New-York tribune., 1902-01-25
THE THREE PLATOON PLAN
SURPRISE THAT COMMISSIONER PAR
FRIDGE HAS NOT ABOLISHED 1T.

Some of the older officials OF the Police De-
partment and many other NEWCOMERS who
have hoped to see the police made more efficient
under the reform administration have expressed
surprise that Police Commissioner Partridge
has permitted the three platoon system to con-
t!nue. They have said that the introduction of
the three platoon system was one of the most
demoralizing and disgraceful acts Of the Deyery
Murphy administration, and they have expected
that one Of the earliest reform acts of Colonel
Partridge would be an order to discontinue that
system, Commissioner Partridge said TO Trib
une reporter yesterday that he had not found
time to investigate the working of the three
platoon system, and he not ready to decide
about It.
Officers Of ability and experience in the police
force have been saying for months that the
three platoon system was nothing less than a
system for decreasing the efficiency Of the city's
patrol force without decreasing the cost Of po-
lice service, and therefore it meant robbery to
the taxpayers. They have said, too that po-
hcemen were becoming demoralized. lazy and
Indifferent on account OF the system. 1t has
been declared that the introduction of the sys-
tenn was scandal that needed investigation
Competent police officials say that the three
platoon system has made longer night posts for
patrolmen necessary in all parts of the city In
order to give shorter hours of duty to the police.
One police captain said the other day that
whereas he formerly had over forty night posts
IN his precinct, and covered them with as many
as forty men every night he could turn out only
eighteen men to cover posts in the precinct at
night under the three platoon system. The
doubling of the posts. officers say, means that a
policeman has twice as much territory to cover.
In many case the post is so long that he does
not try to get over it. but spends most of his
time in convenient place under cover He
avoids making arrest, If possible, because he
does not want TO spend time off duty in taking
prisoners to court The result is that he gets
s1,400 a. year, with the right to retire on half
pay for life after twenty-five years service for
shirking police duty eight hours day and hav-
ing nothing to do sixteen hours out OF the
twenty-four
1t was common talk in the Police Depart
ment before and after the introduction of the
three platoon system that the patrolmen had
raised a fund of many thousands of dollars
through their secret organization to secure the
eight hour privilege without reduction of pay.
1T was said that the fund raised originally
to grease" through the legislature bill for
the three platoon system. The bill failed of
passage in the legislature, and then the patrol
men asked Commissioner Murphy to adopt the
three platoon system without legislation.
Deputy Commissioner Ebstein in Brooklyn.
has been receiving many complaints about the
inability of citizens to find policemen their
posts at night, when they are needed, and he
said yesterday that he was consulting with Of
hcers Of the force to means for securing bet
ter police service. He added:
I have been receiving numberless complaints
that the men have not been the street
as much they should be. 1t is not right for
them TO lounge in engine houses and stables
when they should be on the street. Everybody
knows that, and it is this practice that should
like TO stop. / would like to put an end to the
continuous complaints, very often anonymous,
Ii is true that are coming to this place about
officers failing to do their duty. / want the
men to be where they can be seen. If there are
not enough under the present plan to have
he borough properly patrolled then there must
be something wrong with the system.