New-York tribune., 1886-02-08
OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT.


There is no good reason for the passage of the
bill introduced in the Assembly by Mr.. Hamil-
TON ON Tuesday last in regard to the Police De-
partment. This proposes to ieglSlate out or
office the four commissions whom we have at
present, and to commit their powers to Two
commissioners, one Republican and one Demo-
crat, to be appointed by Mayor Grace IN June.
There is no demand for such change, no pub
lie sentiment that favors 1t.
Our police force is now a credit to the city
It is well disciplined prompt and effective.
Never were life and property safer in this town
than they are to-dly. a peaceably-dSposed
citizen can walk through any street in any part
of Manhattan Island at any hour of the day or
night without danger to person or pocket.
nupnacious man. who is "spoling for fight"
as the phrase goes, can find what he wants
without much effort, but crimes OF Violence
except in cases where the victims have been stlr-
ling I'D strife or have needleSsly invited attack,
are now extremely rare. BIZ burglarieS, bank
robberieS, heavy forgeries and aggravated as-
sauts on innocent people are not often heard
of in these times. Law-abding residents can
pass their days and nights IN peace aud comfort,
and NeW-York is now better oil in police pro-
lection than London, Paris or any OF the great
European capitals.
Our polce commissioners, superintendent in
spectors, captains, sergeants, rOundsmen and
patrolmen are doing good work in the main.
Ii is true that the Excise law is freely dlsre-
garded, but the Excise Board and the Police
Justices are to be blamed much more seriously
than the police for that state of things. Why
then should there be any change in the commits
Ill 4ha. .f.,l IL u.rl
enough for four commissioners. Few people
realize the extent and variety of the labOrs of
the members of the Board. There are thou
sands OF charges against policemen to be ex-
amined in every year; there is an immense
amount of work and responsibility in cOnnec-
ton with the financial affairs of the depart
ment; with repairs, supplies and pensions; !;
with the qualifications of applicants tor posi-
tions; besides the general oversight OF the
force and the innumerable details which the
task of keeping up lis discipline and excellence
involve. Is it likely that two commissioners
would COY er so completely and thoroughly the
wide range of duties as the four now do I Ger
tanly not two men Of the sort whom Mayor
Grace would select
There is a great deal of dstrust in Albany as
well as in New. York concerning the use which
Mr.. Grace makes of the great power which
he already enjoys And it is right and prop rer
that there should be. Confidence in the Mayor
has been steadily declining since he took office
the second time. Ii would be a grave mistake
to turn over the Police Department to him.
Mr.. Hamilton did an unwise thing when he IN
troduced such a BILL even if it was only by
request" He cannot afford to have his name
! connected with such q scheme as this. And If
any Republican politician should go to Albany
and try to push this bill to serve his personal
ends, with the expectation that Mr.. Grace
would appoint him Police Commissioners if
this bill should become a law, he would incur
the suspicion, the dsapproval and the contempt
of his fellow Republicans. TO try to bargain
! for this Office as Republican with Demo
cratic Mayor-and such a Mayor would be
about as discreditable thing as a Republican
could be guilty of. But if any such bargain
were thought Of we believe that we can safely
rely on this Legislature to make it worthless.