The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-06-21

Irregularities Under the New Regime.
Notwithstanding that new broom has come into
operation in the Police Department the old cob
webs cling about the institution with the tenacity
OF antiquity. The present Commissioners stepped
into ONCE amid most tremendous 1ourshing OF
trumpets and sh0utings OF reform, but up to the
present time nothing whatever has been done by
them TO regulate the most glaring abuses in the
Department. Plenty Of time has elapsed to
give the Commissioners opportunity to
understand the peculiarities OF police life, the
workings OF the machine and the requirements Of
the pubic. They ought to be now thoroughly con-
versant with all the branches OF the service and
their position before the people, and ii can scarcely
be asking too much Of them 10 put the force into
proper working order. Under the crush Of joyous
sounds that swept them into office they started
with virtuous and saving dash tnat carried them
into the telegraph department Without know
ing absolutely anything about the labors
OF the once or It's relationship TO the
Departm they discharged ell the operators but
TWO. This completely parayzed the place, and for
a day or two the greatest confusion reigned. The
Board then. becoming sensible OF the absurdity Of
their action, reappOlnted one OF the dismissed
operators and reduced the salaries OF all TO 81 600
year. Before taking back this one, however, at
the magnificent remuneration OF $1,000, the Com
missioners asked the superintendent OF tine tele-
graph ONCE for report upon the management Of
his bureau. The superintendent recommended
that q sergeant be detailed at the telegraph ONCE
every day to help to work the instru-
sergeant is consigned to the duty OF telegraph
operator every day. Consistency IS an admirable
thing, particularly in body so much looked up to
by the common people as the Police Commission
ers. Here is one operator in the police telegraph Of
ce every day who receives asalary Of 81 600 year.
to the work and competent are paid $1,000. Be-
sides, II these sergeants can be spared away from
their precincts every Day there must s De nothing
be promoted to captaincles and appointed to places
where they could lounge, or be reduced to the
But ali this is not the case The seTgeants are
wanted In their several precincts. and badly
portant duty In the rank of sergeant to fill the
places OF operators ut the Central ONCE. Police
men are q more than usual culning class OF men.
and II the thing happens to be at all in the way
OF lOosenlng the band OF surveillance upon their
Wth naIl asc p dong duty
telegraph operators at Police headquarters ought
to be, according to the rules and practice OF the
Department, patr0iling their precincts during that
time. Pntrolllng precinct means looking after
the oficers Of his command and seeing that they
are doing their duty. The weather is now warm,
not to say hot; l0comotion is distressing, and the
platoon or policemen whose sergeant is at .the
building" will make the most OF an easy time. to
certainty. Ideas are not bad things nor are odd
the indulgence OF them; but when they
enjoyed ~ puUllC cApcHSc uuu W uoVTI.
ment Of the public service, 1t Is time they gave way
and common sense was put In their place. II the
Police Commissioners would turn their attention
to the police and most especially the captains, they
could do the people some good. slipshod, easy
the captains for so tong time that many Of them
think they are continued in the service for its
embellishment 1t is difficult matter
and more difficult still to get any useful informa-
ton from them when they are discovered Good
men there are, certainly. Some competent cap
tains are in bad places and bad men are IN good
places The first thing thought OF among them IS
to save themselves as much as possible, and the
next Is the contemplation OF their uniforms and
civilians dress. When any great or startling
crime IS committed 1t takes them so much by sur
prise that hours elapse before any intelligence of
the affair is telegraphed 10 Police Headquarters;
extra assistance may be wanted, or more capa-
BILE and experienced head than the captains may
be required to unravel knotted story, but the
captains do not think won't admit this, and the
result is that many desperate criminals
escape. superintendent Matsel lett a standing
order at Headquarters with Inspector Walling, on
leaving his ONCE the day he was sworn, that he
should be called up at no matter what hour during
the night If anything important occurred. How Is
the Inspector on duty to Gil up the Superintend-
ent II he knows nothing about what is go
ing on? The captains are to blame Tor
this. They take too much upon themselves at
critical moments and spend too much useful time
on unimportant details thorough revision OF
the captains and the precincts they ill is the most
necessary thing the Department, and it Is to be
hoped the commissioners will look to 1t at an early