New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-01-01
The Police Commissionership.

The circumstances Of Mayor Mltchel's search
show what is needed in the Police Commissioner
ship. The politicians clamor for every other once
in the Mayors gift, but they recognize that the
Police Commissioncrsbp is not for partisans inc
Mayor seeks the sblest public administrators IN the
country. men who enjoy worldwide reputation, ana
the public applauds his doing so. lie has no IDEA
of being his own Police COMMISSIONERS Mayor
Gaynor was-of putting mere clerk IN the once
10 carry out his orders. And he is right Inc
office every one feels should be one of dignity and
mower independent of political bosses and almost
independent Of the Mayor-one to attract men equal
or nearly equal TO Colonel Goethals or MT W.
Cameron Forbes, whom Mr. Mitchell has sought
Yet Il has been made by law a graveyard of good
reputations place with huge responsibilities out
little power With the Characteristic distrust OF
public administrators born OF the age OF machine
ruled cities the Police Commissioner OF New YORK
has been hedged about with thousand limitations
which destroy his possibility OF usefulness tie
cannot hire and fire" because Of once Jusnhed
fear that he would this power for political pur-
noses He is not allowed to serve long enough 10
learn his business because job brokers of the past
folt that the shorter the term the jobs there
would be to 60 around.
STAINING out "the system" in the Police Depart
ment is a task like stamping out the yellow feVer
IN Havana or the Canal Zone The administrator
who will accomplish il will require almost the
authority which Colonel Gorgas exercised lie Will
not accomplish it II he has not time enough TO ma
ont where the pest holes He will not accomplish
If II bc has not authority to drain the pest holes
when he finds them. He will not succeed If the
plague has vested right" TO exist, If every bac-
terium has TO be tried and convicted in court OF
law When the reOrganizer and purifier of the Police
Department arrives he will make reputation not
second TO that made by the conquerors of tropical
disease The opportunity ought to tempt the best
men, Ii does not because every man with scrap
of administrative sense knows how slight lt IS WhIe
the laws remain what they are.
Recently the Legislature gave signs of penitence.
If the mood has not passed let 1t undo the wrong u
has done in fastening "the system upon New YORK
LET II make the Police Commissioner bigger and more
powerful than 1.-The system" Let 1t weaken the hold
that the policeman has upon his job.
The necessity Of recognizing the police pension
fund furnishes the opportunity This fund is headed
for bankruptcy 1t must be put upon solvent basis
II should be altered so as to take away the property
right which the courts feel bound to recognize
as existing in place on the force The pollcemans
claim upon the pension fund should have surrender
value When he is dismissed he should receive
sum eoual TO that surrender value. Dismissal would
Tins be made reasonably easy. When it is as easy
10 dismiss an officer as 1t is to dismiss commits
sjoner the force may be purged the invisible govern
ment of grafters broken down