The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-02-03
THE BROOKLYN POLICE.

tnndequacy OF the Force i'm Tint City as COM
pared with New York.
The cycle OF CRIME which has Just swept over the
community OF the City OF Churches mas the whoie-
some eject at least OF awakening the people OF
Brooklyn to the exgency existing for an immediate
increase OF the police force, which 1t has been ary
and squarely demonstrated is entirely inadequate
TO accord common protection to the residents or
that city, The highwaymen have mad a harvest
such as has never heretofore been enjoyed there
with so slight molestau0n lew arrests. AT the
meeung OF the Common Council, held on Monday
last the question as to the proprety OF increasing
the numerical strength OF the guardians OF the
peace and public morals was preached, but was
finally laid over for consideration at the
next session. The ineniclency OF the force
in the matter Of making arrests and preventing
the commission OF crime on the public streets, the
rapid multiplication OF burgarles, sneak roDDerles,
assaults &C., most imperatlvey call forth the query
upon all sides as 10 what Is the cause OF tne stolld
indifference Of the police. Now II appears. upon
investigation, that the protection which me force,
at present constituted, can AFFORD ttie oetter
than snam. For instance, the area Oh the peat VI
the patrOiman supposed 10 go over the route wnere
the music teacher, John d. Panormo was robbed
and murdered ON the night OF January % runs from
Canton street to Washington avenue, about
three-quarters OF mile, and from me latter
1t Is simply Impossible, the police authorities
assert for any living man TO exercise sucn
teEraorv SO Great IN BrooHyn or elsewhere The
foOtpad knows the ''long beat' as well as "lhe
Waterman OF the night" He VIII therefore walt
until the officer has passed and u far out or ear
shot ere he 'goes for his prey.n This Is plausible
certainly. In the Ninth precinct, sparsey settled
district towards me outskirts. there beats 80
extensive that even Weston tine pedestrian could
not walk over In fourhour tour. The entire iorce
OF Brooklyn police does not exceed four hundred
and fifty men, inclusive Of captains sergeants
roundsmen, doormen, detectives sanitary officers aud
patrolmen. OF TINS number there are never more
than two hundred men on post duty at the same
time. This force has 10 cover an area OF land
about equal to that patrolled by the New YORK pO-
lice The latter force Is twenty-five hundred strong,
about five times greater than that Oh brooklyn.
But then, 1t may be argued, the population OF
Gotham Is million; that or brooklyn Is
little more than tour hundred thousand. This point
being conceded, follows the protection accorded
life and property By the ponce In New YORK Is lar
greater pr0pOrtOnatey, than In Beecher's COM
munitv The cost OF running the police machine In
New York Is about three million dollars per an
mum. In Brooklyn the cost IN round numbers Ii
$500 600, ''LeJ us have less park pleasure ground
and more OF the pleasure Of enjoying feeling OF
security by virtue of good, strong, 1ntegent
police iorce,n indignant taxpayer In Brooklyn re-
Gently exclaimed In crowd, aud the auditors ap-
provingly applauded the sentiment.
With the streets well lighted and properly pro-
tected by officers whose intelligence and courage
Will balance the scales OF justice IL bringing 10 the
tribunal OF the law those who now prey 80 darlngiy
and persistentlv upon the community, the pious
people OF Parsontown vii! breath reer as they
hurry nome from meeting these dark nights