The New York herald., 1879-08-03
Reforms Necessary to the Efficiency
of the Police Force.
MORE PATROLMEN WANTED
Bad Effects of the Leave and "Spe.
cial Duty" Systems.


they are assigned by the Police Board. superintend
ent and inspectors to fill what commonly termed
sinecure positions, instead of being compelled
10 do patrol duty. The captains Of the different
precincts have complained continually for the
past two years that they were unable to
cover all their territory properly for want OF
sufficient number of men. The force in every pre-
cnct IL particularly inadequate at the present
time, owing to leave of absence of eight days, with
out pay, granted by resolution of the Police Board
to every officer. the captain to use his own discre-
tion as to the number to be absent at time Citi-
who take pride in living under the protection
OF the 'fnest police force in the world will be sur
prised to learn how little they know of the workings
of the department. 1t is not unusual occurrence
In Of the dangerous localities in this city
Tor officer to be left in charge of post compris-
Ing five miles Of streets and avenues Frequently
tive or six men all that be mustered to take
charge of whole precinct, and sometimes as few as
four left in charge. this deficiency being due
to the small number of men in the sections. the alb
sent ones having been called away to take prisoners
to court answer summonses or attend coroners' in
quests. At such times large amount of property is
exposed to the watchful "cracksman" /" who is thor
ouehiy posted the movements of the police and
always strikes where the line is weakest.
THE STEAMBOAT SQUAD.
Many of the precincts have not had their schedule
number Of men for years Regardless of the fact
that there were not policemen enough to give resi-
dence and business places sufficient protection, Com
missioner Erhardt, about three years ago, made q
proposition that steamboat squad be organized,
the object being better protection to the river front
and that the squad be composed of men from each
Of the precincts. The proposition favorably
reived and l15 patrolmen withdrawn to make
up the corps. for which substitutes
large their posts and throw double responsibility
upon some of their patrolmen. The covering of the
river front had previously been left to the
precinct captains. According to the opinions
of certY superior officers in the depart
ment. Y river front is better protected
to-day an it before tho Steamboat Squad
existed und fewer arrests are made. When doing
duty in the precincts these same 115 men worked
twelve hours where they now work but ten. 1t has
been suggested that if the Steamboat Squad officers
were again sent back to the precincts for patrol
duty the property in this city would be much better
protected and the record of crime reduced. The
squad has charge of the river front from Twenty
third street. East River. to Twenty-fourth street
North River, from eight o'clock in the morning until
six in the evening.
The precincts in the downtown wards of tho city
not in such extreme need of men those in the
upper part, yet several men in each would add
greatly to the safety of property. From the facts
given below relative TO the condition OF the
important precincts it be in what divisions
of the force the ranks weak. The First precinct
station house is situated in New street. Wall
The police i'll this precinct, commanded by Captain
Carey, have under their protection the most vaua-
bile piece of territory in the United States The
ing force is ninetyve men. but at the present time
there six on leave of absence, leaving six posts
virtually uncovered. the officers adjoining posts
being obliged to include them in their beats. ''Wo
could put more men to good use if only had
them said the officer in command
Captain Sanders, of the Twenty seventh precinct,
who has charge of part of the city which is popu-
lated by some pretty rough people, and includes the
sailors boarding houses and several well known
haunts for petty thieves on Greenwich and West
streets is not in stringent need of additional men,
although an increase of his force, which now num-
bers eghty-six could be put to good use. Out of
these eighty-six there to be taken one cap
tain four sergeants, four roundsmen, two doormen,
two officers assigned to special duty by the Supern
Board. three on leave OF absence and an average
three or four SICK leaving tor active patrol service
only ftty-one men.
THE OLD FOURTH BADLY GUARDED.
The Fourth precinct. one of the most dangerous
force of los men, but at the present time twenyone
out of that number. not including the captain ser.
geants, roundsmen and doormen are not doing pa
troll duty: Nine men are on leave OF absence and
six have been detailed by the Board. zone hun
dred and five men. if had every one of them tor
precinct as it should be. have to send
three to the ferries and sometimes have
many as seven sick. There is a great deal of
ground to travel over IN this precinct. Cherry
street 10 about the toughest neighborhood that
have to cover. and by rights there should be one
man in every block. 1t often occurs that out OF a
section OF twenty-five men am only able to turn
out ten for patrol owing to the demands OF court
and jury duty. That Is not sufficient bv any means
One officer is sometimes obliged to two other
posts besides his have forty nine night posts
make one day post. have applied to the Commits
sioners for more men, but cannot get them. 1 do
not allow any nights OF while giving leave Of alb
sence. The department needs more men, and I
s.ould have II least enough to cover the posts in
tnis precinct cant gye the people protection
The Seventh precinct has not turned out full
platoon OF men for over three years. There
sxty-sx men all told and OF this number seven are
detailed by the Board, four sick and four are
away on leave. bringing the patrol force down to
less than nifty men. Although but q part of the
Seventh ward Is included in the precinct there is
an element there requiring efficient to pre-
serve peace. About six officers are compelled to
cover double posts. and some Of them have even
three posts. '.seventy-four men should be my
total force" said Captain McElwain.
Captain Cherry. OF the Eleventh precinct, which
includes all OF the Eleventh ward has under him
only thirty.four patrolmen. The Police Board have
and the Inspector There nineteen night and
ten day posts in the precinct. A full platoon has
not been turned out in tour years. and short time
ago the posts lcngthened. Two streets, from
avenue Is to the East River is ordinary post. 'Io
nave TINS wsru properly p1.r9'eu There should be
men. twenty-two In each platoon and eleven in each
section. could get along very well. When came
here first had forty-four patroimen." the Captain
replied. in answer to question.
At the Tenth precinct station house Captain A. J.
Alare when asked for the condition Of affairs in his
precinct, reped:-'I am giving no information.
str, to whether our force IL strong or weak. 1t
, wouldn't do to post thieves. At the close OF
the interview, winch short one the Cap
tain delivered himself of the startling information
that zone thousand more men" would be great
benefit to the department
The Thirteenth precinct police captain. L. ). Cope
land, has been unable to turn out n full platoon in
three months. The posts in the precinct arc very
large. Men taken from this precinct to
form the Steamboat squad and never replaced.
When the precinct captain had charge of his own
river fropt the ferry well loofed after by one
man. Now IL takes two and sometimes three. There
have been times when the property aud cizens have
been virtually without protection, tor only tour
poiceman have been left to patrol the entire pre-
Hnct.
VALUABLE PROPERTY UNPROTECTED.
In the Seventeenth precinct there twcnty-sx
night posts to be covered by twenty two men. leav
ing fonr posts uncovered except they attended
20 by the officers parolling adjoining posts. Nearly
oil OF the Seventeenth ward Is included in this pre-
sinct. Captain McCullagh has under him force