Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-26
CHICAGO TO FIGHT
CRIME WITH RADIO
City Is Equipping $50 Autos
and so Stations With
Sets.
BY ROBERT MACK.


Radio is going to be used In an at-
nent crime wave.
A plan of crime detection and crimi-
nal apprehension by radio that, IN the
opinion of experts, should rock Chi
cagos notorious underworld with rear
has been adopted by the city police
department, which has been wag1ng a
futile battle against gangsters, rack
eteers and hoodlums. Every eight city
blocks there will be stationed radio
equipped automobile, manned by patrol
men awaiting word from headquarters
of crime on its particular beat"
At police headquarters will be high
powered short-wave radio-telephone
transmitter, from which orders will
issue. The service will be around the
clock. Already $50 automobiles and SO
precinct stations are being equipped Tor
the radio net. Next year 100 additional
automobiles will be added to the service
within city limits. In the suburbs Is
radio cars" will be placed, as well as
Is radio-equipped police stations, all
working from radio police central"
Tear gas bombs, sawed-oh shotguns,
machine guns, cameras and fingerprint
equipment will be carried on the radio
cars. The larger ones will be manned
by five patrolmen, the smaller by two.
The radio crime detection net should
cover Chicago's 300 square miles like
the dew, according to the police de-
partment.
Apply for Channel.
All this was related to the Federal
Radio Commission by high official OF
the Chicago police department in filing
an application for a short-wave length
below 5000 kilocycles to be employed IN
the service. Based on past actions OF
the commission, approval OF this appl1-
cation virtually Is automatic, and awaits
only the reconvening of the commission
for a vote For the preliminary work
the city Of Chicago has appropriated
between 100000 and $l50, 1000, the COM
mission was told.
The system is the outgrowth Of the
present radio criminal service operated
by the Chicago police in cooperation
with broadcasting station WGN. But
this service, although good as far as 1t
goes, does not go far enough. Besides
this shortcoming, the emergency calls
are broadcast to the public, criminals
and all, over the regular transmitter
of WGN, right in the middle of mus1-
cal program or what not.
The new system, although q radio
telephone service, as distinguished from
radio telegraphv of code. will be on
SNORT waves anu I1OG WlttIul Illc 1dAlSc
of reception Of the broadcasting receiv-
ing set. Special short-Wave receivers
must be used. Criminals, of course. can
buy them, but they are not to be found
at ever- street corner.
Car Every Eight Blocks.
The radio cars will be equipped with
special receivers, constructed to with
stand lars and bumps. Located at in
tervals of eight blocks, these cars. 1t is
believed by the department, should be
on the scene of the crime even before
the offender has had time to leave the
premises.
Radio crime detection systems now
are operated in seven cities. but not on
the comprehensive scale contemplated
in Chicago The Detroit police depart
ment has just been licensed for sys-
tenn comparable to the Chicago project
It is a matter of covering only LA
square miles in Detroit, whereas Chi
cago has the problem Of 300 square
miles, as we'll as somewhat healthier
crime growth. With its system Detroit
is reported to have apprehended GRIM
inal within 80 seconds after the order
was broadcast.
other cities which either have radio
detection systems or are authorized by
the commission to install them are
Cincinnati. Highland Park, Mich; Dali
las, Buffalo: Baltimore, Boston, and
Berkeley, Calf.
Copyright, 1929, by the Consolidated Press)