Evening star., 1948-06-25
New Police Data
System toGoin
Effect Shortly
Mechanical Counts
On Crime and Traffic
To Be Provided


Police Department, providing a
complete day-by-day picture of the
city's crime and recording all traf-
fic data mechanically, will 60 into
full gear next month.
1t. Earl P. Hartman, who heads
the departments statistical office,
said today the new traffic setup will
make possible fast mechanical
counts for use as guides in promot-
ing traffic safety.
The revised system of recording
traffic accidents goes into erect
July l.
The departments revised crime
reporting setup was ordered last
February /. 1t. Hartman estimated
that it will be current by July 15.
At that time, he said, he will be
able to give a daily summary OF
crime within 48 hours OF its oc-
currence.
Core Of the System.
Core of the system is the punch
card equipment. A variety OF in
formation is coded from police re-
norts. the code is translated in terms
of holes in the punch cards and
electric equipment automatically ar
ranges and counts the cards for the
required statistics.
On nontraffic information, LII.
Hartman said the main dlf1erence
between the new and the old system
Is IN the extent of the information
n,1nched on the cards. For instance,
he said. As columns of information
could be punched on the old cards
The new cards carry 80 columns.
Among the new items are the
number of offenders involved in
crime, the hour of day it occurred,
the method used. property stolen
and recovered, whether or not 1t
was insured, whether the report was
false and how the case was closed.
3s Methods of Crime.
The new code from which the
cards are punched lists 38 different
methods of committing crime from
ambush to yoking.
There are Al different types OF
weapons coded from the familiar
blunt instrument" to water glass.
The code of stolen property carries
81 possibilities from opera glasses
to motor scooter.
On the traffic cards, 1t. Hartman
said the information now Will be
20 detailed that an expert will be
able to get a story like this one just
from looking at the holes on the
card:
"A 1914 truck operated by white
man. 25 years old, with odor of al
cohol on his breath, while driving
north on Fifteenth street NV. while
In front of (eXact address, colllded
with a l947 sedan operated by a
woman. pulling out from the curb.
The sedan turned over and operator
and occupant were seriously in
iured. They were taken to the
hospital in an ambulance and the
operator was arrested and charged"
The condition of the road, wheth-
er it was raining, whether 1t was
light, dusk or dark when the accl-
dent occurred, whether the drivers
vision was obstructed and a variety
of other information also shows up
on the cards, 1t Hartman said.
The department explained that
the statistical data Is used for re-
ports to the Commissioners, the
FBT and the Washington Criminal
Justice Association.
In police administration, 1t was
explained, properly prepared and
analyzed statistics play an lmpor-
tant part because they reveal the
frequency, kind and place of oc-
currence of crime. On that basis,
they are used to rearrange the as
signment of policemen to cover
trouble spots, to train recruits IN
what they can expect and to assist
in crime detection.
All Mechanical.
1t. Hartman said the main dif-
ferences between the new and old
traffic recording systems was the
fact that the new system is me-
chanical and the old system re-
nuired tabulations by hand.
The new traffic system based on
standards established by the Ma
t1onal Safety Council may result in
recommendations for placement or
removal of special types of traffic
controls or for rerouting of traffic
during certain hours.
To get the new system in opera
ton, the department ANNOUNCED,
boys from the National Training
School punched $4,000 cards carry
ing their stories of complaints, Of
fenses and arrests. AS of today, 1t
Hartman said. the record of arrests
on the punch cards is II days be-
hind.