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By A. Thornton Bishop, Chairman, Planning BoardThe Sunday Sun, April 28, 1946 |
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PART VI
Police Department Grew From Two Man Force
The Police Department, handicapped temporarily by lack of personnel and motor equipment because of wartime conditions, continues to merit a wide reputation for the suppression of crime and the apprehension of violators of the law. A recent article which appeared in the Saturday Evening Post furnished ample evidence of the Department's high standing, in spite of an inaccuracy in statistics. Cornelius F. Harte, a well-trained law officer, serves as the Chief.
When the Teaneck Police Force was organized in 1914, it supplanted the efforts of two constables in the maintenance of law and order. The department did not increase substantially in number of its personnel for the next 110 years, a Chief and three patrolmen comprising the force until 1924 when three more patrolmen were added. Five more were appointed in 1926, and by 1927 the Police Department was staffed by a Chief, a Captain, 2 Lieutenants, three Sergeants, and 12 patrolmen. Between 1924 and 1932, the few scattered call boxes were increased to 38.
As Teaneck grew, motor cars replaced motorcycles, and in 1930 a Detective Bureau was instituted. Modernization of the Department under the Town Manager included a Fingerprint Bureau, a Bureau of Records, and a Safety Bureau. A photographer records all accidents, and films many Township affairs for future reference.
Equipment includes patrol cars, and two service trucks, one for the Dog Warden, the other for the Safety Bureau. This latter truck, furnished with sound amplifier, has assumed the 20th century functions of the old Town Crier. Throughout the period of the recent war, it announced collections of salvage, Bond drives, and other items of information directed to the citizens, and proved its exceptional usefulness when the water main of the Hackensack Water Company broke, threatening incalculable damage to unsuspecting home owners. Broadcasting the extent of the danger together with professional advice averted wide spread damage.
The Department operates a three-way radio system--car to car, car to Headquarters, and Headquarters to cars. This system, which functions in connection with fire alarms, has been in operation for about eight years.
The Township has received considerable notice by playing host to contesting Police Departments in the Teaneck Pistol Tournaments sponsored by the New York Mirror. The pistol range, consisting originally of twelve targets, was built by members of the force on their own time. It now has forty targets, and is one of the largest ranges in this part of the country. In 1944 it attracted 2,498 contestants to the International Police Pistol Tournament.
Department of Public Works
The service of the Department of Public Works falls more naturally under the attention of the public. Two motorized street sweepers, passing up and down 80 miles of Township thoroughfares, keep the streets uniformly clean. Department records show that each sweeper averages eighteen curb miles each day of operation, dampening the pavement, gathering dust and refuse, and carrying its load to a designated point where its contents are transferred to a Department truck which carts the refuse away. In the Winter twelve snow plows start out after each snow storm, and the main highways are usually clear within the first few hours. Advance information received from the Newark Airport Weather Bureau makes possible the organizing of man power and the preparation of equipment to meet the impending emergency.
The Township sewage system consists of a 100-mile network of sanitary and storm sewers, four disposal plants, and three pumping stations. The sanitary sewage, an average of 2,500,000 gallons per day, either flows directly or is pumped to the plants where the processes of separation, digestion, drying, and final disposal of the bulk material takes place. A brief explanation of these processes is given in the section concerning Teaneck's Postwar Plans.
Shade Tree Department
The Shade Tree Department, established in 1936, is primarily responsible for the planting, trimming and removal of trees on the Township's streets. It also does much work in the clearing, planting and trimming of trees in Teaneck's parks. For several years a program for the planting of trees along streets as selected by the Shade Tree Advisory Board has been carried out. Since the Department was created, 4,221 trees have been planted and 1,391 have been removed. Those removed were undesirable types, injured by storm or accident, or decayed. The Township now has about 14,000 shade trees lining its thoroughfares.
The personnel of the Department of Public Works is inter-changeable. After snow storms all of the other work is suspended and the entire available manpower is centered on opening the streets to traffic. The permanent force was formerly supplemented by part-time workers, but because of manpower shortages during the past few years the Department has operated under difficulty.
The Public Library
The genesis of the Teaneck Public Library can be traced to the circulation of a small group of books from the home of Mrs. Archibald N. Jordan. Later, fifteen public spirited women formed the "Library Association", and procured a temporary loan to purchase the old Slone cabin, which was located on the corner of Teaneck Road and Bedford Avenue. The building was purchased from John Sitzman for $2,000, and was later sold for $15,000. With this money, and $5,000 voted by the Township Committee, a building was erected adjoining the Town Hall. This brick structure later became the center section of the present library which was built in 1936. The cost of the new additions was $66,000 of which $22,000 was a Federal grant.
The Free Public Library of Teaneck was organized under municipal control on March 8, 1927 and the little building with its classic portico was dedicated in November of that year with 650 books on its shelves. By 1935, 15,000 volumes were available which supplied a circulation of 103,000.
The book stock at the Main Library on December 31, 1944 included 29,741 volumes. In addition, 4,500 children's books are distributed in the seven elementary school libraries, which are conducted under the direction of the Library Board. Consistent with the educational trends, it has been the practice of members of the library staff to devote part of its spare time assisting other organizations including the Girl Scouts, Parent-Teacher groups, and civic clubs, speaking at meetings, and answering a myriad of questions on a wide range of subjects.
The standard of the American Library Association for communities the size of Teaneck is a book stock of two volumes per capita population. At present the Teaneck Library has slightly more than one volume per resident. According to the 1940 Federal Census, Teaneck's Library shows the smallest book stock among the libraries of Camden, Irvington, Kearny, Hackensack, Linden and Englewood, though its circulation exceeded that of every city named. Survey in 1943 and 1944 show the situation unchanged. The need and desire for increased library service is clearly indicated in these figures.
Department of Health
The Department of Health deals only with matters which constitute a public nuisance. When complaints are received regarding conditions which affect only certain individuals and not the health of the public at large, the Department cannot legally deal with them. Its work falls into three classifications: Maternal and Child Health; Sanitation, Foods and Communicable Diseases; and Vital Statistics.
Pre-natal and post-natal care is offered at three weekly Child Hygiene stations. Free injections of smallpox and whooping cough vaccine are obtainable, diphtheria toxoid and Schick testing are conducted, and the Department keeps a constant check on tuberculosis cases. Inspections ate made of all food vending establishments, beauty parlors and barber shops, and certificates of approval are issued to all such places of business as are maintained according to accepted standards. Investigations are made of all complaints relative to public health problems; garbage collection is supervised; and licenses are issued to all trades people dealing In commodities which bear upon the public health.
The personnel of the Department at present consists of the Director of Health, who is acting as Health Officer, the Child Hygiene Nurse and a Clerk. This small staff is supplemented by a group of volunteer workers operating the Volunteer Ambulance Corps. For several years this group has given valuable service to the sick and injured whenever and wherever an ambulance was needed. Support for this service is derived entirely from voluntary contributions and voluntary payments for service rendered. The ambulance is stationed on the grounds of the Municipal Building, and is available twenty-four hours a day.
