The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-11-19
THE POLICE OF PARIS.
A Very Much Overrated Institution-Its Pc
culiar Organization.

Very Much Overrated InstitutiOn-Its Pc
culiar Organization.
London Pail Mall Gazette
An exaggerated idea exists as to the wonderful
capabilities and marvellous achievements of the
Paris police force. Considered from the point of
view of numbers and of the amount of money it
swallows up in one year, 1t certainly looks pow
erful organization. But on the authority of it's
chiefs or rather ex-chiefs 1t is nothing but
huge IN workable machine. surrounded by vexa-
tions restrictions and administrative formalities
and anomalies. The Paris police suffers more from
attacks, perhaps, than any other institution in
France. Owing to the fact that numerous MUIR
dePs committed recently have not been sifted by
the police, that body is just now suffering from
a crusade by the Paris press. The detective de-
partment receives most of the blame but the
whole system is attacked NJ. Henri Rochefort
declares that during the last four years so MANY
murderers have been missed" that ii they were
to meet together TO discuss the position of their
profession and to pass resolution in favor of
the present Paris detective system, the Cirque
oliver would not hold them. The detectives,
says the same journalist search assiduously for
the legs. arms. head and different parts of the
victim, but never follow up the assassin.
The police of Paris number about 10, 600 men,
without counting the secret police the gendar
merle or the Republican Guard, and the annual
budget of the prefecture is more than 81. 600 000
The gendarmerie belong to the Minister of the
Interior and the guard to the town council. The
divisions into which this force is divided are
merous and complicated. There brigades
for clubs and gambling houses, for the theaters,
for balls for the press, for the markets, for the
cabmen at the cab depots and on the streets, for
hotels and lodging houses, for the gsrdens, for
the "m9uers" and various other brigades. from
the corps who guard the palace of the President
down to the brigade who look after the nurses.
The prefecture of police is divided into
four great departments-police admnistra-
tive, police purely municipal, police
political and police Judiciary. The
former is employed with the delverance of pass
ports, hvrets, permissions to hunt and other
matters indoors The next service. the munich
pal police, contains Z, 756 men, and is under the
direction of the chief. NJ Caubet, and not the
project. They subdivided into the gardens
de Ia paix Jour ordinary poicemen), a central
brigade, the detective department. the brigades
of ''recherches." the hotel and clearinghouse
service, which in turn are cut mp into more Sec
tions. About $500 men serve on the streets.
They are we'll paid and are on duty only eight
hours day. In order to make them discharge
this duty faithfully they have to sign a register
at different points in their beats at fixed hours
One branch of the ''briesdes de recherches" is
occupied in watching street policemen, reporting
irregularities. bad conduct, and in making in
quirv concerning applicants for admission into
the force. Another brigade acts reporters to the
prefecture They attend all sort of political meet
ings and demonstrations. and take stenographic
notes Of the speeches. They watch the creation
of political cques from their cradle and are said
ism and the position of parties than any else.
If such brigade existed in London the police
would not have to go to the newspaper renorters
for evidence regarding Trafalgar-square gather
ings. hut would have their own official reporters
present. A department of the Paris police under
the general controller arranges for the posting of
ministerial speeches when necessary. and sees
that the books for distri button in the department
are sent out regularly from the national printing
Office
The Paris detectives. in addition to their regu-
lar salary and to recompenses for exceptional
merit, receive premiums for each malefactor
they catch. A theft he attempted violence
brings 20f.; an ordinary burglar is worth 15f.,
and so to the apprehension of a man for play
ing at games of hazard in the streets. who is put
down at 81. These premiums are the right of
the detectives by law, and they are paid on the
same principle for serving writs. The detectives,
however not rewarded individually for their
vigilance. The premiums are put together and
divided among the force monthly, the
inspectors. of course, getting the largest
share. The detective force contains coo
men, and are at present under NJ. Taylor, who
receives a salary of f480 We have already
spoken of the difficulties under which this force
labors in carrying on its work Though police
men are supplied with a sabre and revolver,
the detectives have TO provide their own weap-
ons of defense. Connected with the detective
system is the Service de moeurs" department
which works somewhat spasmodically, accord
ing to the irregular and inconsistent fourishes
of the projects broom The women who come
under its care are allowed full liberty or are
swept off the boulevards in view of the accom-
mediation for them in the prison Saint Lazare.