Minutes 02/09/1943 - Laserfiche WebLink

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February 9th, 19~3. is a~ instructor in our local Police School to better t~in our personnel. In addition, the City opeaed its first Police school for two weeks of eight hours per day and had outstanding instructors for this training. We are also~ training fifteen new officers, two nights per. week in t he Woodrow Wilson High School. The City Government has Ken fortunate in securing assistance the Naval Shore Patrol and at the present time, there-are stationed here some twelve to eight~ een men under the Na-my Department. I cannot express my ~opreelation too emphatically for this splendid assistance and witt~out doubt it ~e~lected back i n the behavior of the service men on our streets, in restaurants and other places. It is exuected that adequate quarters wil~ be provided to station forty men perm&nently on this side of the'Elizabeth River, which no doubt is a great help to us. The City has purchased fifty four special Colt revolvers in order that we may have sufficient ammunition in time of need. These will be inventoried and turned over to ti~e Police Department. You have also appropriated funds for a new camera and enlarger to be used in the Identification Bureau for taking plctures~at crime scenes and allowing our De- partment better methods to ~rase and reduce crime in the City. The City purchased two squad cars and is using one of the old ones with the Vice Squad created to combat crime in the City; purchased three additional mo~orcy - cles a~d equiooed all eight with radios. ~e have added apollos woman to our force, who has done a splend~ Job in keeping young women off our streets an~ prostitution to a minimum. It is believed that the improgem~nts made in 1942 to combat crime will assist in making Portsmouth a better and safer place in-which to live. It is hoped and olanned that when the Shore Patrol headquarters are completed, that adequate space will be p~ovided for the Police to ~ave a recreational cen- ter to await their calls to du~y and provide pleasant and attractive surroundings for the of - ficers. TheOi~y of Portsmouth is most grateful for the splendid spirit ef the Norfolk Police Department in assisting us in deterring crime and also t heir co-operative spirit in allowing the City of Portsmouth to use t~eir radio broadcasting equipment, which is tied in with our~receiver. WATER DER.~ARTNENT The Water Department, during the year, received the impact of users and service, which they have met ~ith a spirit of co-operation and efficiency. The most notable achievement has been ~he two improvements to the Water Department - first by increas- ing laying of mains and second by the approval Of the new filtration plant, reservoir and wa- ter lines, which amounted to some $935,OO0., of which the City will defray approximately $200,OO0, This gives us an adequate Water Department to meet the needs of our community for at least twenty five years and provides adequate facilities for the pumping, reservoirs and main- tenance of our water needs. ~ The City has installed, during the year, 32,9~? feet of 2" oipe, 26,b3~ feet of 6" Dice ~and 30$2 feet of 8" pipe, a total of 62,623 feet of pipe and fort~-nine hydrants. This averages about one mile of pipe per month, which is irfeed a good record. The increased cost of alum, l~oor and salary increases have made the water costs increase considerably, and this has not reflected in any increased cost to the consumer, which has remained s~atio during all of these increases, during the past two years. The cost of chemicals alone last year was $19,5OO., $~5OO. in excess of the past year. The Water Department placed 1258 meters, made 137? taps~ changed 17~5 meters, replaced 2~1, moved 20? and repaired lY93. On the subject of~e~oanxion, I would call your attention to the f~ct~that 25,7?o feet of 2" main, 5,yOO fesZ o~ 6" main and two fire ~vdrants w ere installed at the expense of~the consumers and became the property of the Water Department when accepted by us. This is, of course, included in the total numDer of feet of pipe installed by the Water Department. FIRE DEPARTMENT The following new services were rendered by the Fire Deoartment_ during the year; Fire projection was assures and made available to all government projects bordering on the ~ity limits. Arrangements were made with_Richardson &Eoster~for a 25 hour ambu- lance service if ~he Fire Department should need it in case of emergency, and in addition, stretchers have been constructed and placed on the fire apparatus in case of an emergency. The persohnel of the Fire Departmen~ has appeared before various organizations and grouos and demonstrated the proper method of extinguishing incendiary bombs as well as the public demonstration given in ~he City Stadium on the proper method of fire con- trol. There was constructed a miniature house and the members of the Fire Department were able to bring forcibly to the attention of its citizens the dangers of fire i n a po~y kept house. During the year, it was neoessary to increase the Department by four men. The Fire Department now has a roster of forty six men, including the Chief, and master mechanic, which we~believe gives better service to the City. It is of interest to noze that the Colony Theatre fire was the only major fire during the year and the City has indeed been fortunate in this respect. Ther~ has been a constant cheek on the buildings in t~e Oity to prevent fires and particular.attenti~ has.been directed to apartment houses, hotels and public gathering places. Our Department fouh~ numerous violators and in four instances, owners were compelled to install fire esc~oes. It is not our intention to work any hardship upon anyone in commu~it~,~bu.siness or otherwise; however, we are not going to hazard the health or lives of our citizens'wherea few do!late are concerned. Du~ing the ~irst week of October, there was a fire prevention pro-I gram and members~of the Fire Depart~ment were delegated to various schools-in the City to im - press upon the students the necessity of carefulness. ~ne Fire Department has four auxiliary pumping units of 500 gallon