New-York tribune., 1906-06-20
RACK TO TWO PLATOONS
pATROLHEN IN REVOLT.
Sal Binghem's Order Brands Nc
CIeLlan a "Weicher."

POLICE Commissioner Bingham yesterday is
srea general order 70 restore the two platoon
.rstera Of patrol duty thus abolishing the three
,s,oon system which was tried for some
,onrhs in The latter part Of the Van Wyck ad-
-rinstration and has been on trial so far during
ysvor NcClelsn's administration. The order
eoes into effect tomorrow morning at O'Clock
After issuing the order General Bingham said
Re had taken such action 30 increase the eff
c,sncy Of the patrol force with the consent of
Nayor Mcclellan. He also made q statement
which in effect was confession that the three
rlatoon system had been failure. AT the same
tine he declared that the re-esta adjustment of
the two platoon system had been forced by the
failure Of the Board OF Aldermen to grant an
appropriation for an increase Of the police force
TIE order Of General Bingham created con-
siernaJion and anger among the patrolmen last
evening Patrolmen We're seen gathering in
groups OF the streets in uniform, neglecting
patrol duty in apparent disregard Of all rules to
talk over the situation. Everywhere the
discussions were marked by exhibitions Of wrath
The general sentiment OF the patrolmen as
expressed IN their talk was that Mayor McClel-
lsn was d ''welcher," and that he had broken
his pledge 10 them because in the last campaign
many Of them had voted for William r. Hearst.
They declared that Mayor Mcclellan had meant
70 get revenge on them earlier in the year. for
their support of Mr.. Hearst. but mad waited until
:he adjournment of the Legislature for fear that
his restoration Of the two platoon system would
isad 10 legislation legalizing the three platoon
system.
Some Of the patrolmen declared in the heated
talk ,h4t they had dropped the annual Three
Platoon bill at Albany this year on the express
promise Of Mayor Mcclellan TO keep the three
he of
tls present term Of office. They asserted that
NJ Hearst would have kept his promise TO
then General Bingham, they said. would not
he able 10 shift the blame TO the Board of AL
6ernen
IN his statement late in the afternoon, ex-
planning why ne had issued the order to restore
the tw0 platoon system, General Bingham said:
Because Of the failure Of the Board Of Alder
men 10 grant the increase Of force asked for
ard roe pressing necessity for more men owing
10 va atoms and 10 tie numerous cans lor Nail-
olas summer resorts etc. which strain the re-
sources Of the department II has been necessary
70 re-establish the TWO platoon system
IN addition. General Bingham said that among
the advantages OF the two platoon system were
The increase Of the number Of men on duty at
night by % per cert" and the ability of the de-
parrment to make the night patrol posts
straight Under the three platoon system the
night posts have been so long and 50 crooked
that patroIrnen We're able 10 shirk duty without
detection.
The TWO platoon system Of patrol was in force
II the Police Department for forty years before
the experiment Of the three platoon system was
Permitted by Mayor Van Wyck. Under the two
platoon system in the old days all the men
of The police force who had regular posts were
on duty from 6 p. N. TO a. m, one platoon
patrolling six hours. while the other platoon was
Mons. The working Of the system such that
the platoon having patrol duty from p m to
midnight one night had the tour from midnight
q z n. the next night. Only quarter of the
Tarrol force had duty in the streets in the day
lime when ore-half Of the force was off duty.
General Greene. as Police Commissioner,
changed the system slightly, 10 permit the
police stations TO be without any reserve force
between a. N. and a. m. and TO give every
ratrolrlan thirty-six hours of patrol duty,
t'yerty-eight hours of reserve duty and thirty
Two s0urs at home in every period OF four days.
TIE systen as used by General Greene is the one
now restored by General Bingham.
When Mayor Mcclellan was running for his
present office the FIRST time he promised in his
campaign speeches to restore the three platoon
system il elected. He kept his promise to the
police when Commissioner EfcAdoo was placed
in oAica. Mr.. McAdoo was obliged 70 continue
the system during the two years Of his term. al
though he saw that the city was being robbed by
the sysrern.
One garing fault Of the three platoon system
is thar il cuts the night patrol down from one
half II the force TO one-sixth OF the force. This
means that all the night posts in the city must
be longer and the protection of the city at
night much less. since one patrolman under
the three platoon system must cover ground
which under the two platoon system would be
covered by three patrolmen. Under the three
Platoon system only one-third Of the force can
be on duty time, either post in
serve. a patrolman being of duty sixteen hours
n the rwenfy-fOIr
The patrolmen's secret organization has tried
every year in recent years TO get a bill passed
by the Legislature making the three platoon
system compulsory in this city, but the bill has
been rejected every year because OF the argu-
merit that the system fails to give proper police
protection and that patrolman earn $1,4o0
year by pstrOing post or staying in reserve
n police station only eight hours day It
has been pointed out. also that in addition 10 his
large salary policeman can retire on half pay
after twenty FIVE years Of service, and his rel
atives are sure of pension if ne is killed in the
discharge Of his duty.