New-York tribune., 1896-02-06


MUNICIPAL CONFERENCE.
Tho fourth municipal conference was he'd last
evening in Granada Hall. The general topc Tor aus
cussion was THE Protection Of the CltiZ"n Thc
meeting was called to order by the temporary chair
man. who read message from Andrew II. Parker.
Commissioner o. Police IN NcwY ork. who regretted
that he would be unable TO preside at the meeting.
The first speaker was Leonard r. Wcnes, Com
missioner Of Police. who spoke on The Protection
Of the Citizen By the Police Service lie SAID IN
part:
Tho protection of the citizen through the Depart
mert of Police Is Il matter of great interest, end
justly So because. with its adJunciS me ponce anu
criminal courts, the jail and pcn;tentiary, IL IL
direct source Of taxation, ana becomes Il Nt!
serious burden; and 1t should Therefore pD pei,
formed in such a manner TO give satisfaction 10
the public and protection as far as possible" Crime
universal ana it concentrate IN cities ne reason
of which s that a man never commits crime tex-
cent upon sudden impulse) without carefully sur
veng his means Of escape ana that Is ,Hnr mSsr ac
The means OF identification are FEWER III cities r or
that reason cites of large az sIe nuv@ necsarIy follows
that an organization OF police In large cltles sh9ul
he perfect and effective than IN more thih'y
The city Of Brooklyn IN territory, covers nearly
sx;y-siN square mile is nd 'ird bas over Io S
buildings within It's limits. and nearly LOO niIes
of streets. Its distance across from hortn
70 south is twelve miles. and from east TO west
nearly six miles. II has over 10n niles 0, street
railway track and over fo:tyone miles or ocean, s
immense territory must be- watched and guarded
by the police and especially the out'yns portions oh
OF the city because thosc are most liable 10 the
attacks OF thieves and housebreakers The organl-
zation OF the Police Department consists OF s'iper-
intendcnt 4 inspectors. % captains. JIG scrgeants'
20 detective sergeants. 9? roundsmen I4.s pa,ro,,
men. So doormen. "a bridgekeepers Is teiegr,apn
operators 10 matrons. surgeons. superintendent
OF steam boilers and inspectors OF steam boilers.
being n total OF ls74 men, in addition TO me com,
missioner Deputy Commissioner and clerks ana
others attached to his office ,,,,,, Tho c,,v IN
twenty-sx precincts and four sub-precincs. making
a total Of thirty stationhou In all nineteen o,
these houses equipped with patrol-boxes g. seven
with matrons and twenty-five with patrol wagons
There are nry-two mounted police who patrol Lead
Tho number Of men on duty during the day is
about three hundred. at night about hve hundred.
and over three hundred are detailed 10 special uu'y
on the pubc streets at the ferries. courts railroad
depo,s and transfer stations, ana as drivers anu
Each station house IS connected directly win
headquarters by wire and also by swhchD3ard a, AT
heaJauariers with each other. \ lost child at
Tonrv Island whose parents live In Greenpoint. can
have notification sent - them WITHIN nv. hi'nu''
nfter IT f. found 4 murder In some reno'1 pare TI W
Inc civ with the description OF IN" mufdcFc', u
known within few m nutes OF us discoyery' i-i
by telephone and from men on po,t ho,rs ., ,-',
rich muht require attention and failure to report
causes instant investigations
PREVENTION THE CHIEF OBJECT
Commissioner Wenos. after detailing his duties and
those Of every member OF the force. said:
The duties of the policeman are Largely - p'rN'",,
Grim. rather than t. arrest the criminal The iieAi
policeman should never. II possible. allow oTl'n' 10
occur. To illustrate: gathering OF people on h 'ne ne
street should indicate Guarr" pos~io'k ,.,'' ~
murder resulting icrcfrom It should De his duiy IN
staniv to disperse the crowd and prevent the same.
4 GOOD policeman 1. not known by the number Of
arre.,- he makes but by the care he gvcs I'm patrol
ling his post. The absonce " crime In Il precinct
indicates good police work.
The appointment OF policemen IL made from The
l:sts furnished 10y the CIV. Service Commission
out OF more than 200 ailic9n's al me last eNen,,
lratlon only about lj0 able 70 pass. The men
are irst appointed FOR probationary p'roi ~ SIX
months They are closely watched by their superior
officers during that time. ana their pDm1nent ap-
pontment depends upon The report OF ne c''A!n on
their conduct FOR that six months. Ihe h"" me. are
Them The meaning OF the rules and what VIII b. re
ouired OF them az officers During this time hey
regular pafomen. and the street duty OF an oi'icrr
Is explained 10 them II IS only after the onicer ~
thoroughly posted his work that he Is allowed to
The design and Intention OF tho Ciyl Service ex-
animation thcore'icay - good, hu, whllc 'he .Han-
iiers can discover defects IN VISION am h.a'lhs
lack OF proper height and physical inability TO per
form the duties Of policemen. they cannot discover
moral qUaihcatous necessary 10 mare Pcf,ec'
nan may DE physically adapted FOR his work as
policeman unless he has moral iorc- 70 resist
termination and the ambition 20 excel IN his pro-
fefs!on be will never ad'ance or .rcoih, su'n an
civ without ambition and desire 10 exec the
force VIII never make rapid strides toward lmpr'yc,
ment Brains and common-sens- ore greatly needed
IN make an efficient policeman The man whose
only ambition IS draw his salary ana perform ms
J,,. g., - r,erfinctorv wav ls Of little value The
fore. Tho ideal policeman finds many opportunities
70 bclp cizcns in small ways. snd by his vigilance
oT,sn nreventg crime lie IL watchful In the streets
tbrough which he passes makes himself familiar
hagis - IN" location Of families is particularly
carersl TO see that windows doors are fastened
observes any nnl ell suspicious perfons raVcling
the streets especially at night. ana has Egrerai %
narts nromp;lv anything that he that requires
thc attention OF his superior officers