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Watertown Police Department
Watertown Police
1934
Department Report for 1934
Watertown Tribune, 01 04 1935
GIVEN AT COUNCIL MEETING LAST NITE
General Efficiency of Force Commended; Pension Fund Up
One of the most important annual reports offered to the city council, in session last night, was that of the local police department.
Under the able administration of Chief Albert Quest the department has functioned smoothly and kept crime at a minimum within the confines of the city. Four quarterly reports are turned in to the city council covering the police activities and moneys collected by the police within this period of time. Each quarterly report covers three months of the calendar year. A full tabulation of all arrests made during 1934 is to be found elsewhere in this issue.
Pension Fund Swelled
Money collected by the police department for fees from attorneys for summons services, remittances turned over by police justices representing officers' witness fees, money received from merchants for turning on and off lights in merchantile establishments, and moneys collected from delinquent dog taxes are turned in to the city treasurer who places them in the officers' pension fund. It is the duty of each and every officer to turn over such funds as he may acquire in the line of duty to this fund. For the past year a total of $719.17 was collected for the above mentioned services.
An additional source of revenue for the police pension fund is to be found in the money collected by the local courts for fines. Contrary to public opinion this money does not pass through the hands of the police department but is turned in to the city treasurer directly from the courts. One half, or 50 per cent, of this money is also applied to the police pension fund, the remainder going into the city coffers.
In the course of the year a total of $852.67 was turned in to the local police pension fund. This was obtained as follows: $133.50 came from the city treasurer's office as the share due the police fund from $270.00 collected by local justices in the shape of fines. The remainder, $719.17, was collected by the department in the line of duty as mentioned above, $234.84 in the first quarter, $142.98 in the second, $126.46 in the third, and $214.89 in the fourth quarter.
Average Ten Arrests per Month
An average of ten arrests per month was made by the local department in the course of the year. During the first quarter, covering January, February, and March, 28 arrests were made; during the second quarter 36; during the third 27; and during the last quarter an even 30. The total number of arrests for the entire year of 1934 came to 121.
Common drunks headed the list as the most frequent violators with a total of 23 arrests being made during the year, 16 of which came during the first quarter, 6 in the third, and one in the fourth. Next in line were twenty arrests made on drunk and disorderly charges, 5 of these during the first, 9 during the second, 2 during the third, and four during the fourth quarter. A minor crime wave resulting in nine burglary arrests was nipped in the bud by alert officials. Eight convictions for reckless driving were obtained in the course of the year. Arrests for driving an auto while intoxicated were made only seven times during 1934. From here on down the list we find few recurrences of individual crimes. Fifty four arrests were made covering a range of 22 violations while within the first five groups of violators a total of 67 arrests were made.
Department Duties Outlined
The local department consists of Chief Quest and eight officers. The daytime detail consists of Sergeant Zimmerman, in charge, and Officer Weiss. Sergeant Zimmerman works the early motor detail from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. while Officer Weiss cornea on at 12 noon and works the motor detail until 11 p.m. Their duties consist of a city-wide patrol and the preservation of order generally.
The night detail is in charge of Capt. Grossest, night chief, and Sergeant Doerr, in charge of the night street patrol. Capt. Grossert's hours are from 6 p.m. to 4 a.m., while Sergeant Doerr cornea on at 9 p.m. and is off again at 7 a.m. The two men interchange duties, working alternately at the desk and on the streets as supervisors of the night patrol.
The night patrol consists of the following four officers, Glaser, Novotny, Viogt, and Brier. The early detail is on from 6 p.m. until 4 a.m. while the second detail is on from 9 p.m. until 7 a.m. Detail assignments are alternated every two weeks. During the period from 9 p.m. until 4 a.m. a force of six men is guarding the confines of the city.
A patrol car has been furnished the department to facilitate its work. It is used by both the daytime and the night shifts as required.
The general alertness and efficiency of the entire department is to be commended as it is a direct result of their unceasing vigilance that has made the city as free from serious crime as it is today.
History of Watertown, Wisconsin