The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-11-22
EX-CHIEF BYRNES
 ON ADMINISTRATION
From Harper's Weekly.

From Harper's Weekly.
 No one who knows Thomas Byrnes can imagine him ever losing interest in the police department That is unthinkable. And yet it was almost impossible to per suade him to discuss it for publication Question after question he put aside, but a point-blank shot brought him down.
 'Is the New York police force today erficient?" I asked him.
 "No." he replied ''it isn't"
 "Why isn't it?" I urged.
 "S'e here," said The Inspector. I'm not going to criticise the department. What I say I say in the kindliest spirit. The force isn't big enough to keep up with the growth of the city,
 But don't you believe in tho single headed police department?"
 By all means" The Inspector replied.
 What is the cause, then, of police in- effciency?"
 Tt is due chiefly" he said "to the in- competent head and incompetent depu- ties, who know nothing at all of the char acter of the work they are to supervise. I say this without any intent to reflect upon the ability of these gentlemen, and in the same spirit that I would say you are incompetent to command a fleet or l am incompetent to command an army. l never had the pleasure of meeting Gen. Bingham, for when I called at police headquarters to pay my respects he hap pened to be out.
 "Nether West Point nor the law school gives a man the training that qualities him to command the police department I have in mind two police commissioners of the past who were West Point men, Major Generals who had gained distinc- tion on the field. They were worse than incompetent as police commissioners. They were dangerous.
 What sort of administration can we expect from a stranger who is so unfa- miliar with the city that he needed a guide to take him down to police head quarters and who has never had any po- lice experience? With the best intentions in the world such a man is helpless. He is bound to fall into the hands of some clique.
 This administration in many cases knows nothing at all about the character of certain districts or the makeup of the population, which includes so many diff ferent nationalitles. When crime is committed they do not know how to di- rect their subordinates so as to appre- hend the violators of law. The men and officers in the department are quick to sec that, and in a very short time they have no respect for their superiors. The breach keeps widening until the department reaches It's present condition.
 What influence is it, Inspector" 1 asked, that does most to demoralize the poice?"
 "Politics!" he answered. with an ex- pression of intense dislike. "Either one of the great political parties elects it's mayor The mayor, as rule, appoints the head of the department, irrespective of his qualifications, selected or acqui- esced in by the party leader 1alere have been isolated cases, of course in which that did not occur. l am speaking now of the general rule.''
 Isn't the police department" I asked, "a great political auxiliary to the party in power!"
 "For the moment, possibly yes; event ually, mo- was the Inspectors reply "The political party in power, having the reputation of controlling the police force, finally have to father all it's shortcomings and derelictions of duty, in addition to becoming responsible to a reasonable ex- tent for the amount of crime that is com mitted in the city A hours. Now, say that no political party can carry that od- ium which will be heaped upon them by the press without being brought into dis repute in few years"
 How" I asked, would you bring the police department up to the highest state of efficencyT
 By putting the right man in com mand, he replied instantly '"rhe force is all right from the ground up. In my Judgment, after 35 years experience, fll- ing every office in the police department from patrolman up, the head of the de. partment should be a strong, able man who has thorough knowledge of the po- lice department and the duties1of the sew eral officers from the rank of patrolman up"