New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-09-22
THE BOARD OF POLICE.

Two attacks from entirely different sources
with entirely different motives have been made
recently upon the policy which now prevails
in the constitution of the Board Of Police Of
this city. The first came from Mayor Hewitt
in one of his memorable messages, and it was
undoubtedly made in good faith and with the
idea that the change advocated would be bene-
fetal. The other came from certain profess
sional politicians, who simply wanted to get
hold Of the Board for their own selfish and cor
rupt uses. The present law requires the ap-
pointment by the Mayor of four Police Com
missioners, and, although no express provision
requires that they shall be equally divided be-
tween the two parties, it has been customary
thus to divide them Mayor Hewitt proposed
the abolition of this four-headcd Commission
and the appointment of an individual Com
missioner, responsible to the Mayor, who
should exercise the powers now confided to the
four members of the Board.
The trouble with this scheme lies not in the
theory of IT, but in the way it would inevitably
operate when put into actual practice. Human
nature is undoubtedly improving, but it is still
weak, uncertain, painfully fallible and prone to
err The police force possesses functions
which, when properly exercised render 1t an
inestimable blessing, but which are easily
abused. The temptation to abuse them is in
tense and ever present. 1t appears in so many
and so insidious forms that we doubt if the
man exists whose mind is so impartial, whose
Judgment is so excellent and whose disposition
is so honest that he could manage the depart
ment in these times, tngged at by the corrupt
and selfish politicians who run affairs here, in
an acceptable manner. Certainly, if such a
man exists he is too perfect ever to make an
impression in our local politics. He never
could secure the appointment, or. if he should
secure it, the work of resisting the whole horde
Of plug uglies composing the Democratic ma
chimes would kill him.
The Mayors scheme is impracticabe. Even
If we were sure of always having an honest
Mayor, even if his appointee were always GER
tain to be honest also, there would remain so
many elements Of doubt as to the outcome Of
the experiment that all notion of it must be
abandoned. The people of New ork have a
right to feel sure that their police force is so
controlled as that its prostitution to serve the
ends Of parties is impossible. They have that
assurance to-day. The force attends to its
legitimate business better than it ever has done
in all the cty's history. There never was so
little street crime as there is now. Crime Of
all kinds never was so surely and quickly de-
tected. The police force never was under so
sharp discipline as is now maintained. In fact
after many experiments, we have at last Sc
cured the best of all available systems, and the
only one under present political conditions
that would be even tolerabe. Under these cir
cumstances, all suggestions implying danger
TO this non-partisan system must be resented,
and the next Legislature should make it one of
its earliest duties to amend the present law so
as to fasten this system firmly upon the city
and place it beyond all future peril. It should
not longer be left open to attacks, whether their
motive be good or bad.