The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-06-20

Captains Will at once divide their forces
into two platoons and four sections as above
, provided, and, under direction OF the inspec-
.tors Of their districts, divide their precincts
.into straight day and night posts. and number
, the ga me- and from time to time designate the
patrolmen who are to patrol the same.
. Captains and commanding officers OF pre-
lincts shall grant each roundsman, patrol
man and doorman OF their respective COM
nands a night of duty:
Roundsmen. once In each sixteen days;
p%atrolmen, once In each twenty days: door
men. once in each thirty days. provided the
e1igencies of the service will permit. In
cases of roundsmen. the night of will be
arranged so that one only sha II be permitted
the privilege at one time.
This order does not apply to the Forty
tecond precinct. the traffic squad or special
Iosts.
sThree platoons and less work, y had been
o police slogan in several mayoralty cam
paigns prior to 1900. In 1901 Michael G.
Murphy was put at the head Of the Police
Department. Year after year the'pohce
lad attempted to have a bill put through
the Legislature doing away with the two
platoon system. The police force at this
period was inadequate to patrol the city
even with two platoons, and did not try
very hard. Murphy favored the three
platoon system and after securing from
Tammany Hall a pledge 70 support him
he appointed a committee Of three to draw
up in detail the three platoon layout. This
committee was composed OF Inspectors
Cortright, now Chief Inspector. and Brooks
and Devery, both Of whom have be6n re-
tired.
On December 10, 1901, Murphy announced
that the police would henceforth work
under the three platoon system. Murphy
went out of office with the year, leaving
the low administration saddled with the
system. Shortly before Murphy retired
there came q severe test Of the system,
the Park avenue tunnel disaster, In which
many lives were lost, An alarm was cent
out for reserves and 20 many men were on
duty under the system that the police were
totally unable to handle the situation,
and the system was said to be a complete
failure In times of emergency.
On February 7, 1902, Commissioner Part
ridge r~eestablished the two platoon system.
Partridge lasted only a year and rancis V.
Greene became Commissioner. Greene
didn't like the two platoon system and
wanted to go back to three platoons. He
was advised by old time policemen not to do
1t, but he gave the three platoon system
O test. Inspector Piper and the Commits
sioner one day went to the Grand Central
Palace at Lexington avenue and Forty
third street and without any previous warn
Ing sent out a riot call for all the reserves in
the city. The test succeeded completely.
Only three captains, nine sergeants and a
mere handful Of policemen turned out.
Greene dropped three platoons and on Feb
ruary Is, 1908, established an entirely new
system, known as the six section system.
The scheme for the mems tours OF duty
under this system called for twelve hours on
duty and twelve hours at homo each day.
Two sections were always kept on patrol.
one on reserve and the other three were OF
duty.
This didn't work smoothly and IN June 10.
1908, Greene amended the tours Of duty 90
that the men had eight hours on patrol one
After an UsheEs &c sceeoh