The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-02-14
POLICE FORCES COMPARED.
Members, Pay and Work Of ihe Departments IN
ksw York and lonion.


London is 100000. 1t was i,445,olS oif-
cially by the census of March, 1896. The
present population OF the city of New
York Is 100000. and New York ana
London are now the two largest cities
In the world, Paris, the third largest
being nearly 900, 600 behind New York,
ana Berlin having less than one-half
the population OF New York city by
the last published report made 10 the
British Home Secretary by SIR H. H.
Bradford, London commissioner or po-
lice, it appears that at the beginning or
1898 the London force consisted OF ~
Superintendents, 5TS inspectors, l3OS
sergeants. and 1884 constaDles, or a
total of 1852. OF these, superintend-
ents, 80 inspectors, l9I sergeants anu
1906 constables were employed on spe-
cial duties for various government ue-
partments. including special protection
posts at public Offices and buildings,
dock yards and military stations. un-
der the existing system about 90 per-
cent. of the London police force aNali-
able for duty in the streets Is required
for night duty-from 10 p. m. 10 a. IN.
The New York police department, AT
the time of the last report, was just
one-half as large az that of London,
tan and the Bronx, 1873 in Brooklyn,
1873 in Queens, and "a I'm the borough or
Richmond. Included In these numbers
are the bicycle squad OF 50. the detec-
tive squad Of 40, the sanitary squad OF
81. the court squad of liz, and the tele-
graph squad of 20, exclusive or IA de-
tectives in Brooklyn and ID members
OF the ordinance police i'm Brooklyn1he
arrests made by the London police
number 150,0 600 in a year, those by the
New York police number 10000, and
the small difference in the number
of the number OF arrests in view
of the large difference in population lis
explained by the fact that police arrest
i'm London are more usually the result
of formal complaints by citizens than
the independent acts of policemen, ana
moreover a larger latitude seems TO be
given in matters Of local order. ITS
maintenance or disturbance, than is
the case in New York. quite a consld-
erable number OF the arrests made IN
New York are of what may be called a
| tentative character, resulting in the
! discharge OF the accused person on ar
| raignment either at the police station
| or in court. More than one-quarter OF
| the number Of those arrested in New
| York for serious offences are dlscharg'
| ed without the formalty OF trial, ,anc
| of those arrested for minor offences the
| proportion discharged is about one
| third. In London during the year GOV
| cred by the last report there were
| eighteen cases of murder. OF which
1 three resulted in convictions ia th'
| first degree. In New York the number
| OF arrests for murder Is larger in I
| year but the proportion OF conviction
| is higher too,
| The expenses of the London pouc'
! department are, approximately. $500,
| 000 year, while those OF the New fori
| police department this year are in cE
| cess of $11, 900 COO q difference explain
ed in part by the fact that the pay o
1 London policemen is much smalle
than the pay Of New York policemel
, for like service. The salary account ]
$40 900, 900 a year here. In one partlcu
lar at least the London police depart
| ment appears to be more diligent an
effective than the New York force, an
that is in recovering lost property, o
which there are in year about iN
| articles restored in New York an
| l6 900 in London, including umbrellas
| blankets, mackintoshes baby carriages
| hats, hatpins, overcoatS. books an
| newspapers The average number G
| arrests made by a London policema
is not more than i'm each year, a
| against an average of 2S, four times a
| many, made by Paris policemen. TIL
average number of arrests made ID
| New York city policemen varies froI
| Is to 20. so in respect 10 the activity {
| it's police force New York may be sal
| TO stand between London and Par
| as il does in population. nearer TO Par
| than to London in this respect. IT
average height of London policemen
20 inches and the average weight II
pounds.