The New York herald., 1872-11-28
THE DEMORALIZED POLICE.

The Re0rg ganfxatfon or the Park Police
Lax Discipline and lnsolent Behavior
OF the Men.
There was good deal or excitement yesterday
among the members OF the Park police. Every
where the HERALD's report OF the views OF Colonel
Stebbins and Comptroller Green In regard to the
proposed reorganization OF the Park force
was the principal subject Of conversation.
There seems to be no doubt that the
force is, as Colonel Stebbins said on Tues
day, "demoralized,n and the men feel instinc-
lively that they are going to be ''shaken up.n A
burglar policeman, like Aiken, could not possibly
exist in the force, because there are no valuable
buildings to be watched, bur still there are large
number OF cases Of gross misconduct on the part OF
the men. The Park Commissioners the last few
months have had to try many men for intoxication,
for staying in buildings while they ought to have
been on their posts and for other causes The dis
cipine seems to have been very lax of late, and it
WIN be some time before the thorough efficiency Of
the force can be restored.
THE REORGANIzgD PARK POLICE.
The Park Commissioners intend soon to reorgan-
highest standard OF efficiency, and have adopted
the plan OF reorganization proposed by Mr.. Fred
ana 81 he IN
yesterday with the Park Commissioners on this
subject. Mr.. Stebbins, the President Of the Board
gave his views very freely to the reporter. "The
force, said Mr.. Stebbins, "does not work with the
degree OF efficiency commensurate with the de-
sires OF the Board. There are bad elements In 1t,
which must be left out, and there Is lamentable
lack OF discipline. The force, as reorganized, VIII
undoubtedly % meet The highest expectations Of the
Board and OF the citizens OF New York;
LAX DISCIPLINE
is not the only charge that has been preferred
against the men. Many Of them have assumed an
1nsolent tone towards visitors in the Park, and
when anybody falls into an error simply through
ignorance and thoughtlessness the policemen re-
that they provoke resistance. THIS insolent con-
duct OF some OF the men has led to q number OF
complaints, and is extensively referred TO in the
report OF Mr.. Olmsted. The great difficulty is that
many OF the men have been appointed not on
accoant OF their merit or their fitness but through
the influence OF politicians who wanted to get
places for their friends The portion of Mr.. Omsted's
report which refers to this difficulty is very sgnf-
can't
THE INFLUENCE OF POLITICIANS.
Selection Of many of the men the force has
duaaeaSs than With view to the gTacaton q
ayaE o e sn neer N % e
edge Of the kind Of service desirable to be secured in its
5 hs hSss s hnIs q M as
aborers and unable to gain livelihood in any regular
These misfortunes with perhaps the t Of their
can be used politically have been in fact the grounds Of
BIG PAY AND LITTLE WORK.
hsra aI point out that while neh me men
such as to make them much harder to train into de-
eas sy n wS Sor f s
Ssd the o @
1t Ma@ ne hSt %
sary 70 ots pay with the least application
OF intelligence to its duty possible.
The men employed in the present force are not
as q class. sufficiently trained for their duties
Their training ought to be different from that OF
regular policemen. Here is the portion OF Nj.
Olmsted's report which refers to this subject:-
LACK OF TRAINING.
The service for which there is the most frequent need
pointing out to visitors, and mainly to and chill
dren, how they best attain what they desire, far
as it to be found in the Park and cautionng them in
respectful courteous and propitating way when they
may be seen to be going wrong either gnoranty
essy, or through an inadequate appreciation of the
harm which would result in the Park from actions which
elsewhere often pass as venaI, II not harmless Such,
for for example would be the picking Of waysde flowers or
class of men unfit to be charged with the response
form ordinary parkkeepers duties the walks in a
cor0us anu e1cent manner, whose wi1g and jealous
service could be obtained at wages considerably
less than paid the Metropolitan the present Park
patrol
The Board Of Park Commissioners evidently in
tend to give the people better and q reformed
Park police, and the new plan Of reorganization
will probably be at once carried into execution.