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

scandals it, connection with ordinary journalists.
| All persons who have ever been tried and sem
fenced before the courts also have the record OF
their falling and their punishment preserved in
,hcse dossiers"; and grave criminals leave here
! their measurements and photographs. Every
; stranger passing six months in Paris must also,
under penalty Of 4 fine when found in contra
vention. present himself and his civil papers and
! leave each of his successive addresses to this
| inquisitive set Of records. These archives are
not only at the disposition OF the Project OF
Police himself. but they the purposes of the
courts OF justice. and even of the political rulers
! Of the country
The remaining work at the Prefecture which
aspires literally to classify and order everything
done or known by the police 81 Paris day by day.
gives occupation to several special bureaus.
Last Of all. in Of grave need. the Project
or the Paris pclire call out the troops at the
military post after consultation with the military
| governor Of the city.
EFFICIENCY
| In regard to the practical efficiency Of the Paris
police service. public opinion seems to regret
| rather that there are not more policemen than
any other defect. Perhaps the most grumbing
| Is heard about tho insufficient regulation OF cabs
darling past crowded street corners. As for the
regular two murders and two suicides a day
| (oftenest between and o'clock in the morning.,
1t IS the detective rather than the police service
| which is at fault-if fault there be in this city
with its hundreds of thousands Of a floating pop
uaton. The only reproach | have heard com
monty made against the street policemen Is their
rough treatment Of the prisoners who give them
| trouble. This rarely occurs in public at the
moment Of arrest and must be limited 10 the
sccluson Of the post-if it be not usually the
mere jest Of a people who will always complain
Of acts Of authority Certainly anything Ike
clubbing a prisoner is unknown IL Is In the
character Of tho people To taunt and tease; and
the Paris policeman may very probably indulge
In this also. He wears a sabre; out II Obliged.
he would use II 80 thoroughly mat no DOUBT
could remain II the fact.
On the other hand. the career presented to can
didatcs for the police service would seem 10 nave
few attractions-f it We're not precisely
Service" with It's permanence on condition OF
good behavior. It's chances Of promotion. It's In
cidental rewards ~ merit and the final pension.
The average wages. in the three grades OF
street police. only $50 francs 900 a month
There are many who receive only l.4OO francs a
year less than - cents a day. In addition to
this they receive only the uniforms which they
wear while on service. The best paid comnis-
sarles receive but N.400 year.
Tho service Of the ord nary policeman Is long
and at times painful few years ago II was
estimated that spe' al work. time lost in going
10 and fro fires. public meetings or Disturbances,
prolonged the labor OF the ordinary police day
~ eleven instead 81 the eight hours supposed by
the regulation. Dangers To the person are ny no
means infrequ"nt. la an ordinary year 1Ss4. cne
officer killed and i6l poll ,emen were wounded
while on duty There has been an Increase or
these accidents In the recent years OF students
riots and Anarchy.
YET the idea Of entering a public service, in
order 20 retire on settled pension after many
wears t. So familiar tc the French mind that
there is never lack ot candidates. In the year
lsq, there were more than 5000 applications FOR
lrs- than coo vacancies The policeman. VINO mas
given the twenty or thirty years Of his prime 10
IN. service FOR "A dollar day. finds In MS pen
sion FOR the rest - his NE an equivalent to the
interest on the capital H. might nave amassed
i'm another career. He may also still be able
- open q shop or do other work: and his VIE
and children may have added 10 the famiy
revenu. meanwhile But here. as elsewhere In
the lie Of French citizens. the essential d'sltH-
bnlty u even an lll-paid public career at the
end of which the state guarantees pension
must be considered t. estimate rightly the ease
with which the Paris police service Is recruited
QUALIFICATIONS.
The FIRST qualification 81 the young man who
aspire. to enter the police force is what IL called
a virgin record" That IT, all his civil papers
and his certificate Of military service must be In
order and the clerk of the courts Office OF the
reimbursement where he was born must certify
that up 10 the month ~ application no judicial
sentence ever stood against him. lie ihust ne
over twenty-one ycirs OF age anu uhurI III. w.
except in the case ~ certain former suD-onlc'is
%. tn. army who may 10 admitted up to the age
Of thrty-siX ,,,
lie IL examined physically by the physlcian-lh,
chief Of the police He must know how TO r"au
and write. and he undergoes before the proper
commission further examination as To MS NJ
ness for the service. TINS COMMISSION - 49,
nm Of IN. Secretary General OF the Prefecture
(wh, L. the alter ego Of the Project himself ac-
cordlng 10 Latin law In regard 10 sectr''tirr
~ he
when application Is made to enter the s',IEIoe ~
a commlssar,); of one Of the Division CHIEFS ana
Of the Chiefs OF the Personnel ana OF 'he WY
detective service. After all this mas peeh u I
the final choice among those who successfully
PASS these preliminaries Is made directly ny NV
Prefect Of Police. Promotion however goes Oh
along regular lines OF the service.
DISCIPLINE.
The special training OF the new policemen IL
carried on for three months at the Freie''u'e
Itself All policemen have also veri'aple h''''-
tarv drill daily at the post ana nearly an nav
had the training OF regular soldiers ne t liz
,ipline Is not only rigorous. put .",S 3D.
whole OF their time, ever "Hc' ''' '''
The punishments which A Paris policeman may
incur graded n follows: rep, lass
holding Of salary suspension. chanse ~ .,a'
prlvation of grade. AMI last or all teNoc'uol'
with this final punishment. or course '"e ~"
sion for past service IL lost' -, o >, certain
4 closing remark should be maue as w $50.
relations OF the Paris police with Ihe se"' Ia
public The jealous watch over tne ~ ,he
from the public to the ieas' " 'hn ',r, nf the
police force is never ~emitted on the par y, ~.
anil orties ANY Insulting gesture OF worn; Nv, -
eyer light IL To bring the oiis a ~, nor
tho Cnnrt ~ Correctional Police for me anu PEI
hans imprlsOnment unless NJ makts "napS,'
and direct appeal 10 the cemency or 'h' Ielc..
ure Then some secretary may ,akr 'n t,.o,on,-
plant which has to pass tnto"s ssa",,,or and
ure before going TO the Public Prosecu," , ", ra
',,o,i, trssr, II among affairs that are
.'classees" that is. which VIII be neaIu y. hnO U
more. This is especially the Io5 81 dealing
,yith tho paris police. Even then. the oi,enue,,
viii nearly always be obliged To mar ai,hor in
Writing or orally In the presence oil tne o',o.t h ~
~. reac The result of THIS severity - ,ua'
the ordinary citizen and the poce'"han na,ciai
let each other alone unless '"es W
business together