New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-02-28
LAXNESS OF POLICE
nTYsS MONEYW4STED
Bureau of Municipal Research
Issues Elaborate Report.

Under the caption Business Methods of
New York c;ty's Police Department the
Bureau of Municipal Research has pub
lished 2 report. which II terms critical
STUDY and constructive suggestions pertain
ting n administrative and accounting
methods Of the Bureau Of Repairs and Sup
niles" based upon an inquiry requested by
Police Commissioner Bingham IN July, 1905,
md pursued from August Of that year 70
April 1899 with the cooperation or the
present Commissioner. William f Baker
who was then first deputy. After reading
the report General Bingham said; II IS
fne and true, every word Of it, hope II
vii be published.
The report consists Of about 15,oz0 words.
figures 10 prove the contentious expressed
therein and inserted charts Of stat!stlcs
.rollsted tv the examiners Particular at
tan1ion i called 10 the lax discipline and
evasion q responsibility Of the patrolnlen
eTrploved as clerks end the exorbitant cost
of repairs. Supplies not delirered were cer-
rifea 70 as received, according 20 the re-
rerr. and unauthorized purchases were
shade and eventually raid for by the de-
partment
r-roH7cisl orders resulted IN delay IN the
,svmer- Of hills and there were many
:elerhone orders An inserted chart gives
IN exhaustive comparison CT prices paid by
fr4 Police Department On open market or
.5.rs With those quoted by dealers 10 the
Fureau of Municipal Research and with
prices reld ~ the War Department q the
nited states government.
BUSINESS RULES BROKEN
T,e examiners reporte6 that they found
1arsc+icslI, every business rule broken IN
,he department. substantating the feeling
SAID * he prevalent among dealers and
.onrractors that the Police Department, Of
~ city departments was the most unde-
sirable with which TO deal. Discipline was
almost unknown. the report says, contlnu-
1I.E as follows
Three months after tbs issuance Of an
cffcial order that affected accounting pro,
eedure deputy conn1issl92ner was ss. aS5eo
hon il was being obeyed. Upon lnNeSllsa-
ZION he found that over TWENTY-FIVE Eloia-
tons had already occurred without MS
knowledge. This rule was broken, as are
a. rule, than because OF disregard Tor
authority This laxness may also De P a.,
when he is transferred TO clerlca posi-
tan he cannot receive any reward for eA
~ep+ioual clerical service and that he doe:
,1o- have the same opportunity for earn
ing the special honors which are AWARDED
for personal bravery, ana when count 70
promotion il police work along with eA
aniration marks and length of service
TIE Commissioner nNed the WORKING
hours OF police clerks from 9 a m 10
= n including Saturdays, and ne mas IN
ROVER 70 increase these hours II ne $
11shes Other city employees are; as d rue
SIN expected 70 work only III Q clocl
sns I'll Il O'Clock on Saturdays. under al
rrd5nzrce which closes city oNlceS 10 IN
T1-otic al those hours
Tne rules for -he quarterInaster laid
down IN the Commissioners manual. Is
eled September. 1915, are explicit and Ge
Bureau OF Repairs and Supplies Al
though the rules are clear. spirit OF dis
regard for their enforcement has grown u
anlorZ the men A feeling apparently pre-
lis that they can shift responsibility 70
Irregularities.
me use Of uniformed policemen as clerks
Craftsmen. mechanics and cart driver
x a handicap in the reorganization or TN
$40 as The traditions of the force VIII no
permit an officer 10 hold d clerical posi-
lion under inferior ia rank no matte
how great the latter : ability cor exam
PFC z sergeant would not give orders 10
lieutenant or 10 2 captain with any Grea
hope q Obtaining successful results
Opan market orders for wagon and car
rage repairs and supplies amounted l
1nore than S145e0 IN 1897. and for the frs
1our mont ms of 1905 they exceeded $500
Repairs running from S125 10 SG25 weI
required on more than one-half the nun
IN Ter Of patrol wagons IN The department
vi hlle for 4 SIMILAR percentage Of al
The following statement. obtained fro1
the department gives q few OF the mos
conspicuous cases Of apparently eAcessiy
Cesr Of repairs to patrol wagons for III
LIST four -esrs-