Evening star., 1886-11-27
THE POLICE OF PARIS.
Very Much Overrated Institution-Its
Peculiar OrxanixaaiOn.
From the Psll Mall Gazette.

Peculiar OrxanfxatiOn.
| From the Psn Mail Gazette
1 An exaggerated idea exists as to the wonder
| full capabilities and marvellous achievements
| OF the Paris police force. Considered from the
| point of view Of numbers and OF the amount Of
/ money 1t swallows up in one year, 1t certainly
| looks q powerful organization. But on the
authority of its Chiefs rather ex-chiefs, 1t is
| nothing but a huge unworkable machine. sur
| rounded by vexatious restrictions and admin.
| istrative formalities and anomalies The
Parispolice suffers more from attacks. perhaps,
| than any other institution in France. Owing
to the fact that numerous murders committed
| recently have not been sifted by the police,
that body Is just now suffering from u cru
| sade by the Paris press. The detective DEPART
ment receives most of the blame but the whole
| system is attacked. NJ. Henri Rochefort de-
clares that during the last four years SO many
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 d'Hiver would not hold them. The de-
tectives, says the same journalist search assid-
uously for the legs, arms, head and different
parts OF the victim, but never follow up the
The police of Paris numbers about 10000
men, without counting tine secret police, the
annual budget of the prefecture is more than
81 100000. The gendarmerie belongs to the
town n9' council. G The divisions wis ms into into W which len
this force Is divided are numerous and
complicated. There are brigades for clubs
balls. for the press for the markets, TOR the cab
men at the cab depOts and on the streets, tor
the :maurs, and Various other I 6riSades, nom o
the corps who guard the palace OF the presi-
dent down TO the brigade who look after the
nurses. The prefecture Of police Is divided into
four great tdepartments-pOlice administrative,
police purely municipal, police political and
OF
10 hunt, and other matters indoors. The next
service, the municipal police, contains
81 ' the shs e Snef ana 1ns Hos sas
prefect. They are subdivided into the gar.
% diens de "a Paix Jour ordinary policemen CEN
tral brigade, the detective department., the
brigades of "recherches." the hotel and
Iodging-house service, which in turn are cut
serve on the streets. They are well paid and
are on duty only eight hours q day. In order to
make them discharge this duty faithfully they
nave nave 70 sign a register at different points In
their beats ut fixed hours.
One branch OF the "brigades de recherches"
is occupied In watching street policemen, re-
porting Irregularities. bad conduct and in max.
sion into the force. 1nother brigade acts as
sort of political meetings and, demonstrations
and take stenographic notes Of the speeches.
They watch the creation of political cliques
more about the ins and outs of journal
ism and the position of parties than any
one else. III such brigade existed In Lon
don the police would not have to go to
the newspaper reporters for evidence regarding
Trafalgar Square gatherings, but would have
their own official reporters present. A depart
ment OF the Paris police under the general con-
troller arranges for the posting of ministerial
speeches when necessary and sees that the
books for distribution in the department are
sent out regularly from the national printing
office
The Paris detectives, in addition to their reg
ular salary and To recOmpenses for exceptional
merit, receive premiums for each malefactOr
they catch. A thfef-it he attempted violence
brings 2O.; an ordinary burglar is worth 15f.,
and SO ON To the apprehension OF a man tor 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 paid
on the same principle for serving writs. The
detectives, however, are not rewarded in-
dividually 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 800
mer, and are at present under NJ. Taylor, who
receives q salary of E4SO. We have already
spoken of the difficulties under which this force
labors carrying its work. Though police
men are supplied will "a sabre and revolver, the
detectives have to provide their own weapons
OF defense. Connected with the detective sys-
tenn is the service de mnurs," q department
which works somewhat systematically, accord
ing TO the irregular and incousistent tlouriShes
uf the projects broom. The women who come
under its care are allowed full liberty or are
swept Off the bouievards in view of the accom-
mediation for th EN- in the prison Saint Lazare.