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96 WINNETKA TALK March 3, 1928 Winnetka Police Department Rates High in Efficiency A great majority of residents of the village have very little accurate knowledge of what the village govern- ment does, and what services it per- forms. Many of our residents have moved out to Winnetka comparative- ly recently, and are, to a large extent, unacquainted with the village govern- ment. It is our belief that the people of the community will be interested in knowing more of the details of the village activities. With this thought in mind, we have prepared a series of articles on the work of the different departments of the village govern- ment, and with the co-operation of the WINNETKA TALK, expect to publish them from time to time. It is our hope they will prove interesting and serve to stimulate interest in village affairs. The articles will cover the subject of police, fire protection, mun- icipal water and light plant, health de- partment, public works department and other matters. --Henry F. Tenney, president. OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT (by Henry F. Tenney, Village President) Why does the Village Council con- sider it of great importance to main- tain an adequately equipped police de- partment in Winnetka? What does it cost to operate this department an- nually and what service and protec- tion does the Village receive as a re- sult? What are the problems en- countered by the police in protecting the Village and how successful have they been in handling this responsi- bility ? These questions naturally occur from time to time in the minds of many citizens and the answers should be easily available to anyone interested. Winnetka is located close to the sec- ond largest city in the country, where crime conditions are so serious as to give great concern to all law enforce- ment agencies. With such conditions at our very doors, unusual precautions must be taken if we are to divert the criminal element from our midst. This problem is one which is not faced to such a large extent by similar com- munities located farther away from large centers of population. In addi- tion, the unusual increase in motor vehicle traffic in recent years presents another serious problem of control, in order that our streets may be reason- ably safe for the use of ourselves and our families. Operating Cost $45,000 Because of these conditions, the Vil- lage council has considered it impera- tive that an adequate amount be ap- propriated to provide an efficient and well organized police department and that this department be directly under the supervision of the Village Presi- dent and a committee of the Council. The annual cost of operating the Win- netka police department is now aboat $45,000, or approximately $4.50 per capita. This amount is low considering the proximity of Winnetka to Chi- cago. The average cost per capita for all United States cities is nearly $4 and for the larger cities, around $5 per capita. That conditions have radically changed in the last fifteen years is more easily realized when we know that in 1913, when the population of the village was around 4,000 people, it was possible to adequately protect the community with a department consist- ing of only four officers, at a total annual cost of less than $5,000. Now Have 16 Men The police department at present consists of a chief of police, three sergeants of police, two motorcycle officers, eight regular patrolmen, one special patrolman and one police woman, making sixteen officers in all. The department has adequate and well-equipped headquarters, located in the new Village hall on Center street, between Elm and Oak streets. The office of the chief of police is here, a desk sergeant is on duty at all hours of the day and night and garage facili- ties for the motor equipment of the department are provided here. The department is equipped with three patrol automobiles and three motorcycles. The village is patrolled at night after 5 o'clock by three squads of two men each, in automo- biles, covering every part of the vil- lage, for the purpose of preventing law violations such as burglaries and assaults. It has been found that the use of these automobile patrols is a very effective method of discouraging the criminal element from appearing in Winnetka. * Effective Night Vigil In addition to the automobile squads, three officers on foot patrol the business districts and Sheridan road section at night, watching particularly railroad sta- tions and other points where criminals may be apprehended or where trouble may occur. From the foregoing, it will be seen that great stress is laid on night protection, and while these police oper- ations at night are not spectacular and escape the casual observation of many of our citizens, they are most effective in preventing serious crimes which other- wise would unquestionably occur. In addition to the protection given to the village at night, two officers are on duty during school hours for the pur- pose of safeguarding important street crossings where school children are en- dangered by traffic, and during the sum- mer months, these officers protect cross- ings at the bathing beaches and patrol the village for the regulation of motor vehicle trafic. ~ Have Emergency Signal Inasmuch as the greatest hazard in a suburban residential community is at night, the devartment is equipped with a high power rotating search light signal cn top of the Iredale building on Center street, controlled from the police station, which signal is most effective in trans- mitting emergency calls to officers patrol- ling the village at night. As soon as this signal is seen revolving in the sky, all officers report