Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-05-15
THE LONDoN POLICE FORCE.

AAN A@eAA'Ai 'iit'n VI ~ pun ~ - "A
Parliamentary paper just Issued tells
story which most Loudoners will read with
some interest. IL describes in very COM
prehensiye and suggestive manner, the
strength, progress. condition and discipline
ct the metropolitan police force from the
year 1856 10 the present time. We have
used the term progress because the force
~ eminently a growing force, az will be
understood when we say that its numbers.
which were only 1914 Of all ranks in 1856,
had become Ij4S al the close OF last wear
This increase, however, does not betoken
any increase OF crime or laWlessness in the
metropolis; il arises chiefly from the
extended area Of duty. In 1856 the force
comprised Is divisions. The first cousid
cradle addition 10 this list was made in
1860, when the care Of the Royal dock
yards, wheresoeveT situate, was made over
90 the police force Of the capital This
measure called five backward divisions into
being and added nearly 500 men TO the
force
an the year 1862 a new division was
created for the service Of the international
Exhibition, but it was disbanded with the
close Of the exhibition itself Then in lSG5,
the suburban districts of Clapham, Pad
dington and Highgate received each "a
division Of police newly established 50
that now the number of these civil Satta-
lions is twenty-six, averaging each about 300
men. Their strength, however, is by no
means uniform, hut ranges from 81 in the
X or Stepney Division, 10 1856 for Coveni
Garden any l27 for the Thames.
'Of the discipline Of this force we NAV
form an opinion from the statement that In
all the eleven years covered by the return,
The number of men charged with ofenses
was only 535, OF whom one-ffih were
proceeded against at the instance of their
own officers; and that Of these 5Sj men only
l63 were convicted, while 80 were dis
charged. In large majority of instances
the otieuse alleged was 'assauit,' or proceed
Ings in excess Of duty-otEer transgressions
beingexceedingIy rare. Wrought, however,
"a remark that the dismissals from the force
have averaged, from 1856 downwards. a.
many a. $50 a wear Of course these dis
iniRaals may have been due 10 incapacity
"a well as misconduct, hnt IL is also possible
that many Indifferent members Of the force
NAV have been discharged by their own
auperiors before they could bring the
establishment into public discredit. There
is, however, another statement in the return
which IS particularly suggestive, and which
requires, indeed, both explanation and
attention. While 9GO0 constablea during
these ! years were dismissed by thir supe.
TiOrs ne fewer than Geo dismissed them
elves or in other words resigned ln one
wear, 1859, the designations actually reached
200, and they have averaged 200 wear all
through the period. What can this mean
IL is obvious 10 surmise, and indeed,
a. il generally supposed, that the pay i7
for the work The night duty
of the force il severe, aud the men are
exposed 90 violence and danger. IL is not |
exactly bad pay, and the aggregate expense
of the force for all purposes is already |
very considerable, amounting indeed, to |
near E7OO 600 year. There are gra9ations,
too, and chances of promotion with increase
Of pay hut the point most considered, az
we may safely conclude, is the actual remun-
rration Of the rank and Gle. OF the COCO
'constables' or privates, in the force, goo |
pet no more than l9s. week, some 1900 get |
2ls., about 2700 get 22s, and between zoo |
and 500 get 23s. The number of those who 1
receive more than this is very small but, /
hen, there are The higher ranks Of sergeant
and inspector, containing nearly 1000 /
members, which command much better
pay.
"The question is, however whether these
erms Of pay and prospect together are
eally sufficient 20 secure for the public the
,ervices Of such men as should compose the
police force Of the metropolis. II Is easy,
40 doubt TO argue that il the force -
actually maintained on these terms the /
question is answered by the fact. II there
i no difficulty in keeping the number Of
he force up TO IFS proper establishment
shy should any doubt be felt respecting
he adequacy of the remuneration Even
the designations 20 continue
It the rate of seven hundred a wear the
snlistments must he equally numerous, so
hat what one man declines another is
eRdy 20 accept All this, Us far It goes,
nay be very true, but il would be desirable
o ascertain the circumstances under
which designations are usually sent IN. and
Ie general stamp Of the men who resign.
{ is not impossible that these NAV he
mong the best men Of the force, and
Kactly such as il would be advisable 10 |
araip - /