Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-10-30
LONDON DETECTIVES.
THE ORGANIZATION OF WHICH
SCOTLAND YARD Is THE CENTER.

Management of the Detective Force
Which Has Been Made Famous by
Writers of Sensational Fiction-Limited
Extent of Their superytsion-The Force.
The London detective force is, as at pres
ent constituted, the outcome of a scandal and
a reform. In 1877 three members Of the
force were proved to have been In league
with gang OF swindlers, and there was an
investigation by commission. which re-
vealed such a state of affairs that the report
was never made public. The recommenda-
tions of the COMMITTEES led to complete re-
organization of the force, which formerly
had consisted of several detectives in each
district under the absolute direction Of the
superintendent or captain Of the district, and
Of thirty men at Scotland Yard, which was
the central office. There were, therefore,
nearly twenty different and almost entirely
independent detachments of the detective
force, and the work was without harmony or
unity.
The reform which went into effect on
April s, 1878, aimed to consolidate the force
and centrslize the authority, and succeeded
to certain extent, but more in theory than
in practice, for matters have gradually
drieted back toward the old customs, until
| now it is said that, so far as unity and har-
| mony of action is concerned. the force Is
nearly as badly off. as ever. The control OF
the detective force under the reformed re
| gime was placed in new department, that
| of criminal investigation, over which pre-
sided the director at Scotland Yard In eacI
division of the city there Is local inspector
i'll charge of the detectives, and theoretical,
the personal representative Of tho director
although actually subordinate to the super
intendent or captain
| THE THEORY OF IT.
The inspector is supposed to take his in
structions direct from Scotland Yard, and {,
report directly there Practically this theor,
does not work, and detective work is carrie,
| on pretty much on the old divisional basis
Tine fiction of Scotland Yard being the cen
ter of all detective work is still kept up b
the extent that the inspectors are require
to meet there from time to time with the a,
sistant commissioner, which is the presen
title of the director, and presumably to cor
suit together over their work. The locs
| superintendents are also required to send eac
| W lnt OUiCo OF IN
crimes that have come under their notice i
their divisions during the preceding twenty
four hours, and the assistant commissioner
supposed to issue instructions as TO what sha
be done about them. In fact, the whole matte
is simply remanded to the local authorize
except in case of some notorious affair hl
that at Whitechapel, where regard for Il
looks of the thing compels the assistant con
missioner and other chiefs of the force
make a state visit to the locality, solemn
gather points, look duly mysterious, and the
go away and leave the matter just where
4 had been all along
There are now 400 of these detectives di
tributed about among the different division
| as the needs of each seem to require The
are 800 others put on duty during the wint
season. and known as the winter patrol
Detectives are appointed from the ordinal
e uniformed policemen, first on the wint
patrol and then on the permanent force, 7
gard being had, nominally at any rate,
;, the shrewdness and ability shown by the m