immediately to outdoor police telephone stations located at twelve points about the village, and call police headquarters for orders. It has been found that the entire department can be mobilized in less than three minutes by this system of signals, and can be quick- ly concentrated in any portion of the village where emergency police assistance is required. Police headquarters are also provided with a teletype machine, connected with the Evanston and Chicago Police de- partments by = special leased telephone wires, by means of which information relative to criminals, burglaries, stolen cars and other matters can be broad- cast on short notice and with immediate results. The police department is organized in accordance with definite and detailed rules and regulations, and is headed by an experienced chief of police, W. 4 Peterson, who has been in the service of the village for fifteen years. The work of the department is closely super- vised by the Police committee of the Village council and by the village presi- dent, to whom this responsibility is dele- gated by the charter of the village. The village manager acts in an advisory ca- pacity and handles the details of all busi- ness transactions relating to the operation of the department. In accordance with best modern practice, the employment and advancement of police officers is handled systematically and under rigid requirements as to character and ability. For instance, in the appointment of ser- geants, competitive examinations are held, involving knowledge of police pro- cedure, legal powers and duties as well as general judgment and experience. New Target Range In order that police officers may be trained in the use of firearms, in readi- ness for real emergencies, a well equipped target range has been provided at the village service yard on Center street, where police officers are constantly practicing to improve their rating. At police headquarters, detailed records of the activities of the department, as well as of motor vehicle registrations, licenses and other police matters are kept systematically and form the basis of monthly written reports made by the department to the village council. A bureau of identification has recently been established which provides for finger print photographs of prisoners and a regular filing system in co-operation with the Chicago Bureau of Identification. An important activity of the Police department is the watching of houses which are unoccupied at night, as these households are usually the ones most likely to be burglarized. Whenever the police, in their patrols, see a house which is not lighted, that house receives special attention. All doors are tried to make certain that it has been securely locked. If found unlocked, a courteous note is left for the attention of the owner upon his return, suggesting greater care in the future. In addition, the department is glad to give special care to any house which is to be unoccupied, either for a single night or for any length of time, provided notice is left in advance at the police station. Need Co-operation Another important and better known activity of the police department is the regulation of traffic and the enforcement of motor vehicle regulations established by village ordinance or by state statute. Probably in no other phase of police work is there a greater need of co- operation on the part of every citizen and for greater diplomacy and judgment on the part of police officers. Believing that most violations of traffic regulations, at least as far as minor violations go, are due to unintentional negligence or to lack of knowledge, the police -depart- ment has adopted a system of tag noti- fications which are attached to auto- mobiles found to have been operated in violation of parking regulations, rules regarding the display of lights or other requirements. These tags carry a courte- ous request that the offender call at police headquarters to explain the cir- cumstances of the violation, and only in case of neglect to comply with this request and in case of repeated violations, as reported by the police department, is an arrest made. With reference to speed- ing, the department is necessarily less patient, and is making a sincere effort 10 secure compliance with reasonable speed requirements, as far as may be possible with the limited number of officers available. As a result of all of the foregoing ac- tivities, conditions in Winnetka, with particiular regard to serious crimes, are most satisfactory and should be a source of great comfort to our citizens. For in- stance, during the fiscal year ending March 31, 1927, there were only six bur- glaries in the village, only one of which involved a residence, and all of these burglaries were minor in character as shown by the fact that the total amount lost was $500.50. Give Year's Report The last annual report of the chief of police shows that during the year three automobiles were stolen, all of which were recovered, and nine addi- tional cars stolen elsewhere were re- turned to their owners. The following additional activities of the department are shown by the annual report and they give some idea of the amount and variety of work handled by the police: Arrests for Felonies .......... 34 Arrests for Misdemeanors ...... 82 Arrests for Traffic Violations 335 Automobile Accidents ........ . 145 Other Accidents ........ season 12 Buildings Found Open ........ 290 Lost Children Restored ....... 17 Vacant Houses Watched ...... 311 Street Lights Reported Out .... 