The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-10-01
THE LONDON POLICE


New York city, oblong in shape. and its dimen-
sions about one mile and half by half n mile.
with the City Hall MS kind Of central point. To
be set apart from the remainder Of the city. with
a distinct corporate government OF its own. a
Mayor. and police arrangements entirely indie
pendent u the outer part and in all respects.
being n definite. individual Government Of it.
sclf. The case | have supposed Ia precisely
analogous 10 what really exists In London. II
is n city within n city. Its income is about
s1.500,0u0 per year. and its expenditure about
the same amount. The Lord Mayor has a snus
salary az $50 600 per year. and is popularity sup
posed 20 earn his money but finds II next to
impossible 10 live upon so meagre an income"
While his term Of Office lasts he has legal pow
ers almost equal to those Of any despot and
even England's Queen must ask the Lord
Mayor permission before entering his do
mains. Practically these powers exist mostly
on the statute book for they are seldom used
and are little moro than moro forms. The po-
lice OF this inner city. or. what is strictly the city
of London. number about 800 They are known
as the City Police; those OF the outer par, are
termed Metropolitan Police. The statistics
which follow refer only to the latter
The Metropolitan police of London number
little more than 10000 men; 1917 are English
men. $50 Irishmcn. 1i5 Scot ,hmcn. 10 Welsh
mon. and % foreigners. Only ono is an Amer
iran Over 1000 have served in the army. Tho
rank and pay Of the whole force are ms follows
-Four district supcrintcndcnts. at 81 900 and
$1,000 per annum % -uperIntcndcnts. with sal
aries from 81 $50 to 81 375. and nm allowances of
s55 for clothing 277 inspectors at salaries
from $40 to II $50. and an allowance OF $50 for
clothing; 1853 sergennts, ut salaries from ;4lO
10 $50 and 1913 constahlcs. at salaries from
of forty pounds OF coal each in winter. aud
twenty pounds in summer, weekly; and mar
ried men receive small-yery small-cash al
lownnce in lieu Of coal. All are provided with
uniforms Two men have been in the force for
upward OF forty years. 81 more than thirty
years. us more than twenty years. and 3.l39
more than ten years. At Scotland Yard there is
special detective corps, consisting Of one SUI
perintcndent, whose pay is 1880 per annum
three chief inspectors. ut :2G.55 per week three
inspectors. at s21.75 per week; and sixteen de-
tcctives, divided into two classes. the first class
at sljG5 each weekly, and the second s11.s5
FER week.
1t twill be seen that the London police are not
paid by the New York police scale. Counting
all allowances. the mass Of the force receive not
more than 800 per year each-that is. n little
more than 81 per day. And the sixteen deicc-
hazardous aud responsible duties. the sum of
about $500 per year. Some of the latter receive
for special services enough to make their ag-
gregate wages about .250.
The English police are usually men OF good
size and present I'm excellent appearance. Tho
London police are generally polite. trusty fell
lows, hut less ready. intrepid. and shrewd than
they ought To be. A good tenure Of Office is ono
OF the cx client features Of most English insti-
tutions. When a man once obtains n place, he
is not likely 10 lose II except through gross in
attention 10 duty. signal lack Of ability. or dis
honesty. But this plan has one drawback-it
does not secure the fttest mon for the places
They set great value upon their experience. but
too often they simply do a sort of listlcss ma
chine work. In many other departments have
noticed the same thing. Through a feeling Of
ownership of Il place II may SO call 1t. teach
ers. clerks and other public servants seem to
have drifted into kind Of slpshod work that
would never be tolerated in the United States
But Il is important to remember that honesty
and faithfulness are fairly secured 10y this plan.
There Is another matter which deserves
notice. Two thousand nine hundred and
forty-one policemen were assaulted in the
course OF the year. and many OF these assaults
were Of q serious nature. Trivial assaults
were not reported at all. On frequent occasions
| have seen disordcrly men try their strength
with an officer, without even being arrested for
so doing. The officers only weapon is a trun-
cheon-a short club-and this he is permitted
TO use only on the most extreme occasions.
Practically. he might nearly rs well be I'M
armed. The New York courts would uphold an
officer in clubbing. smashing or killing an as
sailant. where an English officer would scarcely
feel nj liberty to draw his truncheon.
\ cas-" was decided In the Westminster Police
Court n short time ago which illustrates how
a police officer may be actually beaten. A man
was using bad language on the street corner
and an officer told him to move on. For n re-
ply he struck the Off 'er, knocking oil his
helmet. man standing near came 10 the
officers assistance. and he. too. GOT roughly
handled. Finally, II required the united efforts
Of ilve officers 10 take the offender to the lock
up. The Judge fined him SO. or. in lieu Of that.
a month + Imprisonment.
\ remarkable case il now in progress, in
which four detectives are ON trial Tor receiving
hrihes. Tho preliminary examination before
any II them wer" actually indicted has CON
sumcd three months. The number Of wit
j. tl IA