New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-08-16
TWO PLATOON AGAIN.
BINGHAM NAY USE III.


will Commissioner Bingham restore the two
platoon SYSTEM" is the question that is goins
the rounds OF the various precincts in this city
For the last week it has been rumored In police
circles that the system dreaded and detested
by the patrolnlen would be put back again by
the Commissioner on his return from his vaca-
ton According to an official of the depart
ment Commissioner Bingham decided few
weeks before he went away that the two platoon
system the only method by which the police
could cope with the crime wave which was
| sweeping over the city at that time. This same
official is authority for the statement that the
Commissioners gave orders to make arrangements
TO install the system on his return.
Soon after Commissioner Bingham took Office
he did away with the three platoon system
which was then in vogue and popular with the
patrolmen because It gave them great deal OF
time to themselves and installed the two pia-
toon After a short trial. however. the two
platoon was abolished in favor of the five pia-
toon system which studied out by Lieu
tenant James McCann. of the Tenderioih re
cinct The present system. while 1t does NOT
give as much time to the patrolmen as the
three platoon allows them more time than the
two platoon, and they accepted II as the pet'ei
of the two so-caIIed evils The patromen, u IS
said, have been work doing what they could
to prevent the two platoon from going INTO ei-
feet. but Il is said that it is already oe'eI
mined thing and that nothing viii stafo III INC
way of its being put into operation.
One man who has been falnlilar WIN
the workings of the police for the last thirty
,.oos ,-be,, asked concerning the situation last
night said: NO Commissioner of Police III TINS
cit,, can make a success of the department under
anv other method than that of the two platoon
If was under that system that the depaE 'liie''
received the name of being the best poiice oe-
partrnent in the world and II was unoer 'ii"'
system that the of the department oeEe-
oped into the finest body OF men coiieCliNets i
the world In my opinion. the various suD''
t,es which have been offered In late years nave
done more harm to the department IMAM amy
thing else To be sure, the patrolnen nave 10
work harder under that system than under any
other buf that is what they are paid for After
a man has been in the department rev years
he reaches the 81 400 a year grade. and even II
he never reached any higher grade than that OF
natrolman that is a good salary for the work.
and then he has an advantage over men In other
walks of life who receive the same salary
when he reaches the age limit he can retire
on penson and he is always sure OF so''ie
coming in his old age. You viii hnd that II oo'ii-
missioner bingham adopts the two platoon again
and the department backs him up there VIII pe
much less crime in the city because the ciaiiOe'
of the criminals getting away with IL VIII oe
less. and they know that. II is the younger ere
nent that is making the opposition TO the two
platoon. You go and ask a man with Couplo
~ strjnes how he likes the two platoon and you
will find If he can talk 10 you without the "ihers
hearing that he knows it is fairer TO the city
than any other system which has been tried
None Of the police officials was willing 10 DIS
cuss the matter last night