New-York tribune., 1903-01-16
EASIER FOR PATR0LMEN
GET TUELVE HOURS OFF.
Sir Sections Take Place Of I5co
PlnfOOns

evstera on the evening Of Sunday, January 20
Oss issued yesterday by Police ComInlsslonei
Greene. The new system IS q cross between 'ie
present two platoon system and the three
platoon system which was tried in Com1nls-
sioner Murphy's time snd abandoned by COM
missioner Partridge
Under the new system each Of the two pla-
soons in = precinct is divided into three SCI
rcns making six sections in all, and the system
will be known as the six section system Ihe
risn is to have three sections on outy ioi
twelve hours. from p. m. TO . a. m. for an
entire week and the other three sections "41
duty from = a m. TO p. for a week Two
Of the three sections on duty in the t~elVe houis
will be on patrol while one section VIII Oe
sn reserve in the police station AT the emu "a
each four hours the section that has been III
reserve goes on post TO relieve one OF 'he So
tions on patrol. AS the sections alternate III
,ex.r,,e 5ut,, each section viii have eight hours
IF continuous patrol duty and four hours Oh
-,eserve duty in the twelve hours. Meanwhiie
three sections VIII be of duty entirely for t"el'e
hours.
In +hn first week the first, second and thiro
sections will have all the night duty, Whlle Ni9
fourth fifth and sixth sections will have All tie
DIV duty. In the second week the secono' thlio
and fourth sections will have the night ouls-
In the third week the third. fourth and hfth
4stion until at the end of six weeks the frsr
second and third sections viii begin night duty
together again.
The serseants IN the precincts will alternate
su doing eight hours desk duty. followed by 1oor
hours reserve duty. and then being on duty lor
syrelve hours The roundsnen in turn VIII nave
eight hours patrol duty, four hours reserve
duty. and off duty twelve hours No change Is
s7,sGe in the captains time Of duty which means
fhat captain can do as much or as h''ie ""rA
ss he thinks is NECESSARY
General Greene yesterday sent to the Mayor
long letter explaining his reasons for ordering
she change in the patrol system He says lhe
szvo platoon system requires more OF Policemen
rhgu could reasonably be expected OF ciuzehS
living IN homes with their families, while 'le
.hree platoon system gave too little service 10
she city The new system. therefore, was oe
.7sed to give more time at home TO the police
man without greatly weakening the eHlciei'S
n fbe force He admits that the new system.
Ike the three platoon system, will permit ol
having only one-taaird of the force on patrol ID
Che night time and only one-sixth in reserve
- -bjle the t=vo platoon system gives hai1 tne
entire force on patrol and half in reserve an
-fyht This viii mean much longer posts LOT
su policemen in the night time. and conse-
rr,entlv less protection for the city at hours
when most people are asleep. but Geheral
defends
II has been asserted by those VINO advocate
sbe present system that more patronen are
required at night than during the Gay Inns
-nsv be true so far the detection OF crime is
concerned but there duties Of the ponce IN
1,ornertion with the regulation of street trar1c
snd the enforcement of ordinances or the oueet
Cleaning. Building and health oepalIil1etio9 oepI ~
which are second IN Importance only 10 lhe L. de
\ section of crime, and which affect the comfort
and convenience OF every resident OF the CITY
snd these ordinances cannot be properly en-
with
,oatrol during the day, under the system now IN
aoearstion II seems TO me- therefore, proper
ef me force on sfroi and on reserve should be
uniform throughout the twenty-four hours
Commissioner Partridge, who could not be fn-
duoed as a member of the commission ap-
,1otnted by the Mayor to recommend a change
from the two platoon system, said in a letter TO
7he Mayor on this subject that the history OF
most patrol systems showed that they began
with the night watchmen, police service by day
following considerably later, and that the need
for police patrol at night was the greatest, be
cause then stores and factories are practically
deserted occupants Of dwelling and tenement
houses are sleeping, fires are consequently more
likely TO be undiscovered and gain headway
and by reason OF darkness the officers range OF
sfsion is limited, and he cannot cover as great
a. distance with the eye
General Greene says that the reduction Of the
number of men on patrol at night is inevitable
sn departure from tne Two platoou SssISIll
and he urges on the Mayor the propriety Of OBJ
tanning such legislation~th that during each OF
the Years 1908 and 1904 the force he increased
nv seven hundred patrolmen, and during each
subseouent year by two hundred patronlen-"
He also recommends an increase of roundsmen.
SO as TO have six roundsmen instead of four at
zach station
like the three platoon system, the sys-
tenn provides for eight hours continuous patrol
duty. instead Of Six and Colonel Partridge said
mn that point in his recent letter to the Mayor:
The four Of duty Of eight hours, especially
curing the storms Of nidwinter and the heat
of midsummer. is too long 10 insure a constant
and faithful attention to duty, and is longer
than is ever used in the army OF navy except
fn great emergencies
Fire Chief Croker declared in the time when
.he three platoon system in operation that
.,strolrnen could not be expected 10 perform
eight hours consecutive duty. and that most Of
.hem found convenient places for sleep in the
early morning hours when they should be pa
trolling their posts. with the result that many
fires went undiscovered until they were dan
gerous.
General Greene says in his letter to the Mayor
that the nav of policemen is larger than the
men could get IN other employment, not to
sneak Of their pension after twenty-five years
service but he thinks il would be impracticable
20 reduce the pay of the men now in the force.
He recommends. however. that in the legisla-
s,o7 10 increase the force new schedule Of
increase be provided FOR the policemen to be
sppointed hereafter, as follows;
recornnend that the compensation of patrol
mon shall be $500 the first year. and increased
nv $50 each year until after twelve years or
service when the maximum Of sI4eo a year
rH