New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-02-04

to he in favor Of increasing 1t.
1t has been seriously proposed in Parliament.
since the assassination Of President Carnot. to
place the S6rete Generate general detective ser
vice.. whose director is now mere functionary
in the Cabinet of the Minister Of the Interior.
under the exclusive charge of the Paris Project Of
Police. This service. which must not be con-
founded with the Projects own detective force for
the city itself extends to all France and has its
chief use in the repression of political crimes.
anarchy. or strikes accompanied by violence Il
would pace some 5000 agents in the hands of the
Project Of the Paris police. who would thus vir-
tually become the Minister of Police for the whole
country.
The exception to public sentiment in this regard
comes from the Socialist quarter. Each year.
through their representatives,, who constitute the
| majority in the Municipal Council OF Paris. they
demand that the city shall govern itself: and
| they protest not without reason. that the pres
| ent police service still remains. what it has al
| ways been In the pasta possible political in
! strument in the hands - the party in power.
| AS Revolutionary Socialism. and its wicked
| brother. Anarchy, are now the chief political
dangers this protest receives effective hearing
| from the great bulk Of the population.
| This aspect OF the Paris police service
scarcely have any direct application in the
O. view that we should judge the apparent weak
ness of the Paris police In dealing with An
archist crimes. The general detective service
| has been under the immediate control OF
the Project OF Police. 1t could hardly be expect
ed that any strong union of the two radically
independent services should come from cabinet
of ministerial functionaries. To he fair any crii
cism Of tho efficiency of the Paris police force
must take Il where its work proceeds from
watchful brain.
The identification of the entire police service
with the Office Of the Prefect is made in the
law itself. which governs the present organiza-
ton. and in the Projects general regulation for
the ordinary service Of the police. The words
police force police service are nowhere
used; but in their place there stands every
where the one summary designation "Pr6fecture
re police The Prefecture of Police is charged
with the prevention of crimes. misdemeanors
and contraventions Of law. with the search after
their authors with looking to the execution Of
laws ordinances DEGREES and regulation with
the protection Of citizens in their persons and
property. with the maintenance of order. with
securing public health and safety and the re-
spect due to good morals and public decency."
april 30. 1851
THE COMMISSARY
The practical organization Of the Paris police
under its Project divides itself into four
branches: The service in the Projects cabinet
and division bureaus the general service OF
central brigades, detectives and control, which
operates Unfortunately in all parts Of the city
and suburbs under the Projects immediate di
rection; the municipal police proper, under the
officers Of the peace, and the commissaries OF
police.
The two latter branches OF the force are dis
tributed according to the civil divisions OF the
CITY In each of the twenty ACCOMPLISHMENTS
| (wards) there is one officer OF the peace with
separate police post in each Of the four quarters
| OF his ACCOMPLISHMENT In each quarter there IL
| a commissart with his separate Office except
| in ten OF the outlying quarters. which have one
commissary between two. This division OF the
notice labor through the city between two dis
| tinct branches Of the service-the guardians OF
the peace" municipal police on the one hand
and the commissaries on the other-is the second
essential point to be understood In approaching
the Paris system.
The commissary is by far the best known OF
the police authorities in mis- quarter though the
street policemen belong to another branch OF the
service and neither he nor his assistants wear
uniform II may be said at that nothing
at all answering TO his office exists in any Eng
lish- speaking country The French idea Of his
work is expressed by the phrase that he IL an
officer OF judiciary police; but many Of his
tasks are also administrative.
The commissary acts a committing magis-
trate in regard to all persons arrested who must
be brought before him at the first possible mo-
ment. Except In grave cases. he leaves them AT
provisional liberty: but his report. made up In
part Of the confessions ne ha4 extracted from
them In the cross-examInation which Is a part
Of his duty. goes to the Prefecture. by which in
due course 1t NAV be handed over - the Court
Of Correctional Pollce--a court. and not
under the police at all. The comm.ssary may
even dismiss a charge that is made. unless the
complaint proceeds formally from the policeman.
AZ in the case OF resistance insult. As the
policeman IL not under him. such a complaint
must go up TO the common superior at the Pre-
lecture Even where arrests are not made, any
reports handed in By policemen concerning per
sons domiciled in the quarter must be- trans
m,tted by the officer OF the peace TO the com
missary.
IL is the commissary who makes searches in
private houses: he sends out processes rvcrs and
he attends in person 10 the arrests ordered by
higher authority or by himself. not coming
within the sphere OF policemen. His pres
ence is required BY law different occa
sions. whenever In general arrest may have
IN he ordered or n legal veriication made. A
favortte blot OF French dramas brings In the
commissary OF police putting on the scarf which
is his official badge. In order to secure the EVIL
dence needed for a divorce In every theatre
commssary must be present from the beginning
TO the end OF each performance. There Is a COM
missary at the Bourse; another Is at the mill
tary post Of Paris: eight others see that SHOP
keepers observe honest weights and measures'
and six more are in daily service IN verifying
guaranteed articles Of silver and goid
Much of all this work has to be done Dy CON-
missaries wfO not attached 10 any one
quarter. but are at the disposition Oh 'he r'e'eo'
for special service The authority OF the others'
L.. -. the QIlaciGl 10 MnlCn