Evening star., 1932-07-17
PROVIDENCE PLANS
SPEED|ER POLICE
New Equipment and 0rgani-
zation introduced in Rhode
Island.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The star.
PROVIDENCE, r. l., July 16.-ThiS
city, center of a group Of closely joined
urban communities with total popu-
'4tion of approximately hals million,
is in the mids: Of a major experiment
in crime prevention and detection, as
its State controlled board OF public
safety rounds out its extensive pro-
gram of modernization OF the police
department..
The experiment is being watched by
the entire State and its success may
lead to the revamping of police meth
ods throughout Rhode Island. The ease
with which hold-up men. payroll BAN
dts and other criminals have been
able to speed away from the scenes OF
their crimes and place themselves,
sometimes within few minutes. un-
Ger the jurisdiction of another munic-
ioality, forms the key problem which
the citys police heads have been called
upon to solve. The board of public
safety has provided speed" as the
answer backed by modern equipment.
measures of prevention and revivi-
fed personnel.
Must Educate Public.
In addition to creating an efhcient
force, the board faces the added task
of educating a public which. all too
often, fails to cooperate with the
police until after crime Is commit
ted. and many times not even then.
Police officials, having conducted an
aggressive campaign to obtain co-opera-
tion of industrial plants in preventing
payroll and office hold-upS, express
chagrin when they are criticized for
failing to catch bandits who rob
concern which has taken no steps to
protect itself.
To the ordinary citizen. the new Or
Ger of things is becoming evident in
a number of ways. He sees light, speedy
,oadsters, manned by policemen pa
trolling the streets. There Is dis
tinctly larger proportion of younger,
more athletic appearing men. Person
able policemen even appear in the
schools to talk on safety.
The citizen reads of wholesale re-
organization Of police personnel He
hears Of new police school, from
which all recruits for the department
rust graduate. of classes in marksman-
ship. of compulsory gymnasium train
ing for men in the ranks, even Of
school for superior officers.
New Board in Control.
The board of public safety. with a
membership Of three, came into being
in April. 1881, because a Republican
State organization did not like the way
newly elected Democratic city gov
ernment was handling police affairs in
Providence. 1t controls, with wide
powers. the police, fire and public serv-
encyipnorc, orfy,,
ber Of the old commission was appoint
o1 to the new body, but he was dis
pl"cod early this year by Col. E. St.
,1chn Chaffee, organizer and superin-
terdent of the State police.
Inauguration of the police school was
the most important act of the new
bard last year. A total Of 124 rockies"
WIS admitted after rigid tests. Just
h"lf that number was graduated in the
F2n A large proportion of these IS
rcw on the police force.
Another class will be put through
tha school this Fall to provide for more
recruits. To earn their diplomas, the
rccruits underwent exhausting physical
lining that eliminated all but those
With high degree of grit and stamina.
They studied all phases Of police work
end its legal background.
New Scout Cars Used.
Steps toward motorization of the de-
pertinent were taken early this year
Pnd included installation Of complete
motor scout patrol system. Forty light
cars Of the runabout type are now used
in the eight precincts Of the city, COW
ering miles of streets previously pa
trolled afoot or by police on horses. A
now fleet Of motor cycles has been
added to the equipment.
The new scout patrol cars will be
equipped with radio as soon as funds
can be found. Lack Of radio equip
n,ent is. in fact. the one big weakness
Of the motorized patrols, valuable time
being lost in getting in touch with
cruising cars in emergencies
Back Of the mechanical, visible
changes in police equipment. there have
been sweeping changes in organization.
The old inspectors bureau has become
the detective division, with a new plan
Cf organization. under y ch detectives
are assigned to speci-e lines Of work
in which they are expected 20 become
expert A new traffic division has been
created. covering the entire city.
Copyright. 1897 ~ Co~th american News
paper Alliance 1nc)