The sun., 1894-12-29
THE POLICE HANDICAPPED.
EFFECT OF THE VIEW COSsTITU-
TIoN's I'ROHIBITIONs.
ne r.sne WIN sus.r &c rone.-.. cs..e,


Travel on Elevated s-d surfses Csr-
| sns Cae Teiephones Free wheu on Duty
-CorporstioH Counsers Opinion Ashed
The Police Commissioners at their meeting
| yesterday received the following from Superin.
tendent Byrnes;
"GENTIENEN: Section 5, article IS. Of the
new Constitution Of this State provides that on
and after Jan. /. 1898. no public officer or Ter-
! con elected or appointed tn public office under
the laws Of this State. shall. directly indirect
ly. ask. demand. accept, receive. or consent TO
receive. for his own or benefit, or for the use
or benefit Of another any free pass. free trans
portntion. frankine privilege. or discrimination.
in passenger. telegraph. or telephone rates. from
any person or corporation. or make use OF the
same himself or in conjunction with nnother:'
and It further provides that = person who vio-
lates any provision ~ this section shall he
deemed guilty Of a misdcmeanor AMI shall for
felt his Office at the suit Of the Attorney Gen.
eral'
Heretofore, through the privilege OF free
transportation that has been accorded to the
police by passenger lines in operation in this
city. & has been possible TO speedily move from
place to place large bodies Of policemen whose
services might be required in cases Of fires.
strikes, riots. or other public disturbances. 70
have the morning returns promptly delivered at
Police Headquarters from prec nets situated in
remote parts OF the city. and 10 perform. with
great advantage TO the publ. many other
specific cases of police duty requiring the hur-
ried presence Of an officer or officers.
AS regards the free use OF the telephone by
It, the business Of the department has been
greatly facilitated. The officer on post is there
by enabled TO procure. through quick call for
ambulance service, prompt and speedy relief TO
the sick aud injured. and to summon promptly
pOliGe aid in n Trea ipt gfriEcs nd
other public disturbances. In a word. the privi-
leee Of free transportation and the use Of the
telephone that have been accorded 70 officers Of
the force of this department in the past have
been OF incAlcuable advantage to the public in
the increased efficiency OF the force and the bet
ter protection to public life. property. and pres
ervaton Of public order
"In view Of the fact that by the new Con-
stitution the police force will be deprived OF
the privileges above referred to after Jan. /.
1898 1t is necessary that your honorable Board
make provision before that date 20 the end that
the public service will not be impaired on ac-
count Of the withdrawal OF these privileges
and. therefore, herewith call your attention to
the matter, so that you may take such action
regarding IL as may seem To you proper"
Superiutendent Brennan Of the police teie-
graph also called attention TO the fact that sew
eral years ago arrangement was made where
by policemen on duty had the privilese Of sending
am nuIance calls from elevated railroad stations
and telegraph. Mr.. Brennan asked whether n
continuanC' ot this means Of ca!liag ambu-
lances is prohibited by section 3. article Is, OF
the new Constitution.
President Martin said that the only thing that
could Z. done was a. ask ior an additiIha! ap-
in using telephones and travelling on cars be-
tween Police headquarters and station houses.
was not the intention OF the persons wi 90 drafted
the new Constitution that polcetnen should he
prevented from using free telephones In the
performance OF police duty and public service.
=" !. the police have TO pay when they want 10
or any other disturbance when the use of tele-
10, b. right. fhis certainly was never in.
Z" II is also necessary TO send men 70 the scenes
OF fires as rapidly as possible said Commits
The Commissioners. after some further discus
sion. decided to ask the Corporation Counsel for
"a "PS,n"n W.s'Hf r. a. or no. me oTs gon,d use
OF police duty only, aud IL members of the force
could ride free on street and elevated cars in
The following was adopted.
" Rts,Ired, That the chief clerk be. and il
hereby: directed to grade the member. OF the
police force who are patro!men on and after the
hrst day OF January. 1925, in pursuance. OF the
After Jan. ! there will accordingly he FIVE
s4s Ts4s rI rsss;ve 400 Rsr ssS92d
grade, 81. $50: fourth grade. sl.i5o. ard dfth
grade, $1,000. The pay OF roundsmen will lie
81. 500 per year.
Ii was discovered that no provision was made
in the law fo- the salaries Of members Of the
force who have served less than one year and
were appointed during 1894. The law should
read that all such mem hers shall become MEM
bers Of the NTH grade, hut this is left out. The
Corporation CouI>e! " a. asked for AL opinion
as 10 what action the Board shall take ia the
matter.
The applications for retirement Of Capt Tim
othy !. Creedeu Of the MOrrl-an!R station. for
mer steam boat Squad Detective Robert j. Vail
and Policeman Herman lntemann Of the steam
boat squad. al! OF whom gave testimony before
the LeGow committee, were taken up II eIecu-
tive session.
Nothing was done, however. AS Commissioner
Martin was called away 20 appear before the
Lexow Com mittee.
Rounds an Gustavus Rehan. Jr. OF the West
West Forih-seVenth street were ordered 10
change places
Charges were ordered TO be made against
Policeman Edward T.mme o: the Broadway
squad, who WAS arrested several dAys ago and
nned 81 IN q police court for being drunk.
A writ Of certiorsr. in the cas- az ex-WArd
Man Glennon was served upon the Board.
After the meeting all the Comml >sioners ex-
pressed the same opinion that the prunlb!ti OF
free telephones and free trans VortAtiOn for the
police was a great disa iyantage 10 the depart
nent- The men could not be expected 10 pay
money out OF their own pockets for matters in
connection with police duty and public service
he loss OF time In pros urIug assistance in case
Of accident or disturbance, 4 the police could
not use the telephones. would be harmful and
commissioners are anxious that these privileges
should not ." Withdrawn, al1 1t Is with that
end in view that they have CONN. .uUicated with
the Corporation Counsel on the subject