New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-12


by chance remarks of detectives and
uniformed men, stories appearing from
time to time in the newspapers and
complaints or recommendations made
by citizens.
As a result Commissioner Woods
decided:
% To organize school for po-
licemen to be headed by experienced
detectives, lawyers and foreign po-
lice officials under the direction Of
Inspector Johnny" Cray;
.(2) To shift to men picked from
the uniformed force in each precinct
the task of investigating lesser
crimes committed within the boun-
diaries of that precinct;
(3) To invite investigation by the
Commissioner Of Accounts and the
Bureau of Municipal Research, with
view of eliminating as much as
possible the statistical work of de-
tectives;
(4) To assign to the detective
bureau branches enough clerical men
to handle the reports; -,
20 To build up the special
squads now in existence and to
create or educate more crime inves-
tigators.
Only One Head
In creating the school Commissioner
Woods quiets the most important
protest Of the department by assign
ing Inspector Cray to its supervision.
Members of the detective bureau, OF
the uniformed force formerly con-
nected with the bureau, and former
civilian attaches of the bureau have
insisted that assigning to it two in
spectors created a divided administra-
tive power. Commissioner Woods
has said several times that Inspector
Faurot, recognized as the head of the
bureau, had duties entirely separate
from those Of Inspector Cray. Author
tiles on police matters, however, have
repeatedly held that the duties cannot
be divided; that for effective work
there should be but one executive Of
ficer assigned to the bureau.
The assignment of Cray as chief in
structor of the detective school, which
will have its first session tomorrow,
will practically take Cray out of the
administration of the bureau affairs,
these authorities believe. They point
out that his duties there will leave
Faurot free to handle all details of the
detective work.
According to the plan, Commits
sioner Woods will send TO the school
all uniformed men who display any
evidence of detective ability. The
younger members of the Detective Blu
reau will also be assigned TO spend
stipulated periods there each week. This
plan. if successful, will have the eff
feet of augmenting the detective bu-
reau by a staff of men who, having
been shown the inner workings of the
old school, which has no use for filing
cabinets, reports, etc, will have the
advantage of being trained in every
crime system known in this or any
other country.
The oldtimers arc enthusiastic over
the establishing Of the school. as they
feel il will bring about a closer coop
alton between the old and new systems.
They feel, too, that Commissioner
Woods has shown his confidence in
them by allowing them to teach the
newcomers. Commissioner Woods
scheme to shift minor cases to uni
formed men also has the enthusiastic
support of the detectives. 1t is planned
Tor eaCn captain 10 assign Certain pa
trolmen TO plainclothes duty. These
men will handle all misdemeanors,
such as hall rug thcfts, etc, and minor
felonies.
"The purpose of assigning minor
cases to the uniformed force" Commits
sioner Woods explains, sis 10 stamp
out the petty thefts that have been
clogging the machinery of the Detec-
tive Bureau.
"a patrolman assigned TO plain
clothes, with work confined TO the
boundaries of the precinct to which he
is attached, will be in a better posi-
ton to make arrests than detective
who might have three or four cases
TO handle.
"The patrolman will know the class
of residents in the section in which
a petty crime is committed and will
also know the men of the section most
likely to commit such a crime. 1t is
impossible TO expect that knowledge in
a detective who to-day may be work
ing on the extreme West Side and to-
morrow will be sent to investigate a
case on the extreme East Side, among
people entirely different in every
habit"