New-York tribune., 1901-06-23
THREE PLATOONS SURE.
COMMISSIONER MURPHY APPOINTS 4
COMMITTEE TO SET THE SYSTEM
IN OPERATION.

The three platoon police system is be adopted
for this city. Police Commissioner Murphy made
the announcement yesterday that he had decided
TO put the system into opera tion as soon as pos
sible. He appointed a committee headed by
Devery. TO arrange the details. Then he said:
I have examined the entire system and I be-
heve il Will tend to the betterment of the depart
crease the expense Of doing police work in the city
The new system will go into operation through
out the entire city in all the boroughs the
time The men have given assurances that
they will cooperate with me in making the new
system success All want TO do Is 10 make
the, the york Of The department. better for the. men
DO II. without making II cost the city more money.
Mr.. Murphy expressed opposition to the three
platoon system when the Patromen's Benevolent
Association had caused amendment TO the
charter 10 be introduced in the legislature TO
make the system compulsory. He was quoted in
some OF the newspapers then declaring that
the amendment would add many millions to the
expense OF the department The legislature did
not pass the amendment. and the large corruption
fund. said TO about $1,000 was not paid
out by the agents of the association that was
pushing the amendment. Then the association
petitioned the Commissioner TO set the three
platoon system In operation. and there were
whispers that the big fund would be divided among
certain Tamm my politicians II he could he induced
TO try t. He denied that he had been correctly
reported in opposition TO the three platoon system.
the sa system me %ad snd fong f Fb 20 an nv %
politicians said they knew ne would be convinced
success
Deputy Commssiqner Devery and Inspectors
mttee 10 report rules for placing the thrae-platoon
system IN operation. How long n WILL take 10
have the rules formula ted and adopted Commits
sioner Murphy said yesterday that he did not
know.
High officers Of the police force have said that
the adoption of the three-platoon system would
mean great loss Of efficiency unless there was a
large increase OF the force. Under the two platoon
system one-half OF the available patrol force of
the department is on patrol from p mid
night and the other half is patrol from mid
night to a. One platoon is in reserve at the
police station, while the other is post During
the hours Of daylight only one-fourth of the police
are on duty in the streets Under the three-patoon
system only one-third Of the available patromen
could be on duty at night, and the night posts
will have to be heightened This means the off,
GERS Of long experience say, that the city will he
left comparatively unguarded hours when most
people are asleep.
'On account OF the long hours of duty OF police
men" said an old-tmer yesterday. their pay has
been raised to 81. 400 year, and they assured
OF pensions for life half pay when they have
served twenty-five years. If they TO retire
Now the city Is 10 81 400 a year every police
man who walks about the streets eight hours a
day and pay him pension for the rest of his life
when he becomes too fat 10 walk"