New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-12-02
COMMENTS ON POLICE EFFICIENCY.

TESTIMONY BEFORE THE COMMITTEE On CHIME
SHORTCOMINGS EXPLAINED AND SUGGESTIONS
MADE by THE COMAussIoNEGs-No PRoTEC-
TON AGAINST sTEEET-CAR Io9BGHEs.
The Assembly Committee on Crime held
meeting Yesterday at the City Hail Police Commits
orer smith presented statement OF the condition OF
the polce force In the patrol force there were at
present 2s captains, 103 sergeints, 1872 roundsnen,
533 effective patrolmcn, l6l being absent ana 90
do3r1nen. making total OF 2,2j0. In the companies
and squads there were captains, 20 Sersrahts, 20
r3uudsmen 2l2 paTomen, and IL doOrnen; these, WIN
/ .riperutendeut, and inspectors made grand total
Of 253s subtracing from this number Al dismioSals
and designations gives The actual police force 2,iS7
men There were $50 night posts the aggregate length
Of which was about S25 miles the average length Of
each night post was mile and rods and OF each actual
day post miles and rods.
The force Gen. Smith said was not sufficient for the
size Of the city He did consider the police force
an efficient body. Weakness developed in the cap
ainccs sooner than in any other positions and tins
weakness had a tendency to demOralze the men, The
witness had very lte confidence IN the detectives AT
Headquarters He had known OF instances where Ills Or
conveyed to criminals almost before the proper
nolicc officers knew of them lie thought IL would be
good thing all who had been punished as criminals
once were required report their residence etc. at
Ueadguarters once a month. Gambling implements
were not broken up until the conviction OF the owners
These implements Accumulated yeTy rapidly aI Head
quarters He thought that the Inspector should nave
the power his district that the superintendent has IN
the city. The Inspectors should have more power ana
more assistance lntempeance, witness sai, was IN
his opinion, the inducing cause OF all CRIME
As TO houses OF il-leme, he considered IL I'M
p PcSt best thing was to control them by license
Ex-Sommissoner Bosworth said each party, when IN
nocT nXpected some benefit politically the police
and the Police Commissioners lie believed that the
Somms,loners should he appointed by the Mayor. when
askcd what he considered the source OF crime. he
answered the deprayity OF human nature io Thought
taa the excise laws enforced more effectively under
tIe old NctropOtan Police than under the present sys
rem of municipal police lie did not believe that the
amount of the license fee had effect on the number OF
saIoon The number was fully large under the system
az heavy fees as under that OF light fees. Commissioner
Vooris thought that more p4tl0inen NeTo leeded IN
and upright, there should he placed III tue han Oh te
Board that power which they could exercise Tor the sum
mary discharge OF any III the Police Department He
did not think the detective force was pald scenty;
There should be ward detectives Dut they should not
be appOntes OF the captains ne thousnt that .neie
.hod be Service in the city, the men working
in pairs. one 10 present the case IN court a te oner
To remain unknown except To the superintendent I'M
PIGMENTS OF gaming should be DESTROYED the same AS
rgars tools whether the owners had been convicted
on not lie thought 1t ought 10 be punishable crime
for person take alias. In his opinion IL was not
wIse TO place STRENGTHENING under the control OF the
police specially the force was smaller imam now
fame: Tho business was crime and should be punished
as such lie considered that among tue patromen and
detectives there should DC grades according 70 nc aDty
Of the men, the distinction 10 be marked by differences III
pay. ,.- No.. .s,,eod .hot ,bera ,yos M ai.
cretionary power given To the Justices To hold proprie
tors OF disorderly houses n they could pay the lines
called for of disorderly houses had been
brought before him he had been called by politicians
Who intcrceed for the who kept the houses He
believed that intoxcaOn the source OF all the crime
ln the city lie did not think that houses OF illame
should b. licensed.
John Mooney n conductor on the Grandst line OF cars,
testified that he had been annoyed greatly by pick
uocketA When he had warned the passengers the pick
pockets said they would get square with him. \ few
nights after got the cur, and tried TO quarrel
with the witness, and. when ne put of, broke two
panes OF glass with stone. EIdeectiye Martinez ties
lined that had got the car found many pickpock
.s and was Obliged 20 clear the platform 10 let people
of Conductor Dennis Moody Of the Third-ave
line testified that he had men robbed on tue ne
saw one lose 1000 on tho ear. Conductor Robert
LennOx Of the Thifdaye line gave description OF rob
berles ON his car EX-Detectve Martinez thought that
two men should be detailed TO clear streets OF pick
pockets. when piekpOcket arrested he should be
shown TO all the officers. Conductor Fry OF the Grandst
ears also gave his experience OF car robberies.
The Committee then adjourned until Friday at 1920
M at the Grand Central Depot, from which point they
will 20 10 the Catholic Protectory.