The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1843-01-31

lamsburgh Ferries-Ordered be laid on the ,abis and
eaAng the lot of ground of Battery Place To
Chauncy St John Tor 10 years at $1,000 together with all
taxes and sssessments-Referred to Committee FL
nance.
;yommunieation Report of the City Inspector. Order
laid the table and four times the usual number
Communication from Justice Taylor the subject Of
Poicr Reform Ordered laid the table and printed
Tne following Is the Report:
To the Honorable, the Board Of assistan -aidsrmen the
City of Nsp York
GENTLEMEN The resolution adopted by your Board
on the 4h instant relation to the Police Department Of
our city, probably intended to elicit joint reply
from the District Attorney and the undersigned. but a.
though have frequently converted with that gentleman
on the necessity Of wei regulated system e f:c. sr
the means Of accomplishing the reform which al good
citizens ardently desire and earnestly demand. have
not jointly committed our views to writing and q he's
been eously supposed that had arranged plan
and agreed all the details put It in opera
tion-and for other raasonswe have concluded to re-
spond to your resolution individually.
have deferred submitting communication on the
subject until the present time, with the hope being
able to present my fully but the intervals
c time have been relieved from active official futies
have devoted under the direction of officers of the
State and city governments to the examination Of the
intricate accounts which extend through several years
under the necessity giving very brief and mper
feet reply resolution And as In very generally
admitted that our present Police system almost wholly
Intellectual for the prevention Of crime, and is destitute of
the important rncples which should form the basis Of
roce dense and Heterogeneous population OF y0O
shall repeat the statements Of others, nor ad
my views in relation to existing defects ex
cep far may be esasry in considering Whist i'm
provement in the Police Department Of the city requr
ed by the and interests Of the citizens !" which
subject entertain the following opinions -
Ist. The Police Department should be orga nized a.
to be in operation without mission for the services Of
its members may be required at any time At present the
night watchmen the only persons who are required
parroe the streets except few Sunday ocerS, and
Day Police officers in of the wards and is notori
that Of shop lg stealing from halls Of
houses the pa ssng OF counterfeit money in the
evening before the watchm go on duty and many bur
garies and robberes are COMMITTED near inc tune they
leave their posts in the mornings and this state Of things
will continue long the present sy stem is permitted to
exist for while there are stated periods when neither
wachmen police officers are on duty opportunities are
then afforded avoid detection and the commission OF Of
is natural consequence case in point occurred
recently and is striking illustration, take the
liberty mention it, Early the morning of the 22nd
inst houses in Third street between the Second Ave-
nue. and the Bowery entered and vslu
articles stolen therefrom and In of the houses
clothes in acloet set on fire. but a. the ncen.
diaries fortunately closed the closet door, the IRE smoud
cred expred all this done by the offenders unob
served and trace OF them the stolen property has
been discovered and yet in ha street adjoining the
buildings where the burglaes and arcenies were
committed, and attempted, there is subwatch-
house, and also police ofhce.
It may be well to state proof of the utter want Of
organization ohe watch the only
ordinance hch relates to the time watchmen shall be
duty requires merely that they shall attend alternate
nights and the whole matter has been left with the cap
tain the watch who may keep them on duty at such
times, night they may consider most necessary, or
find 10 be most and although they have gener
ally directed their 20 duty the hour,
the several districts no regard has been paid to unorm
in the time Of the several companies leaving their posts
in the ming
ID Members Of the Police department should be Con
SANITY stationed in all parts of the cry that their serv
may be obtained wherever, well whenever,
qured for the OF offenders performance Of other
official duties Many instances might be cited OF felons
being .ne once
make arrest were unwilling to spend their time or
hazard their lives in arrestng the offenders and convey
ing them to the notice Office Besides, the presence OF
police officer at the time and place dsorderly conduct
commenced would often prevent the mission of acts
that would but for his presence lead to serious
suits and police officers should, therefore, possess the
means TO make themselves known such, at any time,
but with all due Difference tor the opinions Of others,
should be nothing in their general appearance to in
their employ for tangressors would thereby
have decided advantage and would assuredly exercise
opportunity afforded by temporary absence from por
ton Of his district, to commit depredations.
This branch Of toe subject is important in another
pon. Of view for the certainty of police officers being
duty throughout the city without being desensd
SUCH would tendency to deter particularly
the young from devatng from the path Of recttude and
would prevent the first commission Of petty offence,
which perpet-aed and repeated. would lead toaca-
culated eventually to transform the mid delin
quent into hardened villain.
According 10 the present arrangement IL sth duty OF
Police officers attend daily at the Police Offices and,
however great may be the emergency which requires
their presence and services at Harlem the Battery at
the Dry Dock Greenwich or in any other part Of the
city, apple alton must be made at the "Ilas Of JUSTICE
Centre street the upper Police Once" the
Of Third and the Bowery, and then here
When officers have performed their duties for the day,
by waiting the Police Office otherwise they proceed
public exhibitions to public balls or private partiests
fulfill their engagements officers, they spend their
in any way their interests require or incnsons
lead them they ill not devote themselves to the service
Of the public without compensation, nor have we any
right to expect them to do so.
Sd. The members OF the Police Department should not
be permitted to engage in any other business then thet
allotted them in the department There 10 no part OF
this whole snjec susceptible Of demonsraon than
this OF time will not admit OF elaborate argu
sent-The knowledge necessary for Police officer 10
possess parc uar classes Of places and persons and Of
stratages resorted avoiding detection, only be
acquired by close and constant application to the business
of Police departments and the character and useful
ofthe department well the public good quire
that Police officers should be continually under the d.
econ of their superior officers, and not be permedte
mnge and associate with all classes Of persons indiscr
nately resort at will 10 all kinds Of places. II II
and would be extremely disagreeable to
mention particular which show the proprety and
necessity Of adopting the rule here recommended Let
suffice that it is duty to guard against what men may
As long az the watchmen for the night and Police
officers for the day constitute separate Department. both
will be mseraby deficient for ell the purposes for which
not sufficient Tor the of their families and
those othem who labor hard during the day. and thereby
become much fatigued the most suitable persons
for watchmen while those tho lounge about in the day
time very improper persons for the duty But how
suitable the may be who the watch
they must leave their posts at stated times in the morning
pursue their ordinary business whatever benefit might
from their remaining their posts and all the in
formation they may have received of threatened or an
iicipaed depreiaons is rendered useless by their not
having immediate successors to whom they may commu
ncate The information Ifthe whole time OF the omcer'
shoud engaged in the public service their entire re-
munereon ought to be derived from the PUBIC trea-
sury. ,..
sth Police Officers should receive their appointment
from persons not elected office ny the people, nor can
ldnes for their ,uragesfor reasons 90 universally
,,nown Inst there can be harm In making the sugges
lion here End but little necessity for stating why Il is
made 70 gusr against the P.cs officers being all men
NJ The sane political party snd some Of them not the best
men in .hat party su that no improper influence grow
ing Of the manner other appointment may be exer
soner be selected with special reference TO this OBJ
ect aud for their knowledge, integrity persevering
habits and peculiar fitness for the performance Of the
,iuties which would dcvolve upon them and that the
responsibility might not be too much difuscd the number
of Commissioners should be very limited.
5th The city should be divided into districts the
centre OF each Of which there should be