The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-07-28

Ou Police and The Ne,c CHy Comaca.-
We have in Richmond as good system of
police as any State in the Union can show,
and although the discipline is less strict
than in other cities, we find as far as the
policemen themselves are concerned, that
general satisfaction with their efficiency
prevails. Yet we feel ourselves compelled
to call the attention of the new City Coun-
Gil to several necessary changes in the sys-
tenn. In spite of every watchfulness there
is great deal of theft here, and nothing
contributes more to produce this than the
fact that the police are also the lamp-light-
ers.
Where else in the whole world is such an
idiotic arrangement as, that the guardians
of the public safety, of whose precise
position in his beat as one should be
aware, has to light and extmguish lamps,
that every thief may know where he is and
how long it must take him before he is
again available for his proper business
watching his beat. The thieves are cum
ming; they know precisely where the
police are at q certain moment, and that as
the Lighting Of great number of lamps
takes time, they are protected by ill
ordered rules for safety-the opportunity
to steal !; and many a one has found out
that they avail themselves of it.
Many robberies never come to light, as
many persons dislike being laughed at and
know that the detectives who are paid by
the city never do anything forany one with
out being paid second time.
Ergo, could not this change be made, viz:
Let the city cease to pay the detectives, and
let every one who needs them, pay them,
and place them the detectives) under strict
surveillance.
But you will say the city has expenses
enough, and if extra lamp-lighters are to be
appointed they will require pay. We are
far from wishing to impose new burdens on
the city, on the contrary we desire econo-
my, and we here make proposition which
would certainly ibring about the end in
view.g -,
0urscity, with its $4,000 inhabitants, has
a mayor as highest police officer, with
chief Of police and four captains of po-
lice to assist him. Now, we have but
three police-stations. To what purpose,
then, a chief and an extra captain, both
only to assist the mayor? Suppose, now,
we entirely did away with the unnecessary
chief, left the supreme control of the police
to the mayor, kept as his aid one captain,
and give three lieutenants, on smaller sala-
ries, the control of the station-houses
Moreover, couple more seayeants might
be created, to be able to hold out prospects
of advance to efficient policemen, and the
whole machinery would be less complicated,
better, and above all, things would work
more economically, and we should have
money enough over to appoint special
This is proposition only dictated by
motives of improvement and economy, not
because we have any objections to raise
against the present or late officers. But
our City Council has already shown that it
is its earnest endeavor to tighten the bur-
dens of the citizens, and we consider it our
duty to offer it our aid and advice.
The above, from the Stats Gazette, one
of our German contemporaries, we cordial
ly endorse, and recommend it to the favor
able consideration of our City Council.