The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1843-01-17

Il
Croton Aqueduct Committee, petition Of Peter Quinn
Tor for excavang quich sandsn Broadway
OF Committee Finance in relation to petition Of Mo.
chanics Bank Committee asked be dischargedso or
dered. VI committee on Wharves, Piers and slips, on
petition of A. O. Alderman for for loss
| horse-Not allowed. or Commit e on Police Watch and
in 1880 Committee discharged. OF same committee on
petition of several steamboat captains Deputy Hack
the ls Cd and 81 Wards attend the landings Of the
steamboats, to do the duties required on the ground that
the Hack Inspectors have no power to remedy the evils
| alluded to. Report laid or the table.
OfCommittee on Police, Watch and Prisons, relative to
the public printing They say in their report that the
Corporation has be en- in the habit of paying enormously
high for all their printng-more than double what is fair
and equitable The report recommended that the heads
be drecedto send all orders for printing to
the Comptroller who employ the Corporation printer
do the work. unless he shall be able to get done by
In the course Of discussion on this subject Alderman
WATERMAN paid very handsome compliment to printers
any other set Of men, in Of the great compete
| ton among them In republican form Of government
Of knowledge is of the highest importance that the
partment oil printing SHOULD re encouraged and receive
adequate support We indebted to them for almost all
our knowledge and they deserve support; and more
honorable set of men certainly cannot he found The re-
solution of the Committee Police, Watch and Prisons
form This was Mr.. whitings report. independent
reports: 1t was ordered to be printed.
~. 81. MR.. WHirIsos REroRr on PoLIcE REFORM
|
Cifyo New York:
| GENTLEMEN
Robert Taylor and myself to your Board
whether any and if what improvement in the police
ofhe citizens and the probable increase Of
if attendant upon such improvement has been
The resolution seems to call for joint answer from
| Justice Taylor and myself As we have mstured
ly held informal conversations the subject and to put
down unjust suspicious that may and with some to
exist that we have Interior and sinister ends in view,
have concluded answer separately Whatever there
fore, may be here said stand alone accountable for
intend to speak plainly and hope offence OF exception
will be taken to the manner in which shall treat the sub
ject-nohng shall set down "in malice" but many
things extenu tie" To the must be probed
to the bottom, otherwise the suitable remedies be
applied. There at present system of police. 1t s
true we have Special justices for preserving the peace
"poce oicers'-" constables'-" marshas and watch
men," They hold their offices for different periods, and
are amenable for neglectos duty misconduct in Office
to different and distinct tribunals There headno
responsiblity-ne control-no common object The SIM
pie anent of the whole conrvanco Gt deserves other
name) crime. Its preventive would to large portion
of those engaged be death blow is crime. successful
crime alone which feeds. and by which upheld
The Justices are salaried officers and have power TO
hear complaints to commit for trial. and to discharge
They have but little, very little if any power con-
trolover official Observation-Disclosures they labor under
ministerial officers therefore considered act of inter
meddiing and not of duty They are selected without,
set to perform duties involving the incest questions con-
nected with personal rights
| receives
sation for serving processhoury and daily compensa
ton for special service and rewards The last for the
forms the main incentive eseron
For them therefereo prevent crime is directly to in
teTere with their hope or chance compensation An
officer who should now be constantly the alert 10 pre-
rent crime would be very obliged to commit it him.
self-abandon his ofice--or starve. This necessarily
makes him remss The vigorous growth and sturdy
front of crime is the evergreen to him. by il his
daily bread. This is necessity arising out Of what
call 'he conrvance" II for these among many other
that his steps daily to the Police Oce"his
hours spent there that he be in the way Of serving
to I've detailed for special service, be
the frstto learn the of robbery, and the amount
otthe reward offered The fault is not his-an ncen-
tive to different exertion Of his powers is not afforded.
His powers prevent are ,re than equal to his power
to detect crime "Under this defect says able joint
1897, with which, fully agree-"The New York Police
has always suffered, and instead OF mertng blame for
h her neciency in times past your COMMITTEES think
probation Of the community for their exertions d
promPtness at all times when called TO- prevent
commission Of crime and for the arrest of offenders"
do net believe there in any city better men attached
to the Police than we have. Very many OF them have
proper powers with judicous management they could
in my judgement be organized render 'ss-- a. -
The consables elected by the people, two or each
Ward Their general business is connected with the civil
courts for the trial Of smell and the collection Of
private debts They do not make their especial duty to
attend to criminal business. SO also most Of the
hals those whose especial attention Is directed to crim
nal matters fall under the observations already made in
respect to police officers. The wachmen are the main
|
their duties are so we'll known that il is deemed unneces
TO them here. Their admission upon and dis
selected from among the citizens. and constantly chang
ing very recent trial has shown that men OF the most
so
rly what hold the community have upon the faith Of
such men. Their duties are in general as well performed
under the present arrangement scan be expected II
almost entire ignorance OF law Of the first rudimens Of
evidence Of the mod.s oPerans Of the burglar the pick
mendng men to admission upon this platform then in
this of the continuance has guards been provided
remember well an instance OF wstchman, in the full
plentude Of the little power bestowed upon him, Who by
mistake found his way to the door Of an Alderman gno
ant Of the official standing of the occupant and ntendn
to show off his brief authority gnorantly and grossly in
suited the Alderman Afterwards he plead sxtenuation
that il he had known the man he had abused Al
derman, he would not have behaved wickedly and
gravely insisted that the Alderman had done wrong not
informing him ofhis mistake that he might avoided
his very large number Of our wstchmen are ca
pablo with Observation-Disclosures and industrious, aboring
through s make da suitable
for dependent family. Their services every other
night affords small pittance but fails to arouse the
energy which they for the most part capable Of and
which would be brought into full and vigorous exercise
if the public who noed and ought demand their whole
time and service, would render compensation
surate with, and suitable to, the service.
There other officers coateraly connected with the
subject Of Police not for the purpose Of this
Experience, the test OF all human inventions. has prov
ed the utter netciency Of the called system and the
community for years have loudly complained. The pub
lie press that great mandatory and vehicle of pubic
OPINION has been open and loud IN Its denunclaon and
violent in its demands for REFORM Since the adoption Of
the amended charter each succeeding chief magistrate OF
the city has made Of the subjects of his message to
the Common Council. Committees Of that honorable
body have frequently made their study and often CON-
muncaed elaborate reports for consideration In re-
port of committee Of the Board of Aldermen under date
of 3Oh September 1885, hey say they "have had the sub
ec under consideration and ofopnon that the entire
Police system requires be revised improved and orga
nzed on plan commensurate with the increased growth
population of the city," Year after year have all their
efforts been fruess-the thing remains the same
The simple plain, and obvious that il
matter of simple theory. is the business of practc nj
knowledge and experience to make the effort at It's refor
nation by putting in actual operation from ime to time
the suggestions detective working may exhibit TO
be until the machinery made complete. The
Committee in the report Of 30th September 1893 befoe
referred to, this emphatic and true language -" As