Chicago Police Department Facts and historical data online

extensively at the National Conventions
in 1952, for point to point communica-
tion on intersectional control. Another
innovation put in service at this time
was the two-way car to car communication,
used in handling large groups of people.

On June 9, 1952, a point to point
radio telephone system was instituted,
permitting contact with nearby suburban,
county and state police.

During the year 1954, Women Cros-
sing Guards were assigned to replace
pol ice off icers at school crossings, thus
releasing men for other duties. Radar
was used for the first time to aid in
traffic control and in making surveys of
high accident locations.

Commanding Officer and Juvenile
Officer Seminars have been held and many
of the outstanding educators in the
country took part in this instructional
Program.

An efficient police Department is
dependent on a well balanced training
program for its personnel. To this end
The Police Training Division had made
extensive use of modern audio-visual
training for recruits and in-training
for personnel. In addition to audio-
visual material brought in from other



19



sources, training films are being made
by members of the Department. These
training films are being made of all
activities in the Department and are
used to acquaint men with actual traffic
and crime problems in the city.

In the early part of 1956, the
Traffic Division began the transfer of
administrative personnel and equipment
from Navy Pier to new quarters at 320 N.
Clark Street. The building at this new
location has been completely renovated
and is occupied in part by the Traffic
Branch of the Municipal Court.

The first official Public Relations
Director in the history of the Chicago
Police Department was appointed June |8t
1956. This newly created post was es-
tablished to aid in keeping the Chicago
citizenry informed about Chicago Police
Department operations and services.

Another first in this "Historical
Revue" of Chicago Police Department
history occurred on June 28, 1956, when
Policewomen were designated a uniform
to be worn in the performance of their
duties.

The present population of the City
of Chicago is an estimated 1^,000, 000 per-
sons, spread out over an area of 213.6
square miles. To illustrate the tremen-
dous volume of work handled by the Chicago
Police Department, the following figures
are taken from the |955 Annual Report:

1,088,657 photos and 2,050,558
fingerprints now on file in the Bureau
of Identification. There were 912,505
motor vehicl es regi stered in ChicagoWith
91,152 reported accidents. The efficien-
cy of the Traffic Program is evident in
the 339 traffic deaths as compared to



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the 986 in 193^. 1,085,358 calls were
received by the Central Complaint Room
and there were 694, 416 broadcasts. There
were 198,012 arrests made by members of
the Department and recorded in the Records
and Communications Section. Not all work
done by the Chicago Police Department is
crime and traffic. In 1955, 86,»m0 des-
titute, homeless, lost, sick, injured
and feeble persons were aided by the
police. From the days of the first horse
drawn patrol wagon in 1881 > the Depart-
ment has grown to a motorized force com-
prising 961 vehicles.

The Chicago Police Department re-
ceived the 1954 National Safety Council's
Traffic Award, pi acing f i rst among cl ties
having more than 1,000,000 population.

This is the story of the Chicago
Police Department. Its inspirational and
progressive history could not have been
written without men who served with dig-
nity and devotion. The stars of many of
these men are encased in the Commission-
er's Office, preserved in memory, for
they gave their lives in the service of
the Department and the citizens of our
gfeat ci ty.



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Material for "Facts" and Historical Data
by Patrolman Raymond Jemiola, under the
direction of Lt. Edward C. Erickson,
Director, Records & Communications Sec.

For reprint permission, write

Commissioner of Police
Timothy J. O'Connor
Room 505 City Hall
121 N. La Salle St.
Chicago 2, 111 inois

August 17, 1956



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FACTS AND HISTORICAL OATA CHICAGO



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