New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-07-28
POLICE TRIALS

The trials Of policemen before tho Commits
soners at Police Headquarters no. likely 10 be CON-
pretended BY even intelligent readers unless they hap
psn to be conversant with the Police Department, its
organization the material Of which it is formed, Its
weaknesses it's exposures its tendencies to error and
irreguarity and inefficient action. and the measures
found by experience TO be necessary to guard against
the evils enumerated Citizens reasonably well in
nmed in relation the laws. the duties aud The rights
sf cisens and will understand the significance OF civil
and criminal trials in our courts Of law but they will
not as clearly comprehend the action Of courts martial
q the proceedings police trials or the reason that
Shey are familiar with the peculiar laws and organ
Aations Of those departments respectively In order
that any such reports as We msy make OF ponce uas
may no read with better understanding. 1t may mol
be njudcious 10 give insight into tho peculiar OF
sanitation of the Department. 8,
The force consists when full Of Q 100 patromeD, with
tss complement of Sergeants Captains nspectors ana
eSupe intendent. The duty of the Po ice Drparmer,
IL TO keep the public peace protect persons ana
property, and TO suppress and restrain an ~ .hi
disorders and violations Of law The field OF then
lAbos is wide the domain of crime and irregn'r
fly and mischief From the very nature OF the eos'
except In great exgencies they cannot act ~ squau'
patOOns or larger bodies under the comma nho sur
veillapce of officers They must ne pihceu s,nEy up
their posts and reliance must be had upon tne u.u
val patro!man OF the discipline Of the Department 70
secure faithful peiformanceof dny. 1t is mus appsl
EFT that great great OF evasion Oh GUY Ny
officers constantly and nnavoidahy exit resem ,
sentinel duty in The military ser'ice and IKE the mil
NARY service for the same reason, 1t requires
serner discipline, greater watchuiness. more se
we're punishments 10 keep the force up to IT'S wors
man IL would II they performed duty in squads
end uneer the command Of officers. There
one evil effect growing out OF good provision OF the
Police law which the public are NOT hkiy to observe
fbe policeman IL appointed for life. He can only be
dismissed from his Office by Trial and conviction ana
tudicial judgment This gives him position OF inde-
pendence ofte officers Of the department unknown In
spy other brar Oh Of the public service The bad man,
% long be evade duty or misbehaye himself 10
manner adroit to rem Ter the proof OF impossible
draws his nav and continues member OF the lorce
large class OF police duties Of such character that
SAey may be totally neglected by paroman, and yet
esould be impossible to prove ms oSn9uSt nee , n
minute and reid rules established TO guide the con-
Ssc, of the officers whle on patrol dnty. !.
From the day of Adam until now II has been one OF
She dispositions Of the human mind to neglect and to
violate the mandates that should control hum action.
The members of the police fore, subject 10 the com
non fraities Of Some will neglect duties that are
sasy Of Performance for which neglect motive can
he discovered Others will neglect duties from deness
and nstention. or ignorance Others sill will e1er
else largo degree of ingenuity and very consider
able amount Of industry In seeking TO evade dnes with
smpunity Like other men they subject TO errors
efjndgment and to the impulses of passion All these
elements are constantly at work among 300 men TO
produce vostnns OF rules and neglect Of duly TO the
damage of the Department and the Public. And these
weaknesses and tendencies havd to be combated by
efficient and thorourh discipline the part Of the 81.
perior officers and by punishments sufficient 70 give
cot Punishments have 10 be inflicted upon offending
policemen upon all other off nders upon the prip
sipe of adnonishing the offender and others who are
vsble to offend in like cases.
With the immense aggregation Of criminal and dis
orderly characters always present in the city every
nemher of the Department TO earnestly perform
Ms whole duty there would vet he crime undetecied
and Observation-Disclosures would yet occur demanding
tne intervention Of the police. Il is the duty Of the
Board OF Commissioners to reach forward toward the
highest degree of efficiency and with this view their
system Of rules and regulations Of discipline and police
Tqa are divided into two Classes those upon
saints made BY outside parties against policemen for
Alleged ofenses and those made upon the complaint OF
neglect OF duty improper conduct, and the like. Il is
made the duty Of all officers to report denquencies ard
sfenses and every manner Of violation of rules BY po
Neemep, and II is the duty If the Superner dent aud
Captains and Sergesnts and Surgeons and the CHIEF
clerk to make charges for oenses that fall under fheir
observation These charges are reduced 10 writing in
eli cases. filed in the Department, aud copy OF the
complaint and specifications with the time and notice
eftria duly served upon me accused oSer who Is re-
(Ae allegation.
i be the subject of reports Witnesses subpenaed
In other cases. in behalf OF the complainant de-
PENDANT; testimony is taken by q stenographer and
written out and becomes part Of the record Of the
proceedings Trials may be held by Com.
pissoners but the judgments are pronounced by the
Board after hearing the cases or reading the evidence
recorded. Trals are numerous but IL is not 10 be as
suned that the Board and the officers 81 this force
more than other people, are disposed to do any un
necessary amount OI tnls klDu OF lduof
PunshmentR are graduated with reference TO the
grade Of The ofense and consist Of dismissal fioin the
department which 10 the highest penalty. fines and
Yeprimands. The fines deducted from the monthly
pay and the reprmands read In the station house
when the platoon is drawn up IN line. Under such
system II Of course occurs that large number OF
charges made that cannot be sustained and not
frequently charges of frivolous character. In snch
cases the Judgment is dismissal Of the complaint But
1t is probable that In the police trials there large
ohare of convictions there in crimnul OF
the courts Of the country there reccyeres by
oomplaluants in civil suits.
Experience has shown that II will not do 10 remit the
adjudication OF ofenses or delnqueDcies. however
tridng. TO the Captains ether minor officers Of thu
department That system. even with an appeal 10 the
Board Of Commissioners. would be unsatisfactory and
would aggravate rather than otherwise the amount Of
slest labor and time. The reason Of this is that
6ers charged with oenscs would not be s9fed with
anything less than the decision of the tribunal Of high
est reeort. And, moreover, it would produce In.
res usrity o proceedings snd want Of Uniformity II de-
esions. which would go far toward dissfectirg the
q polissmen and offending the public. 1t is believed that
under the present system the members OF the force,
general rle satisfied with the imparality the in
tceente OF the tribunal ana the equity and justice Of
W THE ILL EFFECT OF MIXING DRINKS
~ Andrew Heustcp. .pstrolman OF the Nineteenth
Precinct was charged by Simon Boyd with assaulting
Che evidence n sppea,od that Boyd rcllicking look.
sts picnic at High Bird on the 9TH inst and imbibed
With Scotch whisky twice AID in coming down on
Thirdaye. cur, before reaching Sixty .fh.st depot
Boyd poiuting 10 his own cbiid the mothers knee
esked young lady If she would not like to have baby
e. pretty that Either the lady whom the remark
addressed lady next 10 herthe testimony not
agreeing on this poin-elt herte insulied the quar-.
rel was taken mp by friend. and ''muss" ensued
., Capt Hsrtt-Had you been drinking aDytbingt
Mr.. Boyd-SOme lager--was not dFunk. J. la.
Mr.. Acson--I never saw any body who would allow
chat he was II be had been drinking lager