The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-12-16
CAPTAINS AS CHI SSMEN
The Police Board Gratifies Su-
p%erintendent smilh-Let-
ter No. 2.

The long expected s hake,up of she po-
lice captains was m ade by the commits
sioners last evening, 1t was not by any
means just what Superintendent Chris
TOPPER z. Smith wanted it to be. The
Commissioners, while super1cially COM
plying with his wishes, really took all the
significance out Of the proceeding that he
intended 1t should have.
When it met, the Board received a
second letter from the superintendent.
urging a transfer of captains and a new
deal of detectives, and Immediately after
the letter was read q resolution was
adopted making these changes:-
Captain Newton, from the Third to the Sixth
p%recinct; Captain McNulty, from the Sixth to
the Third; Captain McKaig, from the Fourth to
the Seventh; Captain Lange, from the Seventh
to the Fourth; Sergeants Duffy and Wade, from
the Third to the Sixth; Sergeant Conf on, from
the sixth to the Third; Sergeant O'Brien from
the Seventh to the Third !; Sergeants Holderer
and Milshusen. from the Sixth to the Seventh:
Sergeant McGinnis, from the Second to the
Third, and Sergeant Reardon, from the T bird to
the Second.
1t will be observed that Captain Ne W.
ton exchanges with Captain Nc Nulty and
Captain Mckaig with Captain Lange.
Captains Kelly, Farrier and Smith. at
whom the Super's shafts were directed.
stay in their old precincts.
LETTER NO. Q.
The Sppe~rintendent's letter was leqd
by Clerk Robinson. rs follows, after the
disposa! of the list Of delinquents:-
To the Honorable Board of Police Comm is
Sioners:
GENrLEMEN-A copy of the preamble and res
olutlon passed by your Board on the 9th inst.
has been received. In my communication 10
your Board of November 30 l thought I mad
made my language sufficiently ineligible to be
understood, but there seems to be some misan-
prehension in regard to 1t. l did not state that
the Captains and detectives disregarded
orders; | merely stated that some CAPTAINS
mad fallen into a rut. By that / meant that
their duty in a perfunctory way. While not
guilty of any positive dereliction of duty for
which charges could be preferred, they do their
work mechanically. Thare is no vim in 1t. no
energy. They go through the usual daily
routine with an absence of interest in their work
which is certainly not calculated to either main
tain or promote efficiency in the department.
A commandment of a precinct should try to be
something more than u mere machine. He
should take q personal interest in the affairs of
his precinct and satisfy himself that his sub
o~rdinates are performing their duty. As you
must be aware, where commandments are
bscome equal y so. Following the example
of their superior officers, they also be-
come careless and negligent, although not
sufficiently SO as to warrant me in preferring
specific charges. As instances or gross negli-
gence. / may cite tho recent escape Of Emil
August Nelson from the Third Precinct Police
Station and the suicide Of William Siclkler in a
cell of the Fourth Precinct Police S tation. II
the officers of the Third precinct had been at
tending TO their duty Nelson would not have
escaped, If the officers in the Fourth precinct
had obeyed the rules OF the department. and
searched Sickler, he could not have shot him
self. These are examples of carelessness and
Indifference OF which complain and which l
ask 10 be renedied, or at least an effort made to
remedy them.
The same cause of complaint exists ia the case
OF some,of the detectives. Perhaps they do the
best work they are capable OF, but their best is