The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-06-03
Tho Comptroller and the Police Esti.

the Comptroller and tho Police Esti-
Comptroller Green has thouobt nroper II
reduce the estimates of the Police Commits
sioners Tor the patrol service for the current
year by the large sum of three hundred
! thousand dollars There is no pretence that tho
department has been extravagantly MANAGED
or that any larger amount has been asked for
than is required to keep up the force to its pre-
sent efficiency. The Comptroller simply cuts
off three hundred thousand dollars, making
: the show upon paper of saving that amount,
and leaves to the Police Board the option of
: getting into debt and showing deficiency at
the close of the year, or of reducing the num-
Der Of the force in corresponding ratio. We
understand that the Commissioners refuse to
incur the responsibility of spending more than
( the amount appropriated to the service They
argue. and justly, that the action of the
Comptroller implies that he considers that the
protection of life and property does not demand
as largo patrol force as at present, and that
upon him will rest the responsibility of the re-
duction. Their own judgment leads them to q
needs increasing rather than diminishing, and
they urge their views upon the financial officer
of the city. He responds by stopping the sup
! plies and thus compels the Commissioners to
adopt his views and to reduce the number of
patrolmen.
AT the present time there are two thousand
one hundred men engaged On patrol duty.
This number is at least five hundred less than is
required for the proper protection of the city
In the Fifteenth, Eighteenth and Twentieth
precincts there are posts of duty from three to
five miles in extent. This is especially the
case in the uptown districts, where the most
watchfulness is needed. It is notorious that
{ the numerical insuficency Of the force is the
cause Of the successful organization of bands
: of thieves and ruffians known as the Spring
street gang, the Nineteenth ward gang and the
like, whose outrages are now an every day af-
fair The daily papers are filed with accounts
Of assaults, and frequently of murders, and
/ in many recent cases policemen have been the
victims. 1t is notorious, too, that the singu-
larry unfortunate policy of the Comptroller s
Office in delaying the payment Of large bodies
of city employees and laborors until lawless
threats Of violence become Of common occur
renee frequently necessitates the employment of
an extra police force about the City Hall Park.
Yet our citizens have now before them the
prospect of large reduction in the number of
the guardians of the peace, already inadequate
: for the proper protection Of their lives and
property.
The action of the Comptroller will necessi-
: tate the disbanding and dismissal of five hun
F dred patrolmen. This will leave the force
only sixteen hundred strong. One-third Of
the year has already passed, and as the
Police Commissioners have been carrying
on the force during that time on
: the basis of the estimates made by their
Board the reduction for the balance of the
year will require to be the greater. Burglars,
1pickpockets, murderers and rowdies will learn
of the action of the Comptroller with satisfac-
ton, but honest and peaceful citizens will con-
denim the policy that, for the sake of presenting
q reduced budget, subjects them to the danger
1of robbery, burglary and assassination.