The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-05-10


made of their relative expense would tend to stimulate
the excrtions of tho superintendent, and would
duce to mure faithful and economical administration
of the affairs Of the departments would therefore,
this subject to your serious confederation with
u view to such amer dments OF the ordinance may
secure results SO desirable.
The system of police which in operation pre-
vouy to tho year 1916 had long been the subject of
general and just dissatisfaction 1t had failed to afford
adequate protection to persons and property in the
intimate and complex relations between individuals,
which exist in community like ours The discussions
eugendered by public evil, constantly felt and 80
deeply concerning every citizen resulted in the adop
ton of the present system and the experience of its
operation for three years has enabled to judge how
far 1t ID capable Of answering the important objects
| for which it was instituted
The various municipal duties assigned to the
police were formerly entrusted to one hundred mar
shals, about twelve hundred watchmen, with twelve
policemen fifty Sunday officers, about one hundred
and nifty other funconares and about three hundred
officers appointed specially to attend the polls ut cleo
| tons Notwithstanding that fifteen hundred men
were thus in the regular employment of the city and
three hundred in its occasional employment, the num-
Der who could be collected with that facility and
prompt ness which alone could make them valuable in
pueblo emergency WAS inconsiderabe. The marshals
derived no regular compe nsation from tho city but
remunerated by fees for tho execution Of civil
process and for arrests and other special services in
| criminal cases Their number inadequate to the
purposes Of police. Their time to n considerable
extent occupied by civil business The mode of their
compensation did not interest them in the prevention
of crime but rather in its commission and sometimes
believed to lead to actual partnership with the
criminals whom it was their duty to detect.
TO those emergencies in which efficient and cOnccn-
rated action necessary to the preservation Of pub
lie order and the protection of the property and per-
sons of individuals they still less adapted not
merely from the smallness Of their number, but be-
cause the attainment of these public objects did not
conduce to their emolument in the trade into which
the proper functions of the municipal had
been converted and because they not required to
devote their time to such public Objects they
organised for the purpose under competent official
head, responsible to him and subject to his control
The watchmen were employed only in the night.
half being on duty at time, and all of them attend
ing during the day to their ordinary avOcatons They
did not possess general powers policemen; not
engaged during the day In detecting preventing Of
ledge of the haunts of criminals the indications of
crime and they could not be assembled with readiness
or certainty to act in any emergency in which their
These also them less competent per-
form police duties in the night their labor during the
tives to diligence in tho detection of offenders were
weakened by the consideration that they would be
compelled leave their business to attend the trial of
any whom they might apprehend The other officers,
performing police duty were but nine day policemen.
and fifty Sunday officers In truth it cannot be said
that any thing having the character deserving the
name of system Of police existed.
The change effected by the act adopted in 1S45,
the organization Of body of eight hundred sub
| sequently increased to nine hundred, to take the
places of the eighteen hundred before employed regu
iary or occasionally who should all be vested with
Jce authorities. perform the duties of watchmen at
night, with additioual powers-with the efficiency
which arise from daily Nperience and exclusive deyo
ton and with cor ant accountability and who
should be employed ing the day, under the super
vision and control of Competent superior in preserv-
ing order protectng Individuals, and in discovering
and preventing oe and should be capable of being
easily and promptly concentrated in any emergency
which might arise.
The superior efficiency Of this system is shown by
the mere statement of Its nature compared with
| that by which It was preceded, and has been abun-
| dainty Illustrated by experience.
From statement furnished me by the chief Of po-
lice appears that from July Sth 1S45 to April 18TH
feloncs 7743 for petit larceny; 42S20 intoxcation
and dsorderly conduct 5945 for assault and battery;
sssass u s.S that n
their PARENTS that from May 1st 1S47, to April 10TH
ls4s l49 fires were discovered and extinguished by
policemen and that from May LIST, 1885, to April 15t
| ls4s 222 persons were rescued from drowning
The benefits of the change felt also in the exemp
ton OF our city from serious riots in the comparative
nfrequency of gross outrages on individuals, and of
extensive robberies in the preservation Of goods at
FIRES in greater order and decorum in public ceebra-
tions and occasions of public alarm and generally
In an increased security of the rights of person and
property So fully are these benefits recognised by
the whole community, that the complaints Of the
nefciency of the police, which formerly in
cessant and universal are now seldom if ever heard
The cost of the system, which is the main objection
urged against it, need not in my opinion, largely
coed that OF the former system The policeman is
paid about twelve cents per day more than the watch,
that of the necessary watchmen-wh the addition Of
number whose compensation would equal that of the
fulfil all the requisite duties The number of police
men generally duty at night is larger than that of
the watchmen formerly such duty and even il the
number of watchmen sufficient four years ago, it
would probably have become inadequate and been
increased IT. the other hand the additional ser
vice as watchmen rendered by the policemen, be
more than would be necessary if the old system
restored reduction of the service and of the numbers
would be equally practicable under the system
In one respect there is a material difference
favorable to the economy of the present system The
numbers OF the watchmen kept full by the
poyment OF chancemen in the place of those who for
any cause were absent from duty, and compensation
was withheld from those who were thus absent The
number OF policemen not on duty has formed one of
the main grounds of impeachng the efficiency of the
system This number was stated by my predecessor to
average 81 day for months and it appears for the
| month ending on the 18th March, owing to causes
| peculiar to the season. to have been considerably
larger:
made, 1t was intended to supply the place Of the
rage number absent by such increase rather than by
the employment OF chanccmen. but the provision au-
thorizing compensation to be withheld from those who
were absent, was omitted then regarded such pro-
VISION as necessary incentive to fidelity, and as
| measure OF just economy.
The subsequent growth of this evil until threatens
seriously TO- impair the efficiency of the system, while
increasing its expense and thus to weaken public con-
hdence in its operation. has confirmed that opinion.
and recommend that provision be adopted Withhold
ing pay from those who not actual duty unless
shall be specially allowed by the Mayor in cases in
which the absence consequent upon disease or in
| jury contracted in the public service.
suggest also that the law be nded that
pension while 1t works forfeiture Of pay shall not in
clude exemption from duty.
desire again to call your attention to the apprchcn
SION expressed on the establishment of the system
that the short term Of Office would be likely to involve
tho ncessant strfcs of parties, and preclude its
agents from the experience and independence which
are Indispensable to their usefulness Although the
term WAS subsequently, extended, still think the mis-
chief has not been entirely obviated, and recon-
mend that application be made to the Legislature for
such amendments as will remedy this and the other
| defects to which have adverted.
The law establishing the police makes it the duty Of
inc policemen to report through the captains and as
ant captains to the chief Of police all violations of
| tho corporation ordinances
In accordance with this requirement, it appears by
statement furnished by that officer that since LIST July
hov haen renp IN.
with the exception Of few dismissed by the Mayor,
nave been sent to the Corporation attorney for prose-
cution The fac ility with which these complaints
dsmssed or settled by this officer in the exercise Of
ms own discretion OF ut the instance Of the Alderman
and Assistant Alderman leads to a continuance re-
petition Of the violation the thus dis
courages the policemen from fulfilling unpleasant
duty IN when they are not sustained by their supcrors
One of the most frequent subjects of complaint the
ncumbrances OF the streets. wharyes and piers The