The New Orleans daily Democrat., 1878-09-26
THE POLICE.
WaTHH THHE MAYOR ANm
gHHEHF Dir POLICE eH TEHE
aE1BAEUTy
Hints Abeat the way of Improving the
HsfacaeMGy OF the geaaCe Force

| An efficient police force being absolutely
present system of appointments appearing
not to work as 1t should, to give full power TO
the chief and the requisite discipline to the
| force. O DEMOCRAT reporter interviewed yes
terday his honor Mayor Plsbury and Chief
OF Police Boylan ON the subject, It
was with much regret that he found him
self unable 10 obtain the Ideas and opinions
of Administrators Diamond, this gentleman
having just recovered from severe attack Of
fever and being rs yet unable to attend TO
business. The ideas. however. that have
been elected from the two gentlemen inter
viewed, are sufficient TO show that the pres
ent system is inadequate. The police of a
large city like ours. ought to be organized
and disciplined like an army. The chief Of
police Is its commander-in-ehief and ought TO
have full control over the organization and
management Of the force. He ought to be
| responsible to the Mayor for his conduct as
the Mayor Is responsible TO the people.
| Imbued with these ideas, the reporter first
| went to the City Hall. where his Honor Mayor
Pilsbury, received him with his customary
courtesy, and consented to act his part in the
! following dialogue;
Reporfet--Mf. pi1sbury how are the police
| men appointed
The Mayor-They are appointed by me. on
| the recommendation Of two, and generally
| three-at lsast--citizens known To me per-
sonally, the applicants being, In large num-
| Der Of cases, indorsed by one OF more Of the
| city administrators. Sometimes / appoint
| them on the recommendations Of the citizens
| only. The names OF the appointees are then
| put before the City Council. at meeting of
| that body, which approves Of OF rejects them
| ut their pleasure.
Rep.-What are the guarantees that you OBJ
| tain before the appointments are made by
you?
| The Mayor--The guarantee In the first
place is the recommendation Of the citizens
signing the application and then the bond
each appointee he's to give when his commits
siun is issued
Ren,-Ts the chief of police consulted re-
gardlng promotions and appointments?
The Promotions are oil made on
the recommendation Of the chief Of police
Regarding The appointments be igs, not con
suited as the matter stands now The Coun-
Gil is the sole Judge. But the chief has this
influence over the appointments, that when
ever he Informs me that All appointment ls an
improper one an examinations takes place
and according TO Circumstances the commission
is issued OF not In several Instances | have
withheld the commissions Of persons ap-
pointed on the police force.
Rep.-How is the police SYSTEM working
now?
The Mayor.-1t II is working as well as could
be expected under existing circumstances.
Rep.-What do you mean by existing cir
clmstanCes?
The Mayor,-I can't give you anything
more explicit than that:
Rep.-Do you think the system Of appoint
ments and the conduct Of the police could be
improved-if SO, how?
The Mayor think that by giving the chief
more control In the conduct of his men and
more Influence regarding their selection, the
EfSi
would feel q more direct responsibility in the
personnel OF his force.
Rep.-Since you withhold the commissions
of men whom you find subsequent to their ap-
The chief Of police advises you are such, does
not the present system operate as though
you followed the former method changed by
the Council) Of appointing men only after
submitting their names to the chief
The Mayor@It does to great extent, but
1t s not as satisfactory as before: because the
greater knowledge the chief may have OF the
men on the force the more efficient and active
they become. BY submitting to him o list OF
applicants beforehand he may select men
whom he knows personally. and Of whose
ability to become efficient policemen he has
already an Indication.
This ended our interview with the Mayor.
Our reporter then called on Chief B0ytan
and after the exchange Of the usual eourtesies.
said:
Colonel, have called on you for the pur-
pose Of inquiring what effect, in your opinion
the present method Of appointing policemen
has upon the morale and efficiency OF the
force?'
Chief Boylan-Wel IL they would pay the
force 8 fair salary, and pay them promptly,
we would have q much better class of men as
applicants for positions on 1t, and we would
be able to retain the good men who are now
on the rolls, and who are leaving as fast as
they can get anything else TO do.
Reporter That is good enough, Colonel
but you don't exactly understand what [ am
trying to get at. The general opinion and
belief is that appointments to the force under
your command are made without any in
dorsement by you or consultation with you,
and some people have an idea that as you ere
to control the men, and are, to great extent.
that you gre entitled to some consideration.
Now, you understand the method pursued,
and what want, to get at is that method,
and, as I said before, the effect 1t has on the
efficiency of the force
Chlef-Ah yes / understand. The ap-
pIications are presented to the Mayor signed
by prominent people, and he iB influenced by
the signatures indorsing them without seeing
physically competent, and appoints them I
know nothing about them until they are
turned over to me and their commissions pre-
sented and an bound to use them. ! have
q number OF young men on the force who
have not that mature Judgment nor the
physique necessary to constitute o good Off
GER; and then there are o number who are in
competent on account Of their age. You url-
derstand that it takes o man OF good physique
and at least average Judgment to make q
good officer. The force is BY no means what
It was at the outset A number Of good men
have already left, are still leaving, and will
continue to leave whenever they can get any
thing else to do.
Rep.-Then as understand you, the pres
ent system Is not the one to secure good
force?
Chef-L am confident; i hnoty that the
present system Is not calculated to keep up
q good and efficient force. The physical con-
dition OF the men should be taken into consid-
Grafton and their morality and habits strictly
inquired into. ...
Rep.-Could you suggest any better system
than the PRESENT.
Chef-1he first thing to do is to give living
salaries and giUe them, see that they are
promptly paid SO that there would be an in
ducenent for. good men to apply for positions
and to remain when appointed on the force
and then, the men, 50 far as possible, should
be selected for. Intelligence, and should be
physically qualified; they should be examin-
ed and inspected and appointed only when