The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-02-02

Alleged Increase Of Crime In New York
Motives Of the Recent Complaints Against
the Police.
The columns Of some OF our contemporaries have
lately been devoted to violent attacks upon the
police force, in connexion with the garrotngs and
other nightly outrages committed within their
jurisdiction. 1t is asserted that these offences
have increased considerably of late, and that this
increase is solely to be attributed to the negligent
and inefficient discharge of their duties by the
police
Now, in the wholesale application OF charges
ike these, we think that decency required that
some slight show of evidence should be brought
forward to sustain them; otherwise their coinci-
dence with certain movements in Albany to alter
the whole character of our city government, and
to revoutionize, in particular, the police force,
suggests the suspicion that the excitement got up
in connexion with these occurrences is purely Of
political character. Curious to ascertain how
far this idea is well founded, we have taken the
trouble to institute an investigation into the facts
and we present in another column the results of
our inquiries.
From the evidence thus collected IL would ap-
pear that there is not only not the slightest
foundation for the charges but that the response
bility of the occurrences on which they are based
is entirely due to corrupt influences, which the
parties making them are now trying to extend
through all the other ramifications Of our city
government. But FIRST as regards a question
of fact, let us premise that there Is no truth
in the assertion that there is any considerable
increase in the number Of these outrages. They
are about the same that they usually are at this
season, the only difference being in the character
of the assaults themselves, the garroting system
appearing 10 have come into as great vogue
amongst us as amongst the people of London.
If there is any unusual excitement at all on the
subject it is probably owing to the startling and
dangerous form which these outrages have as
sumed, and certainly efforts should be made to OBJ
pose some check TO them. We are sorry to inform
our readers however that IL their occurrence is to
he arrested, it will not be by the police a. {
present constituted. The police are but human
creatures, and they cannot effect physical impoe.
sibilites Their numbers are too limited TO
enable them to afford to our citizens the amount
Of protection which is expected Of them. IL is
the habit, in complaining of the ineficicncy Of
.ur police to contrast the results Of their
guardianship with those Of the London force
But in Doing this their relative infcrioriiy 2
point Of numbers is never taken into account
Let us Just see how the fact stands.
London has patrol force exclusive Of officers
of 6,72j men, with a population lin 1852 of
2,3631al The whole police force of New York
is only l,lOO and from this is to be deducted
lG1 captains, lieutenants and doormeu. and
about 200 on detailed duty, leaving for patrol
duty only 500 men. Taking our population
at 100000, this would give only one policeman
to every 1921 inhabitants, whilst London mas
ono TO every 351J. The statement OF this dis
parity in numbers would in itself be- sufficient :,
account for the difference in the amount OF pro-
lection enjoyed by the citizens of London; but
TO give our readers clearer idea Of the prac-
teal effect of this inferiorty of strength in our
own force we will add that for district like the
Eighteenth ward which covers a square half
mile of territory, we have only patrol force
all deductions made, OF about thirty men,
Hence to each man IS allotted a beat of four or
five streets, of about quarter Of a mile in
length. which our readers will at once see il is
physically impossible for him to protect properly
unless indeed be had the ubiquitous qualities Of
Sir Boyle Roche's famous bird. AS gauotc rob-
berries and burglaries are only attempted in par
tics of four or fve so that couple Of the
thieves may be detailed to watch the movements
Of the policeman, IL inevitably follows that the
latter is never able to arrive in time at the spot
where the robbery is committed. II will be said
that the simple remedy for this il TO jssrease the