New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-03-12

NOT THE TRANSFER OF Il FEW CAPTAINS BUT 4
RADICAL CHANGE
Prominent Ciaens make Valuable Suggestions for the Reformation Of
aa% NesU-Yorks Sadly incompetent Force

ma. ais NETWORKS Police Department?
1zvbv are crimes the increase? Why is a
,.,-en said TO be not safe in crossing a park
= --.lliue down a side street after dark? Why
=. escorts Of crime flourish and police captains
- swiftly rich? Why is Il that the Police
[-or,rassioner, no matter how much he promises
- nuuish the crooked and reward the honest
,,ernhers OF the force. seems helpless to do
either?
Police conditions here have become such
scandal that body Of representative citizens
known as the Committee OF Nine, has been
making exhaustive Investigations Of the work
3ngs of the department. The committee is to
make public its report in a few days, and it is
said that appropriate legislation covering its
bindings will be introduced at Albany.
Whatever the Committee of Nine may recon-
mend, It is fact that the great body Of citizens
desire radical changes in the management of
the Police Department. OF more than a hundred
prominent persons seen by representatives of
The Tribune recently not one advocated letting
the department stand it is.
The chief weakness in the police system, ac-
cordng TO the views of most Of those who are
quoted herewith. is the lack of disciplinary
power the part of the Commissioner He
dismisses corrupt captains only 70 see them sent
hack over his head and reinstated in their old
positions by the courts AS Andrew D. Parker.
ex-Police Commissioner said: THE Commits
sioner must be made absolute master of each
policeman before the members of the force will
respect and obey him. Just how this mastery
IS to be secured Is the problem
Dr. Mendes thinks that the head of tha
force should be a man Of military training. of
character above reproach and free from COM
promising associations with political parties or
organizations
Others declare that the Commissioners term
Of Office should not be coterminous with
that OF the administration by which he is ap-
pointed, but should be longer
Arthur Won Briesen, president of the Legal
Aid Society. suggests that much might be &C
Complshed by enlisting policemen for a limited
period. as in the army, say for three or five
sears the officers. as in the military arm of the
rational government, having a longer tenure Of
Office. This, he thinks. would tend to prevent
the development of a grating machine and
give the officers greater control over the men.
Colonel John \. Partridge, who was Commits
Fionfr Of Police in the first year of Mayor Low
administration urges also that the head of the
department. have longer term of Office than
at present. in order TO enable him to make use
Ct the experience and knowledge he has gained
uny after a year or two of incumbency. He
thinks there should he chief of police under
Inv Nt'ltilLiSSsoBNf anu tnal SyS~
tern should be restored. An amendment to the |
eycise laws to permit the sale of liquor at GER
tain hours ea Sunday, he thinks, would have
tie effect Of reducing the amount Of biackInatl- /
Ing done.
T p Thurber thinks a State constabulary
3 Guild take the police out Of politics.
Summarizing the suggestions made by these
tizeas, the following scheme fer the improve
ment of New-York's Police Department is
evolved:
The chief executive, whatever his title should |
la Z man Of education and military training. |
Ills term Of office should be longer than that OF
the Police Commissioner under the present law. |
He should have no political debts to pay and |
lie free from political influence. He should be |
OF mature age, but in the prime of life. He |
should have the power to promote for merit |
and reduce for cause. When a member of the |
force requires severe punishment. it ought TO |
be expulsion with ignonny and heavy penal |
~. once out. there should he some way of |
keeping the crooked men out Beginning at the |
bottom there should be a continuous inflow OF /
fresh blood. free from contamination. Retire /
nent ought to be compulsory at the age Of |
sixty-four years.
The opinions gathered by The Tribune are
printed herewith: