New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-12-08
OUR POLICE SYSTEM.
TIE METROPOLITAN AND MUNICIPAL w.
LICE CONTRASTED.

PATRONAGF-WILL HE W."
GE-ESTABLIsHEDf
.,v;n ,hc METROPOLITAN Police District be re-
is the question that isaeitatng the memVrS
=, h police force Of the cities and towns that formerly
r.d the District and that is canvassed by tno more
in,olgeu ut Of our citizens careful INQUIRY a"''N
this class shows that majority are strongly
In favor Of return to the oid system
There are many and obvious reasons ior ta''
nreferauce, chief among which is tho knowieoge
tn.t The old furce was managed in cheaper and GER
tauly more efficient manner because potcai nn"e"oeS
we're not allowed to interfere to dictate
trausfers Where formerly there was aweloo"s'ruo'ou
easy.runuus sud perfect machine, doing is WORK VII"
regularity and precision, there are now Out
nat only not working common together Tor tho pur
ms. of protecting the lives and property OF those
,,hn the limits covered by tho various commands,
but even failing perform well the WORK expected OF
them In their respective districts IL mas peeh recently
ehown that crime has Increased in this city anu brook
yn out all proportion TO the natural increase OF Popu
la,on aud the same may be sad OF the outlying towns
and VILLAGES within radius Of 80 miles from this CITY,
There never we're many professional thieves 70 Dc
found In this city and vicinity at the present tme anu
they ny their almost without rear OF pelng heo
secoun able for their msdeeds. In the lighter crimes
Of petty thevery and pOcketpckng there Is decided
increase while In heavier business Of sebreakng
burglary fclonous assault there has been IN all
vance Of fully so per cent the reorganization OF tho
force
A WANT OF COOPERATION
Tn the matter of oo0peraon there lie the greatest lack
of efficiency the system. Under the Metropoli-
act the police to any required number, could be
massed In any Of the district for that matter IN
any part Of the State provided the Commissioners chose
send them 1t for this reason that pugsts be-
shy Of fighting in this neighborhood Informa-
ten would be received that przedght was arranged
b at certain time and place. 1t might be that
the news came to superintendent Kennedy only few
hours before the time Of meeting and after the prnci
pals the fight and their hackers had departed for the
Of the conflict The police telegraph was at once
brought requisition. II the fight to come of
enough Brooklyn for the police Of that city pe
ued Inspector Folk ordered take sucent force
break up the assemblae and arrest the principals and
those actively engaged in abettng them Often In less
eeSe tTU Kennedy at Police Hesduar
THIS FoF was on a ae bs 20 h sas
e be summoned by telegraph together. At the Police
Headquarters some other central point from stations
Hove S@s Inspector Fox the DUTY
signed him by the sT0ks ne mesas nd
severn! members Of the Brooklyn Common Council II
hs to to At
sades In Weetchester County on one of the islands in
s &
ccass. the sn s %1re Of passs
1t true the nasistrates Of lot this city
saS ST se w almost
offenders with trtning fine or sheved the complaint
part IN .: aSe,ting these brutal exhibitions had Is
tended effect aud, for considerable time, prize fghs
within the Metropolitan District or near It, became al
It was not Alone however, in preventing prize fights
outside q ms city beside attending tS their usual
tu For years the ronshs and thieves Of the metropolis
s1 been n The the n habit Of attending the
and other G where large
Of people we're to be drawn together Pckpockets piled
several OCCASIONS that the tSeves have Vs'
sether dened the authorities Of the places where the
sa1 U sa could I'd @
tanned FROM elsewhere. The Incoming Of the Metropoi
:asi ssthsrinss and with the aid u detective 81 Two
i ne
Or Gathering was over and an lie E for
tons passed Tho expenses of the police these
"a the oes.sion st tho boat between the Ward
ard s MsSor a the en y &
GiseuSe that formidable gang OF Ne ~ ~ and
for the purpose % ToDney danger
Of an Outbreak where 20 many OUTLAW were I SSnTega
eoppcrs who iuteriercd with them" One hundred picked
10 FousEReepse be fore the race begun As fast as the
ronrbs canei by rail and .eamer they were Pointed
rested them and locked them up. The r1scas did
dss to s % to 6S q thsp Value of as
strikingy repeated not long afterward when
xnd mas Ss in Sag ss Tne
day two in advance that AN attempt would be made,
while the attention OF the authorities was directed else
were To rise and overpower their keepers and IA TINS
The timely discovery of the plot and the presence Of
larger number Of Metropolitan Police than usual at such
gatherings prevented its being successfully carried OUT
ARE THE POLICE IN FAVOR OF THE CHANGEi
There IL que ton that the great majority OF the
police Of this city and Brooklyn In favor Of the
change, and the police Of the outlying districts
almost unanimously favorable to it, in consequence Of the
Increased aid II would give them emergencies. Scarcely
week passes during the Summer that the rural police
not engaged in conflicts with the ruians who attend
target and pic MICS and occasionally because
they largely oatnumbered the police are severely
beaten This would he the did the rouVhs know
they could reach the city they would be ill.,
tercepted arrested by force dispatched for that
purpose. the news OF the attack had been
ceved al Police Headquarters.
Above ALL il would place the Police almost entirely be-
yond the reach q politicians What police force may
becoue when subject direct political influence IL best
shown by that OF New-York aud Brooklyn to-day. In
tins city there is one police captain concerning whom
offered TO wager 5000 that could prove him thief,
while the captain il openly accused of being IN
coluson paelhouse Keepers and gamblers and OF
receiving good portion OF their unlawful gains
nnmoesfcd Another, whom TN TRIBUNE conclnsively
to be either mbecie the thieves
va merely 10 aa a
before the Police Board that third captain would not
Saa SSSn the h war
ns and could e secured and the subsequent
charge, Of the ofccr who had arrested and
the 81 The eaa Of Ss a p
geants from one precinct to another on the eve |
SbsenCe at these times in order that honest and ug
men may be replaced with Tammany tools, who will do
the pecous eject Of political Influences to which Ioay
BE- added the elevation VI incompetent officers to posi-
that they rendered substantial service by carrying a
doubtful district or ward oy dsreputable meaus Al