, 1873-01-25

down an American yessel-of-war in the japan
eoes, and loft the officers and crew Of the latter
to perish with their ship.
| 1--n@-
THE POLICE OF THE CITY.
Tho Board of Police Commissioners Of thie
city are again involved in IN nnseemly quarrel
with tho Superintendent. It is question Of
authority upon the reorganization Of tho force.
The fact is, the Police Department Of Chicago
has been eo long run as al asylum for Alder
| manic and other political stipcndiarics that it
lad become utterly inefficient. The men and Of
fcers recognize political allegiance, and de-
mand political protection. The Board OF Police
| has been no better than the force,-both had d.
I generated together. Tho Superintendent, or
any other person who would undertake
to reform this :: condition of things,
must expect hostility. His notions
Of what is necessary to make an efficient police
force arc certainly opposed to all precedent in
the hitherto loose way in which affairs hare
been managed. Tho Board won't make the nec-
ossary orders, and won't do anything to olevnte
the character Of tho Department; and, when the
Superintendent undertakes to do SO, there is an
outcry that he is usurping powers belonging to
the Board. Men who are on the police claim
that they have vested right to have things go
on just as they have been; the Superintendent
decides that they must do and perform whatevor
he requires Of them, and the Commissioners
hold semi-weekly secret sessions over the coll
duct Of the Superintendent because he presunies
to act without their previous authority.
The police force Of Chicago ought to be ns
thoroughly organized, as completely disciplined,
and under as absolute control Of responsible
officer as is military organization. There can
be no hope that it will ever be effective without
changing it's character from \ scmi-political in
stitution into real police force. Instead OF
being an asylum for pcnsoned political strikers,
it should be brigade Of strong athletic men,
fit for active duty, and thoroughly disciplined to
obedience to tie orders Of their superiors. Tho
Captains and Sergeants should be brought to d
consciousness that they arc also subordinates,
owing implicit obedience to their supsriors.
possible, as strict es that Of the army; this, Of
course, would end in the discharge OF a 1argo
number Of the present force, and just there is
the difficulty with the Commissioners. They
owe political duty, and they object to anything
which requires the dismissal OF the host of in
efficient men who represent every ward in the
city On the force. Considerations OF public
character are all postponed for those Of a per-
soual and political kind.
II the Commissioners will issue IN order an-
thorizing the Superintendent to report every
man on the force who is not fit for SERVICE and
then, By the proper course, dismiss them when
reported, it will give the public some OF that
confidence in the Board which is now wholly
wanting. II they would authorize the suporin-
tendent to nominate men for appointment whom
he, after thorough trial md examination, shall
think proper for policemen, aud appoint such
men, then there will be some hope that in time
Commissioners must learn the fact, unpleasant
as it may be to them, and mortifying as
1t ought to be- that they arc IN
fitted in every respect to exercise the
power Of selection and appointment. This is
notorious to everybody outaide the Board,
and the sooner tho Board accept the situation
the better it will be for the public interests.
Another thing, equally evident to the public, is
that the Board is utterly incompetent to man
age the details Of the Police Department. The !
Commissioners are public servants appointed to
compel the police force to execute the laws,
and yet the whole time Of the Board is occupied
IN senseless persecution Of tho Superintendent
for enforcing the law. Instead OF being
guarantee to the public that tho police force will
perform their duty faithfully, this Board, under
an allegiance to its political masters, arrests tho
execution Of the law, and encourages .insubor-
dinstion throughout the force. They net as
nnEalyeis,. not only upon tho integrity and
efficiency Of the police force, but upon the
popular respect Tor, ind obsdience to, law.
The Superintendent finds the police force, in
the matter Of organization for patrol duty, in o
most doplorablo and ipeficient condition. Ho |
has undertaken to reform this by rearrnnge-
ment Of the hours on consecutive duty and the |
division Of the patrols, by which he places on
watch from To- 4 o'clock at night double |
FORGE; he has also made one stop toward
BY pntting these pa.rolmen
into distinct squads, each squad under
the personal supervision Of. an officer who |
IS on duty with them. Responsibility is thus
established, and each patrolman is under tho |
special observation of 3 superior, By day and by
night. AL this is innovation; it looks to
En- improvement Of The force; it promotes
strict discipline;~ it puts M ond TO |
fsvoritism; it offers increased security