The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-05-15
THIRD DECREE AND OTHER POLICE METHODS INSPECTOR BYRNES

crusader in an interview. MY campaign.
however, has not been against Mr.
! Byrnes as a man. but as an official" he
! added. thus voicing New Yorks belief
that its famous policeman had not been
personally in league with vice
Indeed, although Byrnes always seems
to have been honest himself. he evinced
a disregard for one side Of his duties.
the side that has been emphasized more
and more with the incubation OF the
idea Of civic decency. This was "A phase
OF his character difficult 60 understand
when one appreciates the fact that his
marvellous success as a couservator OF
public peace was due largely 10 his abiI-
ity 10 perceive the evils. and At times
the utter usclessness of old-fashioned
methods. Byrnes was never afraid %
adopt an idea because IT was new.
Prevention or Capture.
He recalled that the prevention Of
crime was really Of more Importance
than the capture Of criminals whom a
lax police system had allowed 10 pursue
their dangerous caIlings. In putting into
practice his new ideas. based on a
knowledge Of human nature such as no
former chief of police had ever pos
sessed, he suppressed crime by suppress
ing criminals as far as possible. and by
driving all those known 10 him from
the city. He gave none Of them an OPP
portunity to commit crime within his
jurisdiction
Try5o,,bt1.1l,, .t,, ,,,,,t c,,,tr,, H., ,r..,. ~ 4
vanccd in later years. after he had left
the force. that his success had been due
10 the fact that he knew the police
game from the ground up" was strictly
true.
Byrnes began as n pauolman. and ne
filled all the grades successfully until he
reached the top. Born I'm ireland I'm 1872.
he came 10 this country with his parents
as an infant He spent his young man
hood IN the old Fifth Ward where be
ran with Hose Company no. Il Of The
volunteer fire department. So. of course.
It was only natural that he should en-
list In Ellsworths Zouaves at the out
break Of the civil war.
When the regiment was disbanded he
returned TO New York. and IN 1863 was
appointed a pauolman. in the old Third
precinct. which had its station house I'm
Chambers street. near Washington In
1868 he was made roUndsman: two
years later he was captain. and in 1871
ne led the right Of the police column
in its march down Eighth avenue 10
quell the Orange riots
Reached the Top in 1850.
In 1850 he was appointed mead Of the de-
tective bureau, and six weeks later his
brilliant work had gained him promotion
TO the rank Of Inspector. He succeeded
Superintendent Murray as head OF the
metropolitan police in 1892. and received
tho title Of chief inspector under the BIZ
partisan police bill, passed by the legis-
latUre two years later
This gives an idea Of the training
Byrnes had had for his task when he be-
came chief OF detectives I'm $50. and later
stil Of the city's entire police force. lie
was strict with HIS men. yet they liked
him. one or his first moves after coming
TO the detective bureau was 10 order all
subordiuates TO refrain from talking
about police business Discipline ne In
sisted upon, and 10 was not slack discip-
line. either. His men had 20 know their
work Ignorance. stupidity, dishonesty
all these he would not stand for He got
rid Of tho old force Of detectives almost
10 a man. In those DAYS 70 was some
thing Of an honor IN the department 90
be one Of "Byrnes' men" II meant that
you would be recognized in any police
station. from Scotland Yard 20 Hong
Kong. as thief-tallcr OF merit
There was something peculiarly pic
turesque about Bynes. II has been said
Of him that he was the first police chief