The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-01-15
POLICE MATTERS.
QUESTIONS OF PUBLIC AND PRIVATE INTEREST
IN THE BOARD.

QUESTIONS OF PUBLIC AND PRIVATE INTEREST
IN THE BOARD.
The Commissioners OF Police held a protracted
secret session last evening. Meetings with closed
doors have become the order with the Board
lately They held secret session OF three hours
duration the day before yesterday, and
as far as appears the records no pub
lie benefit has yet been derived from all
this labor 1t is well understood though.
in police circles the cause of all the trouble-ior
there is trouble and no small amount OF It's the
detective office. The Commissioners have been
discussing this subject for long time with view
to a change and Improvement in the police sys-
tenn, but they have not yet been able to arrive at
any decision on the matter. II politics had MOTH
ing TO do with 1t or could be kept out OF sight
there would be an entire sweeping away
OF the arrangement now In force, and the
establishment OF system based partly on
the Austrian plan. President Matse and Com
missioner WORMS are strongly in favor of abolish
ing the detective squad and ward detectives The
absolute inadequacy OF the service as 1t Is now
constituted to deal with the requirements OF sus-
tanned order has been so often manifested that
they scarcely deem 1t necessary to dwell on that
part OF the subject. In the wards the officers kept
for detective duty are so directly sup
posed to be so deeply attached to
the captains interest and their own that the
commissioners are OF opinion that the public can
very well afford to see them IN Uniform doing
patrol work. That part OF the machine 10 easily
regulated; the detective ONCE is the stumbling
blocK or course there would not be much dim
Guilty there, eItaer II the Commissioners were all OF
one mind, but they are not. For very long time
back the ONCE mas been sort OF limbo Tor
political fav0rltes. rumOr OF interfering with
the 1avOrltes brings all the hackers up, and they
shake terror IN me faces OF the commissioners.
o deadlock in the Board.
Instead OF the present plan 1t is proposed to
appoint forty new men, ten of whom only shall be
known to be detectives. These men are to do the
entire work OF the city, ana the captains are to
have no aldes-de-camp In the shape OF ward
men. Three OF the ten are to De detailed 70 hunt
up the residences and hiding places OF thieves ana
report the result OF their laDors OF each day TO
the Captain at the Central ONCE. Books OF record,
showing all the information gathered ABOUT criml-
mas and suspected persons, will be kept in the
Detective Bureau so that an ohicer cam at any
moment, gam accurate knowledge OF a thief ne
may be looking Tor. The salaries OF these iOrty
detectives Will be placed on footing with that
be supplied with money for expenses in all cases
wnere outlay may be required to get at criminal.
detailed account OF all moneys received and
spent for this sort service Will be demanded Of
the defective and rewards will be managed as
they are low, with the difference that the Com
mlssioners WIZ insist on such sums being
paid into the police treasury. Any OFF,
Ger found IN league with lawyer,
o gambling house, or thief VIII be dismissed
from the service and alsoticers will be encouraged
in bringing TO the kno"ledge OF the Supefintend.
ent all Information they can CLEAN OF doinRs of
this KIND. For the reception of reports OF this
nature lions head secret drawer will be put Into
the front OF the Superntendents desk, SO that
an otiicer can quietly slip in the re-
port without beins noticed. When the. su-
perintendent has proved the statements contained
In the report IT VIII become his DUTY to send Tor
the detective complained OF, relate TO him what
Is charged and ask Tor his resignation. The Su-
perintendent may, IN his judgment, accept the
resignation at once, or hold 1t over the Oficer's
head, and allow hlm to continue, II he be valua-
bic man. Detectives now receive tut $1,000 q
year. the same pay as a patr0lman. II money
Is required to work up case, they
must risk their own, in the hope OF
getting It. back IN the shape OF a reward. Many
OF the men attached to the office Say they are
poor ana not able TO AFFORD tnis and the cOnse-
Quence IS criminals escape, VINO, under o more
complete ana thorough SYSTEM would be caught
and punished. The Board OF Police inaugurated
Its existence with a deadlock, and now that 1t Is
about to exit from the plane OF pubic usefulness
IT Is consistent enough to get up another.