New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-01-06
FIRST MOVE IN
NEW POLICE POLICY
Dougherty TO Direct Clean
Up and Promises Short
Shrift for "Gangsters."
ARREST ALL ON SIGHT
Magistrates Heartily in Accord,
and Jail. Instead of Streets,
May Soon Be the Mecca.

and Jail. Instead of Streets,
May Soon Be the Mecca.
The first step in tho reconstruction
Of the work Of the Police Department
TO bring it up TO Mayor Mitchel's
standards Of efficiency was taken yes
terday by Commissioner Douglas T..
Mckay. This was the organiza tion and
putting into operation Of a big squad,
made up Of the best detectives I'm the
department to carry out drastic plan
OF action drawn up by the new Com
missioner to rid the city Of the swarms
Of known crooks" Of all kinds that
infest its public places and convey
ances.
Under this plan there will he no
waiting for them to commit a new
crime but they will be arrested on
sight and sent 10 Jail. Particular i'm
portance attaches TO this stroke of the
Commissioners. because ii is his first
big move in administering the Police
Department as the Mayor thinks It
should he run.
IL is generally understood that II Nc
Kay shows he can run the department
according to the Mayors liking he will
be permitted to remain permanently
in command of the police.
I'VE are not going to do anything
sensational, and this cleanup work
does not mean we are going to start
any strong arm methods said Mr..
Mckay yesterday. 1T simply means
that we are going to show the gang
sters and crooks that they are not
welcome I'm New York. Our only hope
is TO keep the city sweet and clean.
Dousherty to Head Squad.
There will be a squad Of about
forty or fifty men 10 start, under the
direct supervision Of Second Deputy
Commissioner George s. Dougherty. II
will be made up of the best men in the
department, who are familiar with
crooks. Their orders are TO arrest
men with known records, with no
known means Of livelihood, who are
found lettering in public places. We
think they can be arrested under Sec
ton SS7, Paragraph A, OF the Code
of Criminal Procedure. which has 70
do with vagrants."
Have you spoken TO Chief Magis-
trate McAdoo to find out what his at
tidude is on committing men arrested
under this provision" he was asked.
"Yes, | have, and have reached an
understanding with him." he said
Mr.. Mckay said that the size OF the
squad would be adjusted TO suit condi-
tions. AS an incident Of organizing 1t
he made his first promotion since taxi
ing office. This was to advance Ricn-
ard NJ. McKenna from first grade de-
tective to the rank Of lieutenant. He
said that McKenna would be the senior
member of the squad, which means
that although Dougherty will direct its
work NICK emma VIII NJ liIc ntiu btii-
eral. He will have Detective Frank
Cassassa as an assistant
McKenna is known as one Of the best
detectives in the department. He was
appointed in 1895 by Roosevelt, when
he was Commissioner and received his
first advancement from Chief Magis-
trate McAdoo when he was Police
Commissioner.
Seventeen years Of his eighteen Of
service have been as n detective. dur
ing which he took part in practically
all Of the big cases. receiving honora-
bic mention eight times for his work.
Some Of his recent cases were the
rounding up of the Gondorf wire tap
ping gang, a part In the arrest OF the
four gunner in the Rosenthal case,
and he assisted in the arrest Of Hans
schmidt for the murder Of Anna Au-
muller.