New-York tribune., 1901-08-14
POLICE WORK EIGHT HOURS
NEW THREE PLATOON SYSTEM PUT INTO
EFFECT YESTERDAY

The new and much discussed three platoon sys-
tenn was introduced yesterday in the Police De-
partment beginning a. The working force
attached precinct is now divided into three
divisions, platoons, and each platoon into three
subdivisions, be known sections. The first
platoon in each precinct went duty at o'clock
and remained duty until o'clock in the after
noon. 1t was then relieved by the second platoon,
which remained duty until II midnight The
second platoon then, in turn relieved by the
third platoon, whose tour of duty to end at
s o'clock this morning. AS each platoon goes off
duty one-third is placed on reserve at the police
station for eight hours, and two-thirds rest for
sixteen hours.
sired by patrolmen for several years. and in urging
the adoption Of the system the men have promised
work hard and Go all that lies in their power to
make the system q success. Yesterday morning.
however it said that the men continued their
old tactics of getting possible to the sta
ton house when the time approached for their re-
liefs come leaving their posts uncovered, and
as an instance of this in one West Side precinct
drunken woman in the streets for some
little time before S O'Clock. shouting and singing
and exchanging badinage with those who remon-
strated with her for disturbing their slumbers, and
there was policeman in sight.
The operation of the new system displaces
number of men who have held what called
snap jobs and little while. at least. 1t will
not be infrequent sight to see an old, five or six
striped officer doing patrol duty in the street. in
1t is expected that means will be found however.
return those to their old berths, or. at
least, to give them indoor details of some kind.
The operation of the system has seriously
crippled Bellevue Hospital and the Charities De-
partment generally. The Outdoor Poor Depart
ment especially feels the lack of policemen The
only way remedy the matter it is said is by the
appointment by the Commissioner of Charities of
special policemen take the place of the detailed
men who have been taken away.
When Commissioner Murphy reached Police
Headquarters yesterday he said the system
working without a hitch. Asked if the men
were showing a disposition to keep their
promise TO help make a success of the system, Nh
Murphy answered, Yes. He said there was no
because he had received a paper signed by six
thousand patromen thanking him for making the
cations from friends of those men who have lost
sio4er Murphy smiled and said he had over two
hundred such letters in his possession but that he
had not put any of the men back and did not IN
When the fun list of transfers was made public
The City Han (Thrd) Precinct loses in all forty
The Eighty-frst Precinct (steamboat SQUAD loses
sxtyfopr men tweHfy55 Of these 6eoVed oeihs
The Seventy-sixth Precinct Qlushing. Long
The Seventy fifth Precinct Hong Island City,
Queens) gains twenty -one men. .-<
The Seventy-ninth Precinct (Rockaway, queens
gains man. -
ffth-st. station eleven men are taken away and
seFr From 1n the Thiptyrs Precinct est one-hun-
dred-and- twenty hfth-st. station) eleven men are
From the Fourteenth Precinct Union Market
station) seven men are sent to Brooklyn precincts
From the Ninth Precinct (Charles-st. station)
thirteen men are sent to Brooklyn precincts
From the Fifteenth Precinct EAST F1fth-st. sta
tom, Eighteenth Precinct Cast Twenty y-second-st
station), Nineteenth Precinct West Thtrtieth-st
enth-st station). twenty-four men are taken away
and sent 10 Brooklyn precincts.
From the different police courts twenty-stX men
taken All of the men taLen from the courts
are sent Brooklyn.
The Twenty seventh Precinct, Central Park.
loses ten, men, i've of whom sent to the new
precinct, No. II, now being organized at Glendale,
Long Island, and five to Richmond Borough.
In all Richmond Borough gains thirty-seven men
and Queens Borough seventy-one men. 1t is under
owing to the fact that many burglaries have
been reported there lately. Most of the men trans
ferred TO Brooklyn have been sent TO East New
York precincts.
Inspector Brooks. who has been doing a great
deal active work of getting the three platoon
Der of men in the street at night compare with the
post at night under the old system"
There will be within few of the night
efficiency before, he replied, and more men on
reserve
In order to make the system work without
affecting the numerical strength of men actually
on duty captains have been instructed to be
sparng of special details than formerly. At public
concerts in the parks there will he fewer at
night hereafter Requests from other for
a policeman, at churches, weddings and the
like. will also be looked into more carefully by the
captains hereafter The new system goes into
effect for one month trial.
At late hour last night throughput the city the =.
system reported TO be working smoothly and
to the satisfaction of commanding officers.