The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-12-28


missal for drunkenness and other faults,
and he can be punished in many ways,
principally by fines
He begins at salary Of l pound and
shillings week. This will be advanced
1 shilling week every year that his con-
duct is good, until, at the end of eight
years of service, he may be paid pound,
10 shillings week. One case of drunken
ness, or other violation Of the rules, is
certain to bring about a deduction of pay
to the original 1 pound, shillings. He
must then begin his advancement over
again.
The pension system is very complete.
Men who have served 10 years may retire
on pension of fifteen fftieths of the ir
regular pay, and this increases to two
thirds of their regular pay for those who
have served 20 years and upwards.
two-thirds pension may be granted to q
constable who is inoapacitated for duty by
injuries received IL the actual perform
anoe of service at any time, no matter
how long he has been on the force. If
he receives fatal injuries in the perform
ance of his duty, similar pension will
be granted to his widow.
The ranks are these: Constable, SER
geant, inspector, superintendent, CHIEF
superintendent. Beyond these there are a
commissioner and three assistant COM
missioners. These, in turn, are subordi-
nate to the home secretary (now Mr.. AS
quith), who is also known as the secre-
tary of state. Thus the police of London
are practically government institution,
as the nome secretary is a Queens cabi-
net minister.
The safeguards against favoritism In
the acceptance of men for the force are
many. The candidate is first examined
by district or precinct surgeon appoint
ed by the home secretary. Then he may
be put on probation for IA days longer,
during which time he receives a small
wage and is drilled or the drill ground
at Scotland Yard, residing meanwhile In
the candidates barracks. After appoint
precinct in which q vacancy exists, and
must live, and, if he is married, his
family must live, in that district.
Promotions are made every week, and
their reasons and results are published in
a weekly police order. A constable whose
work seems to have merited promotion is
recommended to a committee Of inspect
ors for advancement by the sergeant
This committee considers the case, and
may promote the constable to rgeant
ship. In a similar way sergeants are
selected by the inspectors and recon-
mended to the superintendent for ad-
vancements to inspectorships and inspec-
tors are recommended by the superinten-
dents to the commissioner for advancs-
ment to uperintendentships
No II an can hold an important position
unless he rises fl ON the ranks, and none
but lien who have risen from the ranks
can pass upon his merits. There is, be-
sides, promotion board, consisting of six
superintendent and an assistant commits
sioner, who must approve every promo
ton decided upon by any OF the commit
Zee before it can go into effect. The
home secretary has summary power OF
removal, but he has no power of appoint
ment. A man recommended by the Queen
herself would have to 90 through the rou-
tine and begin at "a shiIlings a week be-
fore he could attain an important posi-
ton in the police. The London public,
even In the worst quarters of the city, has
q greater fear of the police than tn g New
York public has.
Constables must stop disturbances, pre-
vent thievery by watching property, see
to the enforcement of street ordinances,
and arrest disorderly persons. They are
scarcely expected to pursue and capture
evil doors after crime has been COM
mitted, however; that is the work of the
detective department This is mott ad
mitted in London, but it is proved by |
the fact that constable distinguishes
himself by actually arresting burglar, a
highway robber, a murderer,ssa Gan import
ant pickpocket, or any other serious
sinner, is almost invariably and very
promptly promoted
1t is partly in that way that the detec- |
tive force is recruited Many men are
chosen for it, also, ont of the 200 or 300
constabes who, during the season''-tne
luUubu5 NuSI IO3 any bLA uiiO esi ioUOOlcCy
are in towE-are detailed to duty in
'plain clothes.
Crimes of violence are disappearing
from London. Highway Iobberies-or
''garrotte robberies,' as they are called
amount to only about so year for both
the city and county as against about 400
year IN New York, with less than one
half the population. Bu<glaries are SO
unfrequent as to be almost unknown, |
and even pocket picking is no longer
profitable or popular. Counterfeiting is
carried on only on small scale.
But there is a class of elaborate swind- |
ling going on constantly in London |
which America knows nothing of, and |
the Whitechapel district is the resort of
desperate characters who operate most of
the time out of town, and in town when
they can. They bring their stolen goods
to Whiteohapel to be disposed of, and |
oarouss away their gains with some of |
the 40, 600 depraved women who inhabit |
that DISTRICT alone.