Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-03-08
PARIS POLICE FORCE
Has Played Prominent Role in
Romance and History.
MEMBERS EVER IN PERIL
Bands Of Apaches Most Troublesome
of All Criminals.
UNDER GENERAL GOVERNMENT
Municipal Authorities Have No Con-
troll Over Police Department
of the Capital.
MEMBERS EVER IN PERIL
UNDER GENERAL GOVERNMENT
BY WILLIAM r. CURTIS.

BY WILLIAM f. CURTIS.
Written for The Star and the Chicago Record
Herald.
Considerable attention has been given
in this correspondence to the police or
CARNATIONS of different cities and coun-
tries. and requests have been received for
Information concerning those of Paris, the
ruraies Of Mexico and the Irish constabu-
lary-all of which have features of pecu-
liar interest
The police of Paris have always had
prominent place in fiction, on the dramatic
stage, as we'll as in history. Our most
thrilling detective stories, not excepting
those OF Sherlock Holmes, have been laid
in Paris. and the headquarters of the
project Of police, at the Hotel de Vile, is
the most active center of scientific
methods and research concerning the
ways and means of detecting crime.
Vidocq, the celebrated detective, is i'm
mortal, and several of his successors are
entitled to equal fame and glory. Ber-
tillon is less sensational, but more scientific
and effective in his methods
Paris has the largest floating popula
ton in the world, estimated at 100000,
ana composed of countryrnen in search of
employment, idle workmen, Adventures,
| fugltlves from justice and mischief
| makers representing every race and clan
| on earth. Recently a new terror has
arisen in the form of organized bands of
irresponsible and desperate young fellows
given to murder. robbery and every form
| OF crime and vice, who have stolen the
| name of the most desperate and danger
Gus tribe of Indians in the United States
Known as Apaches.
| They are known as Apaches, and give
the police more trouble and anxiety than
all the rest of the population combined
1t Is popular superstition that there are
more murders and suicides in Paris than
in any other city, and that it has more
mysterious disappearance This may or
! may not be true. / do not remember ever
| to have seen any comparative statistics,
but stream of inquiries is always pass
| ing in and out Of the morgue anxiously
| searching for lost friends.
The police of Paris are national and
not municipal, and are a part of the
ministry of the interior. directly under
| the control of the project of the Depart
ment of the Seine, whose office is equiva-
| lent to that of mayor, and who is ap-
pointed directly by the president of the
| republic, like the Commissioners of the
District of Columbia. 1t is the cause
of much criticism and complaint among
French politicians that the municipal
council is not allowed to govern Paris,
or in other words that the citizens are
not allowed home rule. but perhaps they
| have as much as they are entitled to.
The project is bound by the laws Of the
parliament and the expenses of the police
are provided for by regular appropria-
tons in the budget as a part OF the min
istry Of the interior. The project and
his subordinates are permanent unless
there should be serious reasons for
changing. They are naturally more or
less susceptible to political influences
from the party which happens to be in
power. but not from the local politicians.
The project Of police is an autocrat, re-
sponsible only to the president and the
ministry of interior, and has authority
| to appoint and remove all his subordi-
mates except the commissaries. who hold
commissions direct from the president Of
the republic, but are usually appointed
upon his recommendation.
Cover Entire Country.
In addition to the municipal police,
there is a force of 5000 men under a
bureau Of the ministry Of interior, called
the surete generate, who cover the entire
country as inspectors of customs. taxa
ton, prisons, hospitals. post offices and
every branch of the government They
| correspond to the inspectors Of our Treas
| ury, post office and Department of JUS
tice, except that they are centralized
| under one head.
The criminal department of the Paris
police-that is, the detective sercive-may
| also operate anywhere in the republic as
| England. and are usually applied to by
local authorities whenever there are mys-
teries to be solved. There are go men
on the regular rolls of the criminal de-
partment and an unknown number OF I'M
| known men who are called upon from
time to time by the project for special
| temporary service.
Paris is divided into four quarters.
vxynt o1 Cd into
| ments, or wards, for convenience Each
! quarter is in command OF cOmnisSary,
and each reimbursement is in command
OF an officer of the peace who has the
| rank of major general and commands
| a division Of patrOlmen, who are or
ganized on the military plan. He wears a
| uniform and is always on duty. His func-
| tons are similar to those Of the superin-
| tendent of police in American cities, but
the commissary is a unique official un-
| known to any other country, although
there is an official In Italy who corre
| spends to him In a measure.
The commissary has charge of the in
quiry branch of the service and is pos
sessed of judicial authority. He wears
| no uniform. has no regular hours, but is
| always on duty and Is expected to detect
and punish crime, while the ordinary
police are expected to prevent crime. The
commissary must possess unusual tact.
| judgment and diplomacy, must have
| thorough knowledge of law, a degree
| ITOHu SOIlc university anu nave SeTVeQ dN
| apprenticeship as secretary, Inspector and
in other positions. Original appointments
are made after examinations and promo
lions on merit. 1t would shock the faith
of the public If one of the commissaries
| in charge of the four quarters of the city
| was appointed from civil life. and would
| undoubtedly cause the overthrow of the
| government.
One Year of Probation.
All patrolmen are appointed upon ex-
animation after probation of one year.
| candidate must have served his term
! in the army and carry an honorable dis
charge in addition to what is called "a
virgin record" That is, he must have
| reputation clear Of all faint. He must
never have been arrested, and must bring
| q certificate showing his educational
| record and previous employment; he must
pass q severe civil examination and en-
| dure certain tests to determine his in
| telligence. These tests continue for three
| months in connection with daily military
drill, and after a certain time a candi-
| date Is sent out on duty with veteran
| to patrol his beat and obtain practical
| experience and knowledge of his duties.
| The patrclmen ALWAYS in COuples