New-York tribune., 1896-01-04
c0NDJTION OF TIE FORCE.
,cr COMMISSIONERS REPORT TO THE
MAYOR.
HANDICAPPED nY vAcAN'7FS-'''N DE IT +
RrnEAr-s SUGGESTIONS As To THE


p,,,ce commissioners made public Yesterday a
-. which they sen. to Mayor strong few days
fepoI i,re The condition of the department Tho
ago sb,ys that the strength of the uniformed
~ December 26 las: was S.s21. as against 2N'
'o's ,.,.rv / 1895 From January l.. 1885, until De-
nhsr g. 1895, ,he number OF removals from the
force was c56. ~.
~. condition Of the force upon January !. 1888.
.,. renort says. was admittedly very unsaiisfec-
w. with an Increasing city population. its vacan-
~ mare greater in number and importance than
"a over been known in the history Of the depart
mi Their aggregate from all causes amounted al
.s and especially during The summer. TO al least
49, hundred This shortage OF force was aggra-
,es bv the fact that the town OF Wes; Chester
va ,sr, Of The town of Pelham and Eas; Chester.
nnrjsing an area greater IN It's superficial extent
.rn the Island Of Manhattan. were annexed TO the
,v recently and their policing became the duty
- this department. which had to rely therefore
,on force already insufficient for the territory
t-a,ofore in charge. To this deficiency in num-
,r the agency of Generalization added its effect
Many of the most important officers Of the forcc
,are suspended either under charges or under IN
dc,,nen; for crime. publicly accused of grave
,iice delnquenc!es or under general suspicion Of
the same
The report then speaks Of the retirements OF
cb,sf Byrnes Inspectors Williams ard McAvOy
and The dismissal of Inspector Mclaughlin. On
December examination held for the position
of Chief of Police and the only applicant therefor
1nspector Peter Conir. qualified and ap-
nonpted The report goes on TO cay that the force
has been made to understand from the outset that
lion political and personal. no longer to have
the slightest power in appointments promotions
of the force and it is believed that the force has
become. whole. convinced OF the sincerity Of
these announcements.
The report further says.
An important factor toward this result it Is be
reved has been the impartial enforcement o. the
Sunday y-cosng provision OF the excise law. in inn
pressing upon Officers that they may a ana G shall
persecution by politicians or rebuke from their
The Detective Bureau has been thoroughly re-
organized; the old influences and persona l.ties
witch had rendered II Of late a byword have
Been placed in charge actinscaDta.n stephen
OBrien. detective-sergeant OF many Years @ @s,aHG-
his his selection The work o. the Bureau. 1T IS fair
fsrer and its results 0: higher quality than ever
heretofore" -.....-... o.,o.,,u,e,,. .,
the Election law; There shoald be a reduction in
the amount Of clerical work imposed upon inspeec-
,SI OrpeeSs t1sy 'S Of etcoh 0 shoud be rasa ana the
compensation OF election otcers couI! Der, be rsad
S day M of 5o 5ecI2R St2R ~S @ bdd al 5eiE cf
while the blanket ballot used at the last election
preceded e il for eeeriy in voting some changes
circle should denote straight ticket vote only, and
should not be combined with other marks in case OF
a split ticket In all cases other than straight
ticket 4 should be marked against each name
for which vote !s intended TO BE- cas-. Any prac-
tcable way OF reducing the number OF columns Oh
the ballot would be a decided Improvement.
The report closes as follows:
"ln the conduct of the department for the future
the most pertinent suggestion - tina; the system
OF reward for merit and for merit alone. thus III
auguraied shall be continued and intensified until
any departure from II shall instnctively meet. botn
within ana without the force. with general repro
baton 50 FAR as the force itself is concerned. IN
necessity dwarfs all others. II this condition b.
attained. II will be difficult 10 have bad police
force: II the OH conditions revive. II vii be equally
difficult I'D have good one.