The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-03-17

RsrSat q ths OAAel or Police.
Yesterday the Chisf q Police sent in tho following rs
port to the Mayor accepted and the Mayer sent
It to the Board Of Aldermen to be acted upon
Hon JACOB A. WzrnvrE, MAYOR, Ac.,-
The statistical tables accompanying this report viii
exhibit to your Honor the operations and condition Of
the Police Department from tho LIST day Of July to the
S1st day Of December, 1852 You will perceive that
during the six months there were nineteen thousand nine
hundred and seoD persons arrested for the differ
offences enumerated being thousand four hun.
bred and forty eight 448) more than arrested
during the corresponding period of 1851 have caused
tabular statement be made shooting the number of
arrests made for each offence during the
months OF 1851 and 1852 SO that you may be abeo see
the operations Of the depa in comparison with the
previous year.
1t will be that the increase of arrests consists
ing out of the too free Of in oxcatng q During
the first part the year 1882 offences snst the per-
son =, tnas
yond their domic after certain hour in the evening"
while 1t was evident that many Of the policemen were
careless not indoent, and rather preferred to turn
away from places where they likely to get hard
usage and but little honor than to interfere with such
remedy this evil your Honors predecessor directed
the whole police force to be placed duty during the
day and night which had in part, the desired effect 1t
and the of the force and the order then
revoked The consequence has been that in the short
months tn6t tner0 were Two nOuS6nu
and thirty five 203t) arrests made for these Of
fences alone than during the corresponding period Of
time in 1851 and it is hazarding but little TO- say th
beth the and property Of the citizens Of this city
enjoy at this time greater protection than those of almost
any other city on this continent.
1t appears from the statement showing the number Of
offences committed against property, that they
ed to two thousand one hundred and sixteen e. l16)
while during the corresponding period Of time in 1851
(21l5 being but one more than during the previous
year. notwithstanding the large increase of popua
and the thousand fifteen hundred additional houses
be watched.
hive felt it to be my duty to call your attention at
this time particularly to the internal condition and
laons of the Police Department regards its efficiency
in accomplishing the great ends for which it was orga
nzed, and to do which it is fully capable If properly ad-
mnistered and It's discipline rgdly enforced That much
has already been accomplished cannot be denied while it
is freely admitted that much still remains to
Considering the extent of territory the large and
characters of which that population posed-em-
bracing Of all nations from tho most ignorant the
the person should be frequently Committed Nor is it
possible for the police force to wholly prevent them
these offences are often committed under circumstances
precluding police interference.
Offences against the person almost always result from
evils incidental to the social and moral condition Of the
various individuals composing community aud without
complete moral reformation these offences cannot be
entirely prevented but they may bs greatly diminished
and those disposed to commit them kept in check by
strict and increasing police surveillance.
To maintain this surveillance it is necessary to place
the whole police force active dutyto restrict the
members the OF service connected WITH
the criminal business Of the city, and to rgdy enforce
the rules and regulations Of the department
By referring to the daily reports made to you Of the
Of O3 policemen coyospg the entire force of the
city rs detailed to special duty at the various
Civil Courts Police Courts Court Of Sessions bell towers
&c. leaving but 1925 to watch and guard the entire
county Of New York and being about average Of th
ty six men to each district During the night but one
the other hsf sleeping in the station house. that
has to watch from nine to fifteen blocks accord
nf% 1aA ;o%-
taken SICK then the size Of the beat increased that
it is impossible for the to prevent crime detect Of
tenders they should d. though they exercised unwont
ed vigilance,
The system Of detament has grown to be an evil of
great and increasing magnitude alike unjust to the c
and to the members Of the Police Department and
unless adequate remedy be speedily applied incalcua
BILE evil must result from it. Every citizen deeply in
mentas the safety Of his person his family and his
property depend upon t-and that result can only be
broHeht about by melting out to each Of its members
upon than upon another. The greater number Of
those detailed Under the present system have but light
duty while on the other detailed men .rduous duties are
imposed keeping them employed during the day and the
greater part Of the night yet they all included under
head the present ordinance and receive 500 per
annum less than the patr0men.
Under this system there has been reward for merit
and the police who could obtain the greatest number
of influential friends ntercede for him could obtain
berth where he might spend his time in comparative
and dleness, while his less fortunate comradswho had
gard for the oath he had taken-receved honor
and not advanced simply because he had in
to do right and perform duty with cheerfuoess
moved and all experience has the necessity
Of an incentive to induce men TO push forward with &C.
tive exertion in any pursuit of life which they may
undertake: and while none exists in the Police Depart
ment it cannot be expected that the will perform
any greater amount Of duties than they absolutely
compelled to perform by the vigilance Of their superior
officers In consequence. continual strife kept up be-
tween the officers and the policemen i'll feelings are en-
rendered which into the btterest
enmity and which carried out Of the int
the private walks Of life.
ward of merit it would be incentive for each to
endeavor to surpass his peers in and in the
fidelity with which he would discharge his duty the
public He would be making constant and honest efforts
to advance his interest and thereby the public int
rest would be far better Citizens would be fully
ter of the city enhanced.
1t should not however. be forgotten that rigid en-
forcement Of the discipline Of the department il
essential to its prosperity Punishment in oil cases,
should be graduated according to the enormty of the
offence committed regardless alike Of the person upon
whom it is to he inflicted and If the influential friends
who may to his assistance Every case Of COM
plant should be carefully decided upon the testi-
done to the citizen, the officer and in either CASE
wrong is inflicted which eventually recos with fearful
effect upon the beet interest of the department.
If policeman is unjusty punished he becomes indif-
ferent and suen: he feels that he is safe
when he faithfully performs his du and rather thAo be
again subjected to injustice he passes BY offenders and
offences when he do without fear Of detection
olcemsn is subjected to greater punishment for
breach of discipline, Of the grade than another
dissatisfaction and jealouses fomented alike
to the department and the public; but the other
hand when policeman is suffered to go unpunished, or
is but slightly punished for gross breaches of discipline
citizens become dishearte ned will complain when
they have ample cause to do while the officer is
to proceed 10 his unla wfu until brings
the whole department into disgrace by his outrages
famous conduct
Over of discipline the chief Of police has no
power and depends entirely upon you whether
partment shall be shorn Of its effects for good BY having
to bear under such oppressive weight whether II
shall prosper by Of the just decisions Of your Ho
in all matters of discipline
In regard to de,ailmeuts, would respectfully suggest
to your Honor entire Abandonment Of the pr sys
tenn which is capable of producing evil and only evil
and in lieu thereof to select from the Police
one hundred men-a number amply sufcen. to perform
all the criminal business performed by allied me
In selecting the men, strict regard should be paid 10 their
qualifications and the manner in which they have here
toiore performed their duties.
The men be divided into SQUADS of FIVE with a
sergeant to each squad who should be held re