New Orleans Republican., 1873-07-23
Arming the New York Police.

we called attention some days ago to the
fact that the New York police authorities
we're about to arm and organize into mill
1ary body the police force OF that city,
after the plan adopted by the State author
tiles of Louisiana. Since then we learn
that requisitions have been made out for
Reming gton rifles. sabres, revoivers and
uniforms for providing these men an outfit.
Unlike our Democratic journals, the daily
papers in New York, irrespective of poll
tics, speak favorably of the proposition.
An explanatory circular has been issued
giving the views OF the police board on tho
subject:
No city or municipality is secure against
the occurring of circumstances requiring a
resort to the military power to suppress
violent proceedings. The law recognizes
and provides for such exigencies, even in
the rural districts of the State. In the
metropolitan district there are likely to be
frequent occasions for resort to military
force. The progress OF mastering and noti-
Iying the National Guard is quite too slow
for such exigencies, and Is calculated to in
crease the excitement and panic incident
TO such occasions and to aggravate the
tary force is attended with great expense:
4. is q serious interruption to the business
avOcatiOns of the members OF the corps.
The citizen soldier ought to be relieved, as
far as is consistent with the public welfare,
from the hard duty of using firearms upon
q citizen mob
These and other considerations combine
in support Of the suggestion that brigade
of the police tOrce-say five hundred in
Iacx scNs Gown -ha zad
in military form. and instructed in the man
Ual of arms and in evOlutions adapted to
service in cities. This brigade to be used
as military force only under such grave
circumstances as may authorize the Board
of Police to call out the military Of the dis
trict in the aid of the civil authority. Such
Q force we'll drilled, accustomed to act to-
gether, at all times ready for duty. capable
Of being called out without adding to the
public excitement, and without the know.-
edge of the hostile parties, would, it is be-
lieved, be able to defeat or arrest in their
inception violent attempts to disturb the
peace of the city. 1t is only necessary to
refer to tho records Of the draft riots Of
July, 1863. II Il police brigade had been
organized at that time, and fully up to the
drill and discipline Of q military organiza-
ton, the city, no doubt, would have been
saved over $1,00O,OO0, and public and pri-
vate property protected.
Irresponsible, armed military bodies ac-
eustomed to drill, and acting under com.
anand Of desperate men, are perpetual
menace to the legal authorities and a
formidable source of danger to society.
They could not be controlled By the police
unless they also were drilled and armed.
There are numerous organizations IN the
city composed of quiet and wsil-disposed
persons to which these suggestions DO not
apply, but it is scarcely compatible with
the public safety in city filed with pow
crtui, dangerous class, and subject to sud
Gen excitements, to allow armed military
organizations to meet. drill and attain the
discipline of regular troops unless they
were organized under and virtue of law
and subjected to proper and responsible
command.