The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-09-24
Question OF OfPutting on Sub
stitute Police.
Majority of Members Are Not
in Favor of the Plan.
What Is Said on Both Sides by Men
Who Wear the City's Blue.

The Gossiper has talked with a number
of policemen and with few exceptions
he finds that they are not very enthusiast
tic over the proposal now under consider
alton oy the Mayor, chief and police COM
pittee TO establish reserve or substitute
force from which men win be drawn to
take the places OF regular members OF the
force when, for any reason, they desire
to be of duty. One man, who seemed to
voice the opinions of a large majority,
said: son the face of IL the proposition
appears TO be very fair one and to the
advantage of the men. OF course 1t Is not
a very easy matter now to get day of.
The reserve Of substitute force would no
doubt change that SD We could get of
whenever we want to. That i ADMIT would
be an advantage over present conditions
but II would not make the scheme satis-
factory.
Gas things are now we have to do
great deal of extra work for none OF
which we get any extra pay. III Il am
sick or get leave OF absence for day some
other man in the department has to COW
er my beat. This is extra work for him
and hard work too, for, mind you, when
n policeman his travelled his own beat for
seven hours, he isn't feeling very chipper.
Now when q man does this extra duty,
as say he gets nothing for 1t, so 1t APP
pears even harder TO him than Ii really
Is. Any work for which man gets moth
inQ is the hardest kind OF work. What
I.beIieve and what the majority Of the
mem bers of the police force, mean the
men who travel, believe, is that we
should be paid for extra work.
ssIf that is done we win not need any
reserve or substitute men, because In
stead Of growing as they do now when
they are ordered to do extra duty, the
men will be glad of the chance to earn
an additional dollar. II am of duty
for day and another policeman takes
my place he should receive my pay for
the time he does duty for me. 1t will
be help TO him and no loss to me, TO-
M present IL Pm of lose my pay,
while the man who taxes my place gets
nothing for his additional labor. 1t seems
to me. therefore, that the best thing the
city can do is not to put on this substi-
tute force, but to pay the men now on
the force for the extra work .hey do.
There will be no growing then and bet
ter service Will be rendered the city.
Au M tu ha 4.
ment of ma ajority. The men in the mi
nority take an entirely different view.
they say the esta blishment OF a force OF
substitutes would be g ood thing and
big relief TO the men. Ii would enable
them to have a days leisure when they
felt so disposed, while other members
of the force would not be compelled
to 10 double duty without extra pay
to make up for the absentees. It's all well
enough for some of the men to say they do
don't like the putting on OF substitutes
andt hey would be willing TO do the extra
work IL they get pay for IL. but 1t isn't
practical. A man who travels his own beat
and does his work faithfully is tired
enough to require a rest. To ask him to
do extra duty is simply to put strain on
him that does him no good and In the
end does not help the department, because
1t leads to more perfunctory perform
ance of work and prevents that watch.
fulness ana attention to details which are
the chief value OF q competent policeman.
II had my way would not ask regu-
lar man 80 do an hours extra duty save
in unuual cases. / would have a substitute
force large enough to meet all emergencies
snd simply require the reguar men to do
their regular duty properly"