New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-03-04
WOODS IN LECTURE
DEFENDS POLICEMEN
Demands Due Credit for
Force That Must Special
ize i'm All Sort of Crimes.
ASKS FAULTFINDERS
TO BLAME HIM
Chief Inspector Schmittberger
Talks on Patrol System
and Fixed Posts.

The fact that the New York police
mans life is not a happy one, together
with the complication that those whom
he guards refuse to give proper credit
10 him for his efforts, formed the topic
Of an address which Arthur Woods.
Commissioner of Police, gave Mt Cooper
Union last night. This was the first of
a series Of five lectures to be given By
authorities on the city departments
under the auspices of the Board Of
Education.
Mr. Woods reinforced his statement
that the men Of the department have to
have decided ability by the introduc-
ton of two exhibits as evidence: Ex-
hibit A being Chief Inspector Schmitt-
berger who gave a supplementary talk
upon patrol systems. and Exhibit B..
Borough Inspector Dillon of Brooklyn
and Queens, who spoke with great
forensic ability on the drug traffic.
The reason why the police are so
much misunderstood by the public, the
Commissioner said, was because Of the
tremendous completely of the work
which they perform. As proof he
pointed out that New York City was
In reality a dozen different cities. each
with a population wholly apart in race
and speech from any other portion Of
the great whole. To insure peace and
enforcement of the law, the municipal
lty depends wholly upon a force Of
men, American IN thought and action,
which cannot Cympathize nor always
understand those whom they are pro-
tecting. In the cities Of Europe the
population is homogeneous for the
most part. and the police can become
acquainted quite easily with the Grim
iHal tendencies Of the citizens.
But Mr.. Woods said. the police
OF New York have to specialize m all
sorts Of crime. II there is any fancy
sort Of iniquity being committed Ia
any part OF the world, you can be sure
mat q sample Of u is bound 10 find
its way 10 this city
The police, the Commissioner de-
clared, are the agents Of the law
abiding citizens. That is their job,
and the people Of the city exercise "a
certain control over them. If they
are not satisfied with their work, they
can remedy the fault at election time.
III you have fault TO find" he APP
peaied, "let the Commissioner take the
blame. ii is always safer TO criticise
one commissioner than whole de
partment At least give the police the
treatment they give you. You can
never get the best service from large
body Of men unless you show that you
appreciate IT,"
During the course Of Inspector
Schmittberger's talk he dared any one
in the audience to come up on the
stage and call up any policeman on
fixed post TO sec if he was on the job
Some one took his dare. and the people
I'm Cooper Union heard first a CONVEX
sation with Patrolman Steiner, who was
campcd out in the Arctic wilds Of
Edenwald Avenue, near Mount Vernon,
and then one with Patroiman Began. on
the Yonkcrs city lire.
In each case the policeman reported
within a minute after the call was
given. The inspector was accused OF
"f-arp-up" after the meeting, but he
eraspcd handful Of brass buttons
vith one fst, raised a white-G loycd
hand and declared that neither man
had any idea that he was 10 be called.
Inspector D:llon gave n short sketch
If the vogue Of habit-forminE drugs.
from the laudanum Of fifty years ago
10 the present day heroln. "the most
vicious and violent Of all" The pres
eut prevalence Of the drug habit is q
great menace, in his opinion, and to ii
he attributes at least 90 per cent Of
the crime Of the city. Out Of every
100 ounces Of drugs sold. he asserted,
at least eighty are sold unlawfully.
The manufacturers know this, but they
do not prevent IT,