The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-09-27

INCREASED PAY AND INCREASED VIGILANCE ON
THE PART OF THE PoLIcE-It is understood
that a movement is being made with view to
obtain an increase of the pay of the captains
and lieutenants Of police. The subject may
be put in such light that it will not meet
with a single opponent. Let the applicants
for increased pay couple with the application a
proposal for some new scheme whereby they
shall evince increased vigilance and the city
enjoy increased security, and not a soul will say
nay to the demand. We can suggest such
scheme.
AT present the capita ms Of policc-who are
the types of the force in their ward, as the
lieutenants take after them, the sergeants copy
the lieutenants, and the men take their cue
from their superiors--are divided into two
classes. A few of them are energetic, active
men, who take q pleasure in their business, and
pride in doing it well. Others, on the con-
trary, regard their office as a sort of settlement
for life, to be enjoyed quietly, moderately, phi
losophically in word, to be converted as
nearly as possible into sinecure. These are
the captains, who, when you go to them with
tale of robbery, reply: "Oh ! very we'll, look
about, try to find the thief, then let us know
and Wen arrest himw They take life easy
and police duty still easier. The consequence
is that in the wards which are entrusted to
them, theft is usually unpublished, and the
| officers quite callous on the subject. The ano-
maly arises mainly from droll delusion on
the part of the captains to the effect that the
citizens and not the police are the proper per-
sons to hunt up thieves and take note of the
facts of robberies. 1t SO happens that it is for
these very purposes that we hire the police at
cost of nearly million of dollars year. 1t
is because we expect they will be better able
than others to discover thief, and weigh the
trivial circumstances attendant upon every
robbery, that we keep over thousand of them
on foot. When, therefore, they delegate these
duties to the public al large, and confne them
selves to making arrests, they defraud the city
in glazing manner.
Here is the opportunity for the increase of
vigilance. Let every police captain establish
the rule that the moment crime is denounced
to him a thorough investigation shall take
place before himself. Under the present sys
tenn the lapse Of time which often takes place
between a robbery and an investigation before
a magistrate is sure 20 affect the memories OF
the Witnesses Let the police captains inves-
tigate within the twenyfour hours, as the Fire
Marshal now does into the cause Of fires. This
rule would not only prevent the loss Of evidence
by the forgetfulness of witnesses, but would
preserve, Tor the ends Of justice, myriad Of
small facts which are now lost from the want
Of an early examination by praotsed eye
This rule adopted in every ward, and the
vigilance Of the force brought up to The stand
ard Of some Of our crack officers, no one
worth listening to would object 10 The raising
the salaries Of the captains to $1,000 year
Al The same time, lift might be given 10 the
licutenants; aud while the subject was on the
tapis . hint might be given 10 the Board Of
Supervisors that when they groundlcssly with
hold the necessary vote 70 reimburse officers
for expenses incurred by them in obedience TO
orders, they commit q grieyous and scandal