at
central police headquarters Is begin
lssng to hum, and that hum has a dis
tmctly metropolitan buzz.
John y. Edgar, new police and fire
result that big things are promised out
of the chaos that In times past has
Deen termed a police department.
The shakeup last Friday was the first
ripple which Mr.. Edgar made on the
placid pool OF police nonchalance.
The traffic department is the next
% he wrought anew, according TO an
nouneement Tuesday morning.
Lieut., Joseph A. Gerk, traffic expert
oI the ST. Louis police department, will
come to Memphis for week to take
sharge Of the traffic situation--to study
handling traffic, and to start a traffic
school for local policemen. He Is ex-
pected 10 arrive next Monday morning
Lieut.. Gerk Is recognized traffic
expert Of the st. Louis department He
comes here through the efforts Of Mr.
Edgar, and Gus Sehlecht and Elwood
Lloyd, Of the Automobile Dealers asso-
citation, The latter two made the TRIP
10 St Louis, and at Mr.. Edgars re-
quest obtained permission Of Police
Chief Martin O'Brien and the board Of
police commissioners, for the services
q Lieut.. Gerk. The city Of Memphis
obtains his services by the slight cost
OF his expenses for the trip and pay
Mentfofy his salary for the period be Is
heres
School for Cops.
week, the secretary Of the board of
police commissioners wrote Mr.. Edgar,
IN q letter received Tuesday, should
enable Lieut.. Gerk to make suggestions
Ior al the changes needed here, and
~ lay the foundation for instruction
which may be carried out through the
traffic school he will establish.
MI Edgar viii name a committee Of
s iese ela citizens sa n ,tpa to work with
This committee, after Lieut.. Gerk
leaves win meet with the city COM
missioners, and any changes in traffic
and automobile ordinanees which may
be deemed necessary, will be made.
It Is possible that speed limits may
be changed ais aeresult. Downtown
parking viii be affected. Some down.
town streets may be closed to all ex-
eept oneway traffic. The recomfnRn-
laf ioAfst and the 0ectHinf OF the catn-i
iAlttee teild The comm h i'm, miIl tieter-
mine that,
As many as four mounted men may
I'M placed on. Main street to handle
4 eAraffic, thus doing away with the be
tAKeen-b block policemen other than reg
section The traffic officers on the cor
ners will, of course, remain.
The method of patrolling the city will
be changed. too, under the Edgar re-.
gime. More uniformed patrolmen will
be added to the force. There now are
haI.a NM. a. -
Jobs. Mr.. Edgar hopes tn.raise the de-
partfnent strength to $50 men doing
patrol duty within the next 20 davs
The big change will come in the special
auto officers. most of whom viii be
put in Uniform. if they are available
and physically fit for such duty Those
who are not likely will lose ont
yxY;Il pnoss;o,, Moo
AA ASS"0CASA NNCA' ts
1t Is the ambition of the fire and no.
lice commissioner to increase his uni
formed patrol force. to 900 men without
adding Ia the police budget. About $40
men are now on the police pav roll
Pv the proner distribution of his men
in order to get the greatest degree of
effectiveness from them. Mr.. Edgar
hopes eventually to realize this ambi-
tioff without additional cost to the city
Increased poljce protection for the
OUTLYING residence districts is another
ambition of the police and fire commits
sjoner II is one that will be realized
shortly. too. The plan for outlying
districts in most cities is one of four
WAYS. mounted nolcemen. MOTORCYCLE
men. bicycle men or officers in auto
mobiles. This latter method probably
will be adopted here and Ford cars will
be utilized--two uniformed men in each
car at night and one in daytime. The
1awlessness that has been ramnant in
the city, and still is. for that matter
makes two men working together at
night imperative. Mr. Edgar believes.
A new plan of report is to be adopted
Immediately. so that closer check may
be kept by captajns on their men.
Each patrolman will be provided with
two memorandum books, printed in
blank form, to be filled out with the in
Formation the department desires.
The value OF the plan is that under it
each man while on duty will have to
account to his superior officer for prac-
tically every minute of his time In 9TH
er words, he will have to police vigilant-
". instead of loaf or sleep.
When patrolman finds water plug
running when he discovers a bad hole
in the street: when he witnesses or
hears of an accident; when he makes an
arrest; when he searches a negro at a
certain time and place; when he meets
the sergeant-all of these must be en-
tered In his memorandum book before
he-goes off duty.
The book Is left with the captain, TO
be perused at leisure. While it Is in the,
captains possession the patrolman uses
his other book
The same plan will apply to sergeants,
who will be required to state what Of
ficers they met in their rounds, and
where they met them. Thus double
check is put on the men:
The present police blotter' Whlch IS
merely record for the city. court and
mr. n the t.
sment. VIII be replaced py one more moo