979 Station Complaints Handled and Adjusted... A Ue 0 0.7043 Miscellaneous Cases Handled 2,026 It is hoped that the foregoing discus- sion of the organization and activities of the police department will serve to show the necessity of a well organized and equipped police organization in Winnetka and justify the expenditure of the amount which the council has considered it im- perative to appropriate for the protection of the community. Hold Village Caucus Here Monday Evening (Continued from page 1) the village has so long enjoyed, and for the almost complete absence of partisan and political activity in the choice of candidates. A general invitation to attend is ex- tended to all Winnetka residents who are interested in maintaining the high standards which have heretofore pre- vailed in the village, both in the per- sonnel of its offiers and in the general policies of the caucus platform which have been followed in the administra- tion of its affairs. All such citizens are urged to attend this meeting. Those who are not familiar with the activities of the caucus will be inter- ested in the following statement of ideals and purposes which represent the platform upon which candidates for office were elected last year. This platform will be submitted for adop- tion in substantially the again next Monday night. i. Quanjications of Candidates. The caucus aims to insure able, efficient and honest administration of the village affairs by securing candidates not only of unquestioned honesty, but of such proved ability in their own business affairs and other matters as to justify placing the village problems in their nands. In carrying out this policy the caucus has avoided office-seekers and has iet the office seek the man. With few, if any, exceptions the candidates put for- ward by the caucus have consented to act and have given their time at con- siderable personal sacrifice from a sense of civic duty and in response to the per- suasions of the nominating committee. 2. Discouragement of Unnecessary Parties. The caucus aims to discourage artificial and unnecessary divisions into more than one party where there are no fundamental differences in policy. Per- manent party alignments along national or state party lines, or otherwise, are not needed in village affairs. They only tend to confuse the local issues, divide and weaken the forces of good government and build up self-interested organizations of office-seekers. 3. Municipal Water and Light Prop- erties. The caucus has stood, and stands unequivocally for and pledges its candi- dates to the municipal ownership, oper- ation, retention and enlargement if neces- sary of the village water and light prop- erties. We point to these operations with justifiable pride as indicating what may be done with a long continued efficient and non-political administration. Want Track Depression 4. Track wepresston. 'tne caucus has stood, and stands 1or and pledges its candidates to work for grade separation and track depression or our railroads. The frequent killing of our citizens and increasing number of high-speed trains make this one of our most important and pressing problems. Much work has been done on this matter by our present offi- cials and we congratulate them on the progress made. Both railroads have been committed to track depression in princi- ple. 5. Referendums on Franchises. Our candidates are pledged to grant no ifrancnise to railroaas or other public utilities without first submitting the mat- ter to a referendum vote of tne citizens. 6. Preservation of Residential and Community lueul. his caucus stands unequivocally ror and pieages its candi- dates to the preservauon orf tne Resi- dential and Community Ideal for our village. By this we mean tne preserva- 101, 30 lair as coutroiiable, or all those desirable features of our community life wuiicl liave brought most or our citizens here and have caused some who have surveyed tue supburpan hre of America to call it the ideal suburb. The great ina- jority or our citizens come here to es- cape the bigness of the city and give their families tne benefit of a more open and healthrul country life and the more healthful interests which can only exist in comparatively small and homogeneous communities. The residential ideal should prevail and necessary commercial devel- opment should be in keeping with this weal. This caucus stands for the care- fully studied Village Plan, for enforce- ment of the Zoning Law, for discourage- ment of commercial and industrial devel- opments, beyond the needs of a residen- tial community and exclusion, as far as possible, of apartments and hotels. In particular, it opposes any exploitation of the low lands to the west of the village. Undue and forced expansion into na- turally undesirable lands, bringing large increases of population of a different character and perhaps new commercial and industrial centers and activities, means direct and rapid retrogression to- ward the confused city life, and will be even more destructive of our present homogeneous community life than apart- ment development. Such development, aside from all other considerations, can only result in expense to our present citizens for unnecessary drainage assess- ments and increased tax burdens. 7. Endorsement of Village Administra- tion. This caucus endorses the present village administration. Mr. and Mrs. Arthur F. Marquette and Mrs. Marquette's sister, Miss Margaret Gallagher of Winnetka, have same form just returned from a trip to New York. I Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Moore, 667 Garland avenue, returned last week from a trip to Panama, Cuba, and the Spanish Honduras. They have many interesting experiences to tell their friends. Winnetka Lodge No. 1078 and Win- netka Chapter No. 942, O. E. S., desire to thank those who so generously gave candy to be sold at the Egyptian Follies entertainment, and also those who donated money.