The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-01-17
The Management OF the Metropolitan
Police.

In the East wnen man VINO has been
robbed applies to the police for the recovery
of his property he is met at the outset by the
question, GLOW much will! you give?"
Though the world has laughed long and
heartily at this condition of society nothing
more aptly describes the protection the police
of New York affords to the people of the metrop-
oils Some time ago gentleman riding in an
Eighth avenue car saw pickpocket steal
lady's purse. Collaring the thief he took him
to the station house, but while be was handing
over his prisoner the sergeant in charge, who
knew him, reproachfully remarked, II did not
think this of you" Last summer the SWIM
ming match at Long Branch was interrupted
by boat in which there were number Of
people only too well known to the police, and
among them was the captain of the detective
service. Lately many serious charges have
been preferred against this officer, and yet,
although there has been nothing like thorough
Investigation into their truth, he still holds
his place. When it is known that police
captain levies contributions on the gambling
houses and other dens OF vice in his precinct
he is seldom punished, and, if at all, only by
transfer TO another precinct The community
believes that the police are the allies OF the
thieves and burglars who so frequently COM
nit crime with impunity. Ii is not often that
q criminal is caught except it be by some
other person than policeman Even if the
intention o: the officer was right the officer
has little chance in coping with a moderately
expert burglar. Tbs average criminal is
-. rsa of arms and mora
exper; and intelligent Than the average police
man. Even in the detective office the So
called detectives are utterly without acuteness,
and taken as a whole a feebler lot intellec-
tually could not well be brought together.
Going back Tor years il is impossible tor this
boosted department to show what il has done,
while there are evidences on every hand Of
what il failed TO accomplish. The detective
Office never had trace of the murderer of Mr.
Rogers. in Twelfth street, or of Mr.. Nathan, in
Twenty-third street In spite of its boosted
knowledge Of Mosher and Douglas, commun-
Gated after they were dead, it is plain the po-
lice had no information Of them living to con-
meet them with the abduction of Charley Ross
The whole business is sham, and, besides
being useless, the detective bureau is dis
honest, while corruption undermines and de-
stroys every other department of the police
service.
Such results as these are not directly trace
able to the present Board Of Police. They
begun with the organization of the force and
have grown up under many successive adj
ministratons. At last the evil has become
almost uncomfortable, and the Police Commits
sioners are incapable of correcting it. We
speak of these gentlemen in all kind
ness and friendliness, but at the
same tim, we confess that nothing
more painful could be presented than
their reported efforts at reform within the
last few days. Impelled to do something,
they yet know not what to do. Their in
efficiency is patent, and yet, even in their in
efficiency, they are personally not much to
blame. What success would civil Board
have in managing campaign? The manage
ment of police force is not a less difficult
undertaking. To perform duty like that
committed to Superintendent Walling
efficiently and skilfully requires abilities
| equal to the command of an army. Suppos-
ing Mr.. Walling to possess them, which we
need not doubt, for, practically, he is un-
| tried, we cannot expect him to succeed while
his movements are all directed by inferior
men. He has no control over the captains of
precincts except as the executive officer of the
Board, and no voice whatever in the appoint
ment or discipline of his subordinates. The
captains have no fear of him, because he can
neither displace nor punish them, and even
the patrolman feels that his place is secure
while he has influence in the Board The
detective Office is as Independent of him, APP
parently, as if it was in Boston or Baltimore
| or Philadelphia. He is mere fgurehead to q
Punch and Judy show. Within day or two
it has been proposed to clothe him with
| greater power at leas. as regards the detective
office. The new plan is to place the detective
force under the immediate direction and SUI
pervision of the Superintendent. and to re-
quire every person wanting information or
assistance from the police TO go to him in the
! first instance. This is a step in the right
direction, but it is not very much of step
after all, when we consider that over him sits
a Board which it is his duty to obey though it
| Is incapable 10 direct
Just here we desire to make point which
| strikes us as the keynote to the present in
harmonious condition of our police force. II
| is sad confession which the Police Commits
sioners make in resolution at this late day,
of compelling all the business Of the police to
be done through the chief 1t seems to inn
ply that people have been going elsewhere for
help and have been confronted with that sim
gular Eastern question, "What will you
give?" Is it possible that the detective Office
in city like New York is an official organ
ization for the compromising of fell
onies and the earning of rewards? 1t
has long been known that stolen property may