New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-07-12

feet concentrate it. Inc superintendent VIII
Ne relieved from the consideration OF many
details, and will thus BIO given opportunity for
more general study of his command ana tho
requirements of the city which he is to defend.
These formerly OnerOus duties, now DIVIDED
among four Inspectors need not Cypress
either. and vet will require close and constant
attention from all. Each will now have the
watching and directing of five or six precincts.
Hinder the former organization the Superin-
tordant had 10 know the details Of thIrty-five
nrecincts. This was 80 nearly impossible that
in the mast each corrupt captain became
little tyrant in his precinct, miSus-
inc mower end levying tribute. Inc
Inspectors, and moi the Superintendent only,
will hereafter be held responsible for the good
conduct of the several captains under their
control. Before, the ward detectives and tho
captans formed the little rings Tor the stimuli
tanoous protection and plumber OF the criminal
classes and Illicit trafickcrs OF their various
nrecincts. Hencefortb these rings must include
captains and inspectors, and TO TINS cxtchI SUCH
corruption becomes more diiilc''lt.
It is a subject of congratulation, further
that the new organization gives the RESPONSE
ble duect,on o.e the force to such men as
Walling, Diks, Speight, .Thorne, and McDer,
mott, who have grown up with tie iorce, anu
of whom it can be more truly said than OF any
others in the service, that they have made 1t
study and q profession and have won promo
tiop less by political influence than by personal
effort
But after all, this change does not go to inc
root of the evil. We do not mean to say thaI
the present Commissioners can apply the true
remedy. They may reform tho police, put
cannot reform themselves. The radical defect
in the organization lies in the method OF ap-
pointing tho head,-in the selection OIL the
Commissioners themselves. The department
which of all Others should be conducted upon
non-partisan principles, it is the first which
successful political parties attempt to seize
after each election. The one which ought TO
he tbe last to interfere in political movements,
il is the branch of local government which ex-
erciscs the greatest influence at all ecctlohs.
And that they may be useful to the domnant
party, Commissioners have hitherto been chosen
for their active devotion to their political
leaders. Personal Obstinacy on the late Mayor
Havemeyer's part and little common sense
ON the part of Mayor Wickham have given us
a Board less Objectionable on this score than
many which preceded it; but it is by no
means perfect. And for obvious reasons 1t
cannot be. The method of appointment and
removal, the uncertainty of the tenure and
term of service, the lack of incentive to efh-
cient conduct, deter instead of attracting the
best service of the best men. There is nothing
to induce man, by hope of prefcrment, to
give I'D his business or profession for the I'M
certainty of service on commission OF this
kind Not until there is absolute divorce be-
tween the police and political organizations
can there be hope of thoroughly good police.
1t is difficult to tell how such reform is to
be brought about (save by constant agitation
of the question:, but the truth remains the
same that the great defect in the Ncw-York
police lies with the head.