Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-08-01
JAMES T. CoRTELYoU
On Philadelphia ssfety-FIrst Proora,

On Philadelphia safety-FIrst Program
SAFETY first and safety all the time for
~ our citizens is the motto of James r.
Cortelyou, Philadelphias Director of Public
SAFETY, and this Is the sentiment he Is striv-
ing to instill into the more than 1000 en-
ployes OF the city who come under his
supervision.
In the police department alone" said
Director Cortelyou, 'the addition Of $50
men and the purchase Of ninety motor
cycles and automobiles for the Detective
Bureau, which was authorized by Council
early in the present year, have added greatly
to the efficiency Of the force as whole. 1t
has probably done more than any other one
thing to cut down the tremendous crime
wave OF year ago, a manifestation OF the
criminal classes that threatened to engulf
not only Philadelphia, but every other large
city in the country.
''At present there is attached to every
police station in the city at least one motor
vehicle, usually motorcycle with a sdecar
attachment, and this has been an invaluable
aid in policing the city. They are of espe
cial value in sending out complaints or
'fiers' from headquarters. The whole city
is included In this service and with the
present arrangements It is only a few min
utes' time before a complaint from head
quarters Is distributed in even the most
remote parts Of Philadelphia.
Another important matter Is the en-
ldrRelueul tne SlSudl system IN tne various
police stations. Several of these devices
are now under consideration and the best
will be installed as soon as possible. Eventu-
ally, we intend to have a signal in every
police station in the city by means Of whicn
we will be able to fash out news or warn
ings to far off districts where banditry or
other crimes might be committed. The value
Of this device to the safety Of the city is
obvious.
More Policemen Needed
''Our principal need in Philadelphia, so
far as the police system Is concerned, is for
more patrolmen. The territory which must
be efficiently covered is very large and as
consequence the beats are very long. We
also need additional traffic officers and
considerable increase In many of the districl
station houses.
"Philadephia, speaking from the popu-
lation and the amount of territory to be
covered, Is considerably below the other
great cities In this respect. New York, for
example, has about 1900 policemen who
have an aggregate Of not much more than
seventy five square miles of territory to
cover; Philadelphia has 1907 policemen and
129 square miles of territory.
''The morale of the police In Philadelphia
is very high and | believe that it is not
exceled by that of any other city In the
country. This morale was bettered enor-
mously by the salary increase, by which the
men now receive $1S25 a year.
ana II must uOl De lOlgOlleU LnuC tuc
men and their families receive all of this
money. 1t is not required, permitted no,
expected that any policeman on the city
payrolls shall make any contribution what
soever.
II believe that today Philadelphia has
the best conditioned police force In the
United States, from the physical standpoint
as we'll as from the viewpoints of morale
and general efficiency. To a certain ex
tent, this high standard Of physical per-
fecton was brought about in this way:
Under the supervision of Dr. Hubley u.
Owens, chief police surgeon, assisted by the
forty two district police surgeons and by
several prominent physicians and surgeons
from some Of the leading hospitals Of the
city who contributed their services. a mort
thorough examination OF every member Of
the Bureaus of Police and Fire, was made
last fall and an accurate record taken of
any of them who were suffering from any
ailments whatsoever.
"a systematic program was then mapped
out by DR.. Owens to relieve those who were
afflicted with any ailment, no matter how
slight and this program was rigdly followed.
The result Is that today the working force
In both these departments IL far greater than
It has been for many years.
'The men are treated by eye, ear and
throat specialists whenever such treatment
is required and ward has been set aside
in the Philadelphia Hospital for more seri.
Gus cases and for those in which operations
are necessary
another cause for the improved morale
of the service Is that the men of the police
and fire departments themselves know that
when any Of them are called upon to face
charges or get into trouble in the pursuit OF
their duties they are given fair, complete
and impartial hearing before their cases are
disposed Of, They also know that in the
event Of dismissal no reinstatements have
or will be made. Therefore their Jobs de.
pend upon their own efficiency and upon
their own conduct.
''Thc operation Of the Office of the
District Attorney and of the courts has
been Of the greatest assistance to the police
in the checking Of the crime wave. I have
always felt that il the police can make
prompt arrests of offenders against the law
that if we can secure speedy indictment
and trial through the District Attornsy's
Hice and In fha AvAnt NJ cnny,n4ln-