The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1860-04-24
BALTIMORE.
TUESDAY, APRIL "a, 1850

rho Police Commissioners are proceeding rap
;a,r and theoretically to complete 'he orgahiza-
,;an Of the new force, and ina very brief period
WV nav, look to see it in practical, and, we trust,
W" ". .'., o,orotion. The appointments have all
taa made. the station-houses have been surren-
tho Board, and nothing remains to be
,,tto assign the men to their respective
b, instruct them in their duties and grad
rrrr them into a state of discipline which
..I rendcr the corps thoroughly effective as well
". .,,l;ohle TO the city. All this is a work re-
-. somc time and great patience, and until
.t,ro had a fall and fair opportunity Of de-
...,,,,;rcond pcrecng such system as they propose
.,.,,,rrotr the Commissioners have the right
- oyncct TO be considerably judged That errors
will he committed tits only natural to presume and
+,orob We are as yet Ignorant of the names OF the
,., Who have been appointed, it is possible that
,.o.o mistakes have already been made in the dis
on,roc Of this the first duty, that has devolved
.,n tbe Commissioners. Notwithstanding all
Ave- ,ra,autions which may have been taken, there
ma, he cases in which they have been imposed
mon ly tbe weight of the recommendations ap-
randed TO the petitions of unworthy applicants.
I, iso,yeU known fact that some unfit, and, we
may add. disrcpuable characters have managed
a. rocrro ,le strongest testimonials in their favor
c.,r,, most respectabe and honorable citizens.
poon,o who know or ought to know better, have
sor,atimes unhesitatngly certified 10 an indlyid-
nails CAPACITY and integrity merely because they
had no direct proof that he was knave and a
ru0ap. We venture to say, therefore, that II some
bad and inefficient menhave obtained s'tuaUohSo n
the rolice force, it will be found that they nave
presented evidences of their fitness which the most
cautious Judges could scarcely have rejected. NOT
are the difficulties arising from inc miS''Nes
of the Commissioners the only ones ui''
will he likely to embarrass them. Erroneous
ideas are entertained by some OF those win
,,bom they are called upon TO deal, Wfich
,r;u pntiI tbey are corrected be fruitful sources
ortropblc, Many men against whom no ohJec-
t;or conld exist have probably solicited ana re-
,.i,.ol commissions who have altogether mlsap-
..,..,,,Io1 the nature of the service upon which
d.. ara obont 10 enter, and whose discharge must
necessarily quickly follow their appointment
From tbe lax discipline which has always prevails
81 IN the notice force in Baltimore, and, indeed,
- tbot Of most neighboring cities, the public has
odontcd very false notions about the duties OF
noIiecuan. Heretofore, such office has been given
70 tboincumbent as Il reward for work already done,
and fine officer, considering the matter in this light,
wouId have thought it hard that he should be
deprived of the pleasure, while on duty, of sit
tine for hours on a water plug, or standing upon
some sunny corner, or Of Longing in cigar shop,
or playing domnocs in lager beer house. 1t
may be- therefore, that some of the new men will
be surprised and disappointed to find that they are
expected to work for their pay, and some perhaps
NAV resign in disgust, and others will in all like
Thood he removed for neglect Of duty. For these
and other apparent reasons it is obvious that
few months must clapse before the unfit men can
be detected and removed, and the others become
familiar with the routine of duty. But that active
and earnest efforts will be honestly put forth TO
make the force what it should be, we are fully sat
isiei, nor can we doubt the ultimate success of
the Commissioners. Weauticipatc the not distant
day when the police department of our city will
be in such = condition rs TO afford not the
slightest cause for cavil complaint On the con-
trary, when ii shall have been brought up to the
standard, TO which we believe it is the intention
of the Board to make it conform, the humblest
citizen viii have occasion to rejoice at the increased
protection extended 10 him--the tax payer will
derive qualification from the reflection that his
money is not collected for the support of idle and
worthless partisans--and the force will be viewed
with as much pride, by every officer and private
who belongs 10 it, as by the public at large.