The New York herald., 1879-12-17
REORGANIZING THE POLICE.

SWEEPING CHANGES PROPOSED By THE COMMITS
CREASED.
The Board Of Police Commissioners have again In.
troduced their old system OF holding secret ses.
sions. At private meeting yesterday they followed
up their work of the previous day By making
other important changes. Captain McElwain. late Of
the Seventh precinct. who transferred on Mon
day the Thirty first yesterday assigned to the
command of the Sixteenth precinct. vice Captain
Ryan, who has been sent to the Thirty first, which 10
known the precinct Of magnificent distances
with . numerous population of goats. 1t was to
ored to have Captain Williams reegated. What
had transpred the secret caucus could only be
who Is the custodian OF the minutes OF the Board.
At the open meeting which followed it was
resolved. on motion OF Commissioners voorhiss
that the Committee on Rules and Dsci.
pline consider and report suitable resolutions
providing for-Flrst, the establishment Of three
police inspection districts; second. the loca-
ton Of the Offices OF the district inspectors st
the Central Office as soon the same may be pract.
cable; third, the abolition OF tho broadway SQuad
and OF the Steamboat Squad. and for the transfer OF
the patrolmen attached to said squads Tor so many
thereof as may be proper and necessary to the sew
eral precincts in which they are now performing
duty and for the transfer Of the remainder OF the
force in said squads to such duty in precincts or
fourth the transfer patrol duty in the several pre-
cncts where deficiency exists in the patrol forceD
who are acting members OF the force and assigned
to detailed positions where such roundsmen such
detailed officers unnecessary for the efficiency OF
the force not required for the promotion Of the
public welfare.
Mr.. Voorhis also presented the wing resolution
which was adopted
Resolved That IL be referred Committee Rules
and discipline consider and suitable resolutions
separate command the Of
horses and equipments OF said command to the Thirty.
third and Thirty y-fourth precincts.
wEIGHrY REASONS
When questioned subsequently regarding the OBJ
ject of these sweeping changes in the organization
Of the police Mr. Voorhis said that there
pressing aud weghty reasons for making them. The
force was short 1888 men. In many of the precincts
commands it is proposed to abolish do not perform
night duty. The object of the Board 10 to have
these men distributed among the precincts
which short OF their quota OF men, and the
work which these special commands now do will
be performed by the precinct patrolmen. The
captains of fronting the rivers Will be held
responsible for the protection OF life and property
along tho wharves and docks. Broadway will be
looked after he sad by the captains OF the various
precincts. The contemplated change will add more
to the department and allow increased detail
for night duty. As regards the inspection dis
tricts Mr.. Voorhis said that the resolutions ap.
proved by the Board, while reducing the
number of inspectors to three, will not dispense
with the services of the fourth. who will be
permanently stationed at Police headquarters ia
assistant to superintendent WallinR aud attend
to details of discipline which too numerous for
the superintendent to do justice to- II Is also in
tended that this inspector shall have the super
vision OF the clerks attached = the office. while the
superintendent will devote himself exclusively to
the working efficiency and discipline OF the force.
The captains will also be brought into more direct
communication with the superintendent. It waa
meant to make the occupant OF that responsible
Office the head and front OF the disciplinary machins
o the department.