New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-12-06
LEGISLATIVE POLICE COMMITTEE.

The Committee appointed last Winter by the Legis-
.tus TO examine i, to the police and criminal uris
prvdspce met for the transaction Of Business yester
dsy Of 10 O'Clock g. m, 10 the City Library. 1t de.
fsn 10 origin from the following resolution:
Rsd That CcDmittee ofhree from this Hosss aud thres
bs Senate be sppopd to visit the City of York and
~ CIV Of Brooklyn the Committee have power to sesd 70
sssor. IN sss en~i, 4 courts oiss Of the Chief Of poies
ion Houses Psntsbtsr Aims oase and City Prison In
X cities that they the Les sure what II
a. farther ,slsop necessary for the suppression and
Of crime and the better protection Of persons charged
The Committee consists Of &. +. CROSBY, Cheir.
rsa and j. C. Hopkins of the Senate, aud Theodore
Huyvssshf, David O'Keefe and Hezekiah Baker Of
be House.
he Mayor had been subpensed, and Immediately on
ruxizaton be was examined. He tes ifed tina. there
v,re four Police Courts, the Mayors Court being q
bch OF the First Districts that there were seven Pc.
lee Msgsrates and 100 poceu en-; that be himself
6euled the police whs attended on the Criminal
Couru In answer TO the question whether certain
oeWs bad not been kept that duty for years, and
Hhey cid not get better pay than Others he said that
bertf.re there had been no period assigned for de-
tail They had been keot on from three to five Year,.
he laws made no distinction in fees Of policemen.
They VIE allowed to receive presents only wi the
Ns,ots consent which was given on a printed form,
I'D the donor must specify bis git all were recorded
u book. The receip recorded last year amounted
"a tle 900. Officers in courts received more; their
applications were more frequent for tue Mayors Gen.
snt; hence more sought for those situations Under
nav Order TO 90 into fleet on the 10th tstant they
would be detailed only for ak months. But few com
plants had been made TO him of aud on the part OPS
beemep. The May or wss then asked what amendmen's
Ne thought advisable in the organic ion OF the Poles
Cous the mode Of eIecting Police Justices, or the
nsrntf Of conducting the proceedings before them. In
snswsr be said: Our practice and proceeding are
nest defective in Police Courts. had aPolice Mags
rse placed in my office to remedy those abuses Inc
tseton by the people consider wrong In principle
rs In practice. There 10 no responsibility. If they
uvrong, they cannot be reached. There 10 no par
nj in any other public officer They deal with prop
Hy ana life a. prejudice or interest may lead them.
lIms suspected colluson between Magistrates and
AVE made my changes. There Is another evil. If
ns Police Magistrate refuses 70 receive compliant
cher Magistrate will receive H. He gets rid OF the
esussint on the ground of non-reSdence In the DIS
hsx The Police Magistrates 60 to the Station Houses,
isnA. so@piAiH.s and discharge offenders have
Mrd complaints against them refused by Police
Magistrates, and had them indicted.
Inc MAYOR then stated incidentally that he had the
une oowtr A the Recorder and Ciey Judge, even to
.une writs of hsbeas corpus and certorari. Under
Ss are sent IA W he bad all the msgstera powers pos.
Nsed BY De Witt Clinton when Mayo oil tins CITY; All
Ia municipal power had been filtered away while the
criminal remained intact. The Police Magistrates, he
aoueht were sufficiently numerous, their character
hs deerora,ed for the last ten years Ihey should oe
appointed by the Governor and not elected Inc dua
IN Of their terms was not important a. The MODE OF
creation or appointment The Line Executive Depart
pepts were Independent Of each other and totally II
responsible except to the people. he thought tne
character of he Police might be improved py increased
pay. fSe pi sctice had been to asstyn to policemen
psdcular beats, but he found tnat .oey io.lnee M
as'snce ladies' had their favored polcemeni and ne
lad therefore arranged matters 30 that they shoud
charge their seats every week.
The Committee adjourned until TO- day at III a. NJ