Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-05-29
PUBLIC SAFETY DIRECTOR
SUBMITS ANNUAL REPORT
Shows Marked Improvement i'm All
Branches Of Service Under His
Direction.
FIRST YEAR SHOWS PROGRESS
recommends Certain Additions to
Secure Greater Eflicicncy-Com-
mcnds Chiefs and Employees for
Helpful Cooperation.

First annual report of Director OF
fuonc safety William NJ. Myers. sub
mitted TO Mayor George Ainslie yes
tterday. shows general and markell
improvement in The EQUIPMENT ana
service of the department and ali
bureaus under his supervision. One
OF the most notable is motorization
OF the police and fire departments and
more effective organization of tho
personnel efficiency OF the various
bureaus.
Traffic and vice conditions have
been greatly improved. Increased
nan-powcr in the police and fire de-
partments is recommended. The di-
rector urges adoption of the platoon
system in the fire department. as soon
as 1t is financially possible and. In
INC meantime. lie asks for more men.
that additional relief can be given
employees.
Stolen Property Recovered.
The report shows that the dctec-
tive bureau recovered Sl94,l24l9 of
total of s2S9.155.39 of stolen prop
erty reported during the year. While
the director says he needs thirty adj
ditional men on the police force, he
asks the Council 10 provide for at
least twenty this year. These men
are needed for the traffic squad work.
Report OF the Building Inspector
showed that during the year 1871? COW
cred by the general report. building
permits to the value OF SS.Sl3.20S
were granted. This is AN increase
over the previous year OF S6.93l.S3S
There was erected during the yoar
COZ dwellings. thirty-cight apartment
houses. seven churches and sos other
structures The director recon-
mends that the Council provide for
the charge of a fee for tho issuing OF
building permits. He SAYS that n
nominal fee would make the bureau
scf-sustaininr and that the expense
of its maintenance should be horne
those NJ
not the general public.
Durcnu Saves Money
Bureau Of Weights and Measures
has been entirely rcorEanizcd and
made more efficient with improved
equipment Director Myers saws the
Zcns thousands OF dollars. but has
turned into the city treasury approxi-
mately. $4,000 in excess of its total
cost Of maintenance.
While the fire alarm and police
telegraph system has been greatly
improved during the year, the dircc-
tor recommends still further i'm
provemcnts in equipment. that the
service may be made more efficient.
Report on the police department;
shows that l2.I63 arrests We're made
during the year.
An interesting footnotc 10 the di-
rector's report Is the statement that
Notwithstanding the fact that this
department was operating during ne
gear under constantly rising mar
ket, il may bc OF interest to you to
know that the bureaus and sub de-
partments embraced under the DC
partmcnt OF Public Safety were
operated with sl2.10g.35 less expense,
other than payroll and capital outlay.
than the same bureaus or depart
ments were operated with under the
old form OF government in 1918.
when commodities were purchased at
n much lower cost"
In closing. Director Myers gives
glowing tribute TO chiefs OF bureaus
and all employees for their hearty
cooperation and efficient work dur
ing the year.