The New York herald., 1875-12-02
THE POLICE COMMISSIONERS IDEAS
What Our Guardians Are and What
They Ought To Be.
HEALTH BOARD REVELATIONS.
How Long New Yorker Should
BE Sick Every Year.

CoMMITTEE-IMPoRTANT TESTIMONY
! The Assembly Committee on Crime renewed their
Investigations yesterday by calling the stand Com
| missioner William +. Smith, OF the Police Board, who
was examined to his knowledge OF the wants and
| quirements OF tho Police Department. The General
did think thcre sufficient patrolmeni the
erage length Of their posts by long, there
should be at least 500 properly guard the city
there only 22el they uhe Police COMMISSION
ers had increased the force this year $780, but the
Board OF Apportionment had cut them down to the
| original number; the detective force is not ehi-
cient it might be- they wanting in intelligence
and proper shrewdness detectives reimbursed for
any expenditures they incur in making arrests OF
criminals; detectives not sufficiently paid; good
detective should get, witness thought about S. 500
So, 900 year; their salaries should be
GRADUATED ACCORDING TO MERIT;
the police should be divided into grades and receive
salaries accordingly; the roundsman should be paid
more than patroman; he should get ST. 800 year;
the captains he did think sufficiently paid; !;
this office was responsible one and they should get
at least 81 500 the General advocate OF good
pay for in responsible positions Inspectors should
receive 81 00o and the Superintendent $40 600; the
latter position demanded man OF superior TALENT he
should be cool in Judgment quick to think, accurate in
directing fair and impartial possessing knowledge of
human nature and military discipline; the Commits
sioners, the General thought paid enough; poll
tics entered too much into the appointment OF men on
/ the police; he did not think the force efficient as
! force; there weakness in the captains and that
tended demoralze all their subordinaes; witness
thought that the Police Commissioners at present
invested with ample power, but from what be knew
OF the way some men got on the force and re-
ceived promotion, IL would be well If some
temporary power Of removal were given to the Com
missoncrs; the connection Of the street cleaning with
the Police Department injurious and had proper
legitimate connection with 1t; belonged rather
the Board Of Health; ward detectives when good n
should be retained, but they often acted said
go betweens to make money for the captains the
power of appointing the detective should not be
gwen to the captain of the precinct captains should
held responsible for their precincts where found
derect should be dsmissed the Board Of Police Com
missoners should consist of odd number OF men,
bers captains Of police who failed break up gambling
houses in their precincts should be punished witness
had very little confidence in the present staff of de-
tectives employed headquarters; he did not know
one
CENTRAL DETECTIVE
that he could so to confidence; in his opinion the
system OF espionage criminals practised Europe
would work well here-a e.. compel every person
victed of report the Superintendent OF Police
his residence once per month and make 1t
! a misdemeanor Tor him fail 10
! so; the law provides that all gambling
instruments shall be broken up, but the rule
provides that they shall only be broken up after
vicon; under the rule of this kind of property
has been returned to the owners; he reason
why gambler who robs certain class should not
have his tools destroyed well as those taken from
burglars; ho believes that gambling houses not
common formerly; whenever the police enter the
Ann and Barclay street gambling houses they ind
merely tables spread and free lunches he thought the
system OF inspection districts is good and the
power OF inspectors should be enlarged unless the
| inspector has more power aud larger torce his
star abuses win exist; May captains have
requested TO be transferred 10 oosterous precincts
! where there panel houses and gambling houses
In answer 70 the question as TO what has been the
/ oP CRIME,
he said that ntemperance surely brings about GER
tain class of crime, such murders and assaults; the
only way to deal with houses Of ifame Is to license
them; the Board OF Police anxious that the esti.
necessary for additional patrolmen should be
passed. there but nine detailed detectives
would bo efficient II IL in the power Of the
Board officers at wil irrespective ofa trial
ExPolce Commissioner Joseph Bosworth, who was
in office about years. testified that, in his judg-
ment, the number on the force In 1870 insufficient
where there was much property at the mercy Of bur-
glars was TOO long, captain OF police, In his opinion
should have or more detectives at his disposal;
any detective would IN time become known to the ex-
pert criminal classes;
SECRETLY APPOINTED OFFICERS
could not their relation the force long
il they had make arrests; 1t is almost impossible to
have a perfectly managed municipal police, the Com
missioners being brought into close connection with
disturbing influences; every party the police
force and the appointing OF Commissioners and they
expect some benefit IN consequence; under the Metro
politan system there less OF this influence;
partisan Board could be selected by Mayor just as
well by Governor II he disposed; the Excise
laws well enforced by the Metropolitan Excise and
Metropolitan Police boards then the from
licenses nearly 81 600 000 the OF 1870
the laws not well enforced; the license fees
we're reduced by the republicans, and tho laws were
less efficient for closing; nave never made the subject
oil licensing houses OF prostitution study ''n Ihat
matter do not profess to be an expert" said the
Judge.
Commissioner J. R voorhis trecalled) stated, in
substance that there ought TO be more paromen than
there are that there ought to be 2500 instead Of 6
and that there ought be 900 II the condition Of the
city finances would permit there Is want OF harmony
In the Board; It has the
sFpRcr or DEmoRALIzISo THE PORCH
from the top 10 the bottom; is dangerous 70 place
power for summary removal In the hands or Police
boards at present constuted be favored the plan
Of bus Commissioner, and saw much reason for
two more Comptrollers or Commissioners OF Public
Works for plurality OF Commissioners OF Police as
10 the detective force, he said about e-hai
Sa ,n0Se On au,S wasn ass ne wen. mere nIo
too small; they are often forced 70 make
expenditures that they do not put In claims for
$2,000 there should be ward detectives but it s not
necessary that they should bo the choice under the
orders OF the captain; have thought OF having two
detectives working In pairs; one only known to the
Commissioners and the superintendent the other 10
make arrests and sometimes t might be well TO en-
| ploy women; the secret should not be known 10
each other and should work in pairs; before he went
there notorious receivers Of stolen goods would
in and sitting down with the detectives, discuss
police matters they had stopped that and now they
had 70 meet receivers OF soaen goods and friends
or criminals In other places he agreed
with General Smith 70 the proprety OF
having secret espionage by detectives in France;
he did not think wise 70 make the ponce conrol me
cleaning OF Streets Il should be removed entirely be.
yond the Jurisdiction or the Police Board, ne was
opposed 10 the licensing OF houses Of prostitution, be-
cause is a criminal offence and declared that he
satisfied that II would be wrong TO license them. As
TO the
) GRADING or POLICEMEN
he said there might be classes Of policemen commenc-
ing with reduced rate Of pay; that after they had IN
creased in efficiency they might be advanced he would
nave three grades or patromen three Of pay
and one grade roundsmen and scrgcants whose du
ties are dentcal with the detectives, they might bt
graded as WE'LL aud the salary Of captains should bt
raised TO 81 500 So 000 this would make them more
efficient and honest; u is wise 70 promote iron
i the ranks up through the grades to captains
! Police Justice Murray was questioned as 70 the din
Guilty OF breaking up disorderly houses; he had sen