New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-08-28
OUR POLICE FORCE.


We print this morning the first quarterly report
of Mr. Police Superintendent Kennedy. 1t is a
document replete with interest to every citizen,
ard will well repay careful perusal. The Metro
poltan Police Force consists of ,57S officers and
men of these, l,l8l patrolmen do duty in New
York, and III in Brooklyn, the remainder being on
special service. The Superintendent computes
that not more than 49l men are on duty at one
time in New York and only 81 in Brooklyn The
beat of the New York patrolman averages II miles.
there being in this city 4l2. miles of streets, and
IL miles Of piers, or total OF 423t
miles to be guarded. 1t is apparent, from
this statement, that the protection to life
and property in the city is not so perfect
as the resources of the force wOuld warrant
Were fewer patrolmen on duty during the day, as
might very safely be the case, the guardians of the
night might be increased in q corresponding de-
gee with manifest advantage 20 the public. Brook
Ism decidedly requires considerably augmented
police, as Mr.. Kennedy very justly renarks-the
average beat of her patrOlmen being much longer
than in New-York. Some Of the Wards of that
city are almost unprotected. Take, for instance,
the Eighteenth, which is nearly as large as a
dozen of the other Wards together. In the day
time only one man is on duty, and at night but
two, and those are sent up to BOwronvilIe leaving
the whole Of the lower part of the Ward entirely
unguarded.
In order to increase the available patrol force,
the Superintendent intends to curtai the number
of detailed men, a step which, though it may be
e.. ~ ho 60
taken. For the detective branch of the service he
recommends more systematic organization,
proper division Of employment, aud more strict
accountability and suggests the propriety of tenn
pOrarily exchanging our smart thiet-catchers with
other cities at home and abroad, in order that
more thorough acquaintance with professional
rogues may be obtained. la our opinion the de-
tectiye force needs very thorough reOrganiza-
ton. As at present constituted it is little better
than n check upon the police at large. If
crime is committed against person or
property, the patrOlmen are afraid to
move for the arrest Of the criminal lest Detective
Somebody may be engaged in" working up " the
case This " working up business is rather a
profitable one for the detective, who, in spite o.
rules to the contrary, makes those who employ him
pay beraly for his services. If the amount is not
paid to him directly as reward, he puts in his bill
for =" expenses" WHICH covers very handsome
compensation. Work to which no pay is attached
is sbrked, and the best payuaster gets the best
served Instead of this system we should desire
to see every in the force educated to do detec-
ti,e duty whenever required.
The ply steal and moral condition of the force
has decidedly improved. This is partly due to
the better accommodations afforded to the men in
their Station. Houses, and to the stricter enforce
ment of the rules and regulations The District
Inspect rs have done much toward efiecting a
more perfect discipline in the service. The arrests
for the quarter were q, S2l, of which 1897 were
males, and 6,S94 females. Seyen-ninths of the
whole were foreigners by BIRTH We notice that
in regard to the number Of arrests, no account is
kept OF the individual offenders. Now, it must not
be supposed that 22,82l different persons were
taken into custody during the quarter. The
report in this respect is deceptive. No doubt
of the 1884 offenders against the public peace
large proportion were drunk and dsorderly
persons who are periodically taken up aud
committed, at least half dozen times in a
quarter. OF the 1857 ofie nders against property
a large number, no doubt, were petty thieves who
were arrested more than once during the same
period. The report concludes by referring to the
valuable services of the Harbor Police, the Tele-
graph, and the Sanitary Company The latter ap-
pears to have done fair share Of work, seeking out
and reporting no less than 5277 nusances, all of
which were duly abated. On the whole Mr.. Ken
nedy makes very good show for his fret quarter.
As he is energetic and thorough in what he under
takes, we shall look for greater Improvement in
the Department in proportion as he becomes &C.
quainted with its wants and capabilities.