The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-11-25
Too Many Bremen,
 Police In Waterbury
Continued from Page 1.)

\NOk1bA11ucu association members by MT. Botch, is as follows:
 The Waterbury Taxpayers ASso- ciation was incorporated as an edu- cational, non-partisan, and non- political organization to carry on research for the purpose of aiding in the efficiency of the city govern ment and to gather and place in the hands of city officials and tax payers of Waterbury information as to the conduct and operation o1 their city government. The office of the association was opened and its staff installed on September B 194O.
 It appeared that the most impor- tant immediate help that we could render to the taxpayers and citi- zens of our city was to work with the administration in preparing the budget for the fiscal year 1941. With the full cooperation of the mayor the comptroller and the budget di- rector, this has been done. Time was too short for any comprehen- sive survey of all ciyt activities. so the association has concentrated the major part of its efforts on an ex- animation of the police and fire departments. The result of these ex- aminationS, which includes conSid- erable statistical material, was delivered to the mayor and by him to the board of finance. Copies of the detailed reports are available to members for examination, by calling at the associations office.
 Three is no absolute standard of what a police department should cost. The most practicable methods seemed to be to compare Waterbury's costs with those of all cities in the United States of from 100000 to 1O5 900 inhabitants. From this it was found that the average for all cit ies in this population range, ot which there are thirteen, shows the average cost per capita for police protection of $3.25. Waterburys per capita cost is $500. The thirteen clt- ies have an average oI LA police department employees per 1000 pop ulation, as against 1.95 employees 10, | Waterbury. Comparisons of Water bury with the average of all cities nl the United States with populations of over 10000 and with the average of the population groups of 100,00C to 20O,0UO and 30,0O0 to 100000 re- spectively, also show Waterbury to be considerably above the average. ] A comparison of the Fire Depart ment shows for all cities in Water bury's population class an average per capita cost of $3.84, compared to Waterpury's $5.63, and an aver age of 1.47 employees per 1000 popu- lation, compared to Waterbury, $ 1.99. Comparisons of Waterpury's Fire Department wi.h the average for all United States cities over 1O,- 900 in population and with the aver ages ot the population groups of lOO, 900 to 200,O0U and 3O,OUO to l0O,- UOO respectively, also show Water bury to be considerably above the average.
 In the case of the Fire Depart ment, there is an excellent yard stick" in the requirements ot the National Board Of Fire Underwrit- CTS, the body which grades cities for fire insurance purposes. These are the men who risk Lneir own money in insurance and presumably do not unders.ate the need for fire protection. The National Board of rnre Underwriters recommends that there be 8 Fire Chief, Deputy Chief, and a sufficient number ot company officers to have one on duty at all times with each engine company and ladder company. The minimum company requirements within or near nigh value districts are that there be 6 men on duty ouring the daytime and 8 men dur ng the nighttime for each engine company, and that there be men on duty during the daytime and g men during the nighttime for each ladder company. For other than high value districts, the require ments are that there be men on duty during the daytime and 6 men during the nighttime for each en- zine company, and men during the daytime and 2 men during the night-time for each ladder com pany.
 It is further recommended by that Board that there be an engine company within three-fourtns ot a mile and e ladder company with in one mile of mercantile or manu- facturing districts; that there be an englne company within one and one-half miles and a ladder com pany within two miles of closely ouilt residential districts: and that there be one engine company with m three miles and Q ladder com- pany within three miles of scatter ed residential districts. Based upon these standards, Waterbury's Fire Department Is over-manned and a greater number of fire stations are operated than are necessary.
 The Fire Departments request for i041 provided for an increase of i5 men ta an additional cost of about ] tS0.00O00. The Taxpayers Associa-