Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1859-03-26

The CRY PoLIcE FoRcE-It is matter of fire.
quent occurrence to note delnquencies on the
part OF the police force Of this city, and recently
complaints Of this character have become more
common, and are current with our citizens of all
Political parties. 1t Is true, probably, that some
OF them emanate from a captious disposition to
find fault and are not worthy Of notice; but such
aPlea will not answer for all that are made In
deed, no man who has lived six months i'm Wash
tngon will deny that he has observed good grounds
for complaints against the police CORPS The habit
many Of the officers indulge in of 1oafing about
certain localities and chatting with idlers who
congregate there, Is of itself sufficient to confirm
much that Is alleged against the corps and we
will venture that il has had more effect in inducing
correspondents of distant papers to cast reflections
on the police of this city than all the cases Of
known delinquency on their part put together
w hen they are seen thus engaged, sometimes for
hours together, any reasonable man must conclude
that their duties are neglected. Then, again the
appearance Of those parties with whom they are
seen To associate familiar terms is sufficient to
condemn them as totally unfit for conservators of
the public peace and executors of the law.
Nor Is this all the effect this loaing habit of many
OF the officers has Those who are disposed to out
rage the good order Of the community, when they
perceive that the officers confine themselves priH-
cirally to certain localities, know very well that
by keeping clear Of that infested precinct they
may indulge in whatever proceeding they choose
whether lawful or unlawful. that it is not too
fragrant, without the slightest danger Of molesta-
ton. Hence, retired neighborhoods are often the
scenes Of street brawls, drunkenness, and other
dtsorderiy conduct, and the perpetrators escape
scotfFee. In other more remote vicinities parties
practice shooting at a mark, hour after hour each
fair day to the annoyance of the neighbors but
without danger of official interference A case in
point in this latter connection occurs to us at this
moment. Last fall a man was arrested on the
Island for shooting cat i'm his own yard about
a squares distance from where that occurred
shooting at a mark, on the commons, has been, for
year past and still continues 10 be- almost daily
pastime. We know Of no reason why one party
should have been arrested and the others allowed
Tn pursue their sport undisturbed. The grounds
of the Smithsonian Institution, which form a
sSpriRg and summer afternoons are SO frequently
the haunt Of drunken wretches, who disgrace hu-
rlanity by their indecency, tn make ii of doubt
ful ProPriety whether the former should venture
thither
The police organization Of this CITY, COMPRISES
about one hundred men, and costs about as fol-
lows:
H- ExP.Hss TO the City.
Chief of Police and two Lieutenants 1000
Twenty seven Policemen. I6 2Oa
'HAol III Lot odiiic-. -......-. 2,GU
Twenty Of the Auxiliary Guard. I2,WO
MdglSudteS .-...--.................. 1,IO
iotai. .-.....--................S 81, go
Expense 10 the General Gorernrlenf
Captain Of Auxiliary Guard. .......s 1000
fnty orncers OF same. ..................... 5000
Total ....................... s3l ,OuO
Add city expenses. IS $50
Whole cost. ........................S 800 $50