New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-09-07


chances 10 ply their Illicit calling.
A BIG DIFFERENCE, HE SAYS
Section 49, chapter 40. Laws Of 1852. makes IL
the duty of the police observe and inspect
all houses of ill-fame or prostitution anu
houses where common prostitutes resort or reside
! and TO repress and restrain all unlawtui or
dsorGerly conduct or practices therein, etc There
is a marked difference between what the Jaw
qures the police to do in these cases am VIA n,.
the require the Pocf 70 70 base aa variant
To Illustrate magistrates require that el!heI W.
10 corroborate the other where one officer visits
such place and obtains the required ~
must go there again and obtain similar evidence
before a warrant will be issued. If the officers
their visits to these places 90 hot ST. az!
orderly acts committed there-and this Is imppisiII
bolted and barred doors-then they must eht h
Into such contract with one or more OF me
inmates will furnish to them unmista toon
evidence of the unlawful character OF me hoIsv.
been furnished and arrests have been made on
warrants issued by magistrates, the prisoners nave
1t is to be hoped that the Legislature that t VIII
convene in January next VIII take uy I,S mind in
this city for the last two years ana give give 10
such consideration and attention as they may "ee'"
proper. and its Importance requires
THE PRESENT SYSTEM \ BAD ONE
As to the discipline of the force. desire to STATE
that while, in some respects, ii is not what Il ous'
TO be. yet under the present circumstances IL Is d.
good be expected. This is owing TO '"'i'''
Of causes chief among which is the present system
under which inspectors OF police are assigned 20
assigned TO the duty OF enforcing me 'M az" .ha
the rules and regulations Of the depar 'ne ~ ~, ~.
inspectors assigned to ONCE GUY ouiins 'oe ne
day at Police Headquarters that duty consisted OF
receiving the morning returns. hearing coHP.dlirS
OF citizens report.ng 10 the Supernehdeh be rerce
based on citizens complaints, and bringing 20 ihs
notice of the supernienden suG9 mafs as other
duties might be required OF him Ire i",pec'Srs
on and received from him
tons deemed necessary re'auNe 70 thc en-
within their districts. Reports from captains ana
other commanding officer were made to ne r ~
ancies in any of the reports. the captain or oillcer
charge Of the precinct or squad from wnich MY ny
came was promptly sent for. and the errors or as
crepancies rectifed If complaints were made to the
superintendent of violations OF Ia" IN any % 1n
precincts. the captains Of such precincts were srh1
for and received direct from the Super!n;enen' such
were necessary ana would tend promptly to sup
|, july 1873 the Board Of Police divided the city
into four inspection districts and assigned TO the
command Of each an :nspect9r OF bTcgi where
he was to receive daily he reports in du2icaie o,
the commanding officers of his district transmitting
the original 10 The superintendent
JEAI.OUSIES AND POOR DISCIPLINE.
In pursuance of the above action OF the Board Of
Police offices were hired and fitted up in The an
ferent inspection districts. and TO each inspector
was assigned. as his staff. TWO serseanis ana IN
some cases. five six roundsmen. two or three
patrolnen and doorman he duties OF ine ~ rf tbe
Offices to patrol their respective districts. and 10 per
form such other po.ice duty as the ihrp1roor in
direct: In a very short time this system rcsu'rl III
me creation oil SSe " - everything detr ntal
10 A high standard Of discipline among the iorce
The men who composed these STATS became 80 10
speak, part and parce! OF thelr resp'cVr and
They went about from one preclnc 10 aho'heI; anu
~ nT Kinds of indlgnes and even persecution. ami
TOD Ct 0'llCTfr
Tered to and their tastes. 10 DO as they ped,t
there began on the part OF he inspectors strusec
for desirable districts: captains bent lnelT sncrs
lain inspectors and the subordinate officers and "a
trolmen also looked upon certain districts a. prefer
abe 20 others 10 perform duty IN
THE ABUSES THAT HAVE wAXED STRONG.
This state Of affairs went FOR ten years until
1885 when the Board Of Police then constituted,
thought :, wise TO abolish the Outside dis,rc; offices
and ordered the inspectors Police Headquarters.
where they furnished with Offices ana a'.o"eH
10 retain A staff somewhat reduced. hui 70 an prdc-
deal purposes the under the former system
All this has had the effect Of causing 70 grow ny N
The department a large number Of abuses ana =
lack OF discipline that have lei 10 Inc coh1'''"" VI
affairs that exists therein to-day.
The very permanency OF the assignment OF ".
inspectors 10 tner he nspccors and
captains. sergeants roundsmen and come - thr
ward that could not exist under the oid syS.
TEN. and the best proof OF this assertion Is that
1t did not exist under IT.
Police the duty devolved upon me OF making com.
plant against certain inspectors and captains OF
suited it was made part OF the defence for the
inspectors that there was nothing In tne r1 h OF
Of prostitution or designation gambling houses or
policy Offices within Their fo qI,ys vdx pnn that
the fact OF their being superior Officers does not
police Officers by The Consolidation act. At that
time / called the attention OF the b3ard OF foiice
10 this matte. and recommended that the rules
be amended so that inspectors would be charged
with the suppression within their districts of places
of the kind referred to; recommendation when
the then Board Of Police did not see 1T TO adopt
THE INsIDIOUs POLITICAL CLUBS.
Another of the many causes for whatever laxity
OF discipline there may be in the department Is
that in the different Assembly districts a large
number OF officers and men belong to so-caled so
cial organizations, which. as matter Of fact, are
nothing more less than political clubs They
become members of these clubs, with the hope Of
obtaining through them, that advancement which.
10 many OF them. would be unattaInabie on the
In MANI S caes ocers Of high rank and patrol
men attached to the same command NEE: IN these
places socially. and spend great part OF their
leisure time there; and il Is matter Of common
report that superior officers Of the department are
but too ready to close their eyes 10 breaches or
discipline of patromen under their command who
belong TO the same organization with them
A BELIEF THAT MERIT DID NOT COUNT
The widespread belief existing among the force
that merit or the faithful performance of duty Is
not taken into consideration in promotions, and
that "A large number of officers and men have OBJ
tained their positions through means other than
mertorious service and faithful performance OF
duty has had a great tendency to Impair the dis
clnlIne of the department, and to make men who
would otherwise be careful and painstaking mem
beers OF the force careless and Indifferent In the
performance OF their duty.
The history OF the one branch OF this depart
ment that has for period Of years. been con
Quoted on considerations Of merit and fitness for
the duties required therein shows the Improve
ment that could be made In the force IN general
were II conducted the same basis.
When assigned to the command OF the
Detective Bureau in 1880 found II in a state Dor
dering on utter decentralization; the adverse crit-
I csms that ii customary for the press OF that
day to heap upon IL have not been equalled nor
even nearly approached by anything that the BIT
terest foe of the department at large In recent
years has been able TO say against II. From the
time OF the reorganization Of that bureau In 1850
Anr when | becaIne Snpcrlntendent