The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-11-27
ABSORBING rHE rank POLICE
The Former "sparrow Cops Have n Hard
Time in Some station Houses.

Time in Some station Houses.
The New York policeman who pitched hay
and dug potatoes in the rural regions used ia
be the butt OF the metropolitan police force,
but he isn't any more. The butt Is the spar
row cop" as the ordinary rank and nle long
ago dubbed the policeman who patrolled the
leafy highways and byways In the city parks,
When a policeman makes a mistake nowadays
he makes a sparrow bull' instead ola Goo
goo break"
When New York became the greater city the
park police were merged into the metropolitan
department and the park policeman was sub
ject at any time TO transfer to the Old Slip sta
ton or a precinct VI in Westchester. or, for
that matter. to any precinct between the goats
and the boats" as the witty policeman put 1t.
Before long there were transfers which affected
the park policemen. and now they are scattered
all over the city, so. that hardly a station house
One formerly was able to distinguish the
park policeman from the ordinary police
mar because the former wore z gray uni
the ttme.honored bfilRmpe. TScrs =" Is no &c longer
any blue and gray in the. police force. and.
man in his new SURROUNDINGS rests secure
from any remarks, as to his ,preyious occ,lpa-
S sSg moro B9t tS 6sss Z does doesF tbe MAKE MAKE d sns P SeeSedlne
to the old-timers in the force. orce a sparrow
cop. or park cop. always q sparrow cop, In
Ssent recently p2g'e transferred siSsfers from his former
desk at the arsenal In Central Park. He Is
other people a little, too. every time he happens
to be at the desk.
Nov, What can this mean .s spyysy2" he
from his inferior; he, has too much pride: ne
Just goes ahead and does things his own way.
Search me-" said the policeman. who had
seen the BoXery more thar once in his life;
.0h. I don't know that's what 1 meant"
for he was beginning to see that he was not do.
t these e0 little 4 tbin les f IN The : b I@otesr 70 A snIf I ann Gll
afraid 1 don't remember the name OF that wit
"John Doe" said the policeman. with a grin
toward the doorman and three other policemen
who had come in to report and had already
peep w1 Tm as Pa dTlI as i thi sen pe m'h Il" remarked
Yes said the policeman. and laughed. The
IBID You say that i was dull? ' asked the
Sergeant, making an attempt to be angry.
no. | didn't. say you were dull. Did you ask me
The Sergeant didn't ask any more questions;
but bent over his blotter, and the scratching of
his pen met the smokers Of the policemen, who
were holding their sides and trying not to laugh
"Begorra,' said the roundsman. do ye see
that hand OF his. go up as il he were in despair,
or is it the habit he got, up to the arsenal OF
writing with one hand and bEnHshing, away the
Of training they give 'em up in the Park They
have lots Of time to spare up there, and when
they do get a case the Sergeant will play the
judge and listen to both sides Of the story. no
m apasfow how CONS lq tRink t t tSsss c t2 do do It The And sa tns
thing when they get into a real police station.
It'll take 'em years to learn they are wrong"
Up IN the section room where the policemen
sleep the poor, ordinary eN-sparrow cop has q
time the first week, and even after
that he is sure to be the butt of all Jokes and
pranks for some time. When the sparrow cop
goes to bed he finds a placard on his pillow.
"Who killed Cock Robin? T. said the SPAR
row cop 1t happened at the Arsenal. Send.
send me back to my old. green, grassy
p"
The old-time policemen say that the park
who were transferred want to get
back. again. The former park policemen say
isn't 40, but sometimes they look as II they
would like nothing. better, At any rate. the
rank and file think that the park policemen
were meant for the park and nowhere else.
They're all birds Of a feather" said q Null
berry street man. and we don't want 'em to
flock with us till they know enough"