New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-01-05
POLICE ECONOMY.

The act of the extra session of the Leg
islature, which became law by approval
on the thirty-first ultimo, limits the ex-
penditures for salaries and all purpose Of
the Metropolitan police, to little less than
half million dollars per year. To meet
its requirements this act authorizes the
Metropolitan Police Board to reduce
salaries Of all employees, and to discharge
members Of the force. The act meets the
demands of the public for retrenchment;
it finds favor with the people. The hasty
action taken by the Police Board does not.
The board evidently had not studied the
situation. In applying the pruning knife
it has injured the life of the tree, taking
away vital branches and leaving dead wood
to cumber the trunk. Action which de-
stroys the efficiency ofan organization can
not be called reform work. The essential
benefits to be derived from metropolitan
police law is found in the authority it
gives for organizinga police force which
can not be controlled by ward politicians.
Such force stands to the city as does the
United States army to the State. Good
men put on the force by an impartial
board are likely to do good duty uninflu-
enced by local and unworthy causes The
chief beauty of metropolitan police Or
ganization is in its similarity to an army
organization, which is perfect in disci-
pline, drill and efficiency. Under such an
organization patrolmen physically, NOR
ally and mentally qualified for police duty
can be enlisted, and promoted according
to merit when vacancies occur. This
method creates an esprit d. corps which
con De arrived at in no other way. The
subordinate's duty is plain, and it should
be the duty of those high in command,
those who make regulations and appoint
ments under police laws, to select the best
men, protect them and encourage them in
well doing.
We are sorry to learn that the Police
Board has acted unwisely and not too
we'll in cheapening the force. Old
captains like Malone, Robinson and
Schneider were Immediately dismissed the
service to reduce the pay roll. The best
men have been driven out, and worse
remain behind. A ship is too heavily
loaded and liable to go to pieces and the
captain throws the life preservers over
board. The board parts with the very
men they should retain; because they
have given efficiency to the force; they
have the confidence of the people; and
they have for years been acknowledged as
excellent and faithful men in their pro-
fessiop; they are officers looked upon as
capable of commanding men and prompt
ly bagging offenders. The board has en-
deavored to clean its floor by sweeping
out the jewels and leaving the rubbish.
In the administration of strict economy
there are scores of names which might be
dropped from the rolls; they are the names
of men who hold sinecure positions; men
whose hardest duty is to get their war
rants cashed and who are prompt only
on pay day. There are expenses other
than salaries that might be greatly re-
duced. With some slight amendments Of
the law authorizing the Governor to ap-
point the Superintendent and the captains,
and empowering these officers to meet as
court at stated periods and try subor-
dinates for misdemeanors, the entire
Police Board might be abolished and not
missed. We do not advocate such radical
changes, but we do wish to impress the
board with the idea that it has mistaken
the course of true economy, and shown
penny wise and pound foolish zeal by dis
missing the best men on the force, and
calling such action retrenchment.
In our country we are expected to keep
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