New-York tribune., 1919-10-20
Enrigglnt Reports
Police Force Is
Best in History
Asserts He Saved Sl.Io7..
500 in 1913. Although
Cost TO City Was S285.l23
More Than Previous Year

With ar introductors statement
declaring il momentous document
pecause it is the first ever submitted
TO the Mayor BY Commissioner
chosen from the uniformed ranks,
Police Commissioner Enright published
yesterday Il report of the work and
condition Of his department during
1913. 1t is an illustrated volume OF
233 pages, containing prominently dis
played photographs cf the Mayor and
other officials, which the Commissioner
concludes with this statemen. to Mn.
Hyian:
"The Police Department is rendering
the highest class of police service in
the history of the city, and, with the
assistance of the liberal ana humane
policies you have permitted me TO in
stitute, will continue to preserve law
and order, regardless of the open and
covert attacks upon the present admin
istration.'
1862 Men on Force
The report shows there are now
1882 successors to one Schout, who
was appointed town watch OF Nieu Am
sterdam in 1858. Schout and the six
constables who next succeeded him
each received "a stivers. or about AS
cents, night for patroling the cow
paths between what is now Wall Street
and the Battery. To-day Commissions
er Enright's 1862 men patrol 3,5l4
miles Of city streets, and, according
to. his report. the cost for the year
was $40 ,895 ,5SS, or $2S5, 1913 more than
in 1917.
Upon assuming the duties Of my
Office" says the Commissioner in his
introduction. Il found the buildings
and equipment of the Police Depart
msnt had not been properly replaced,
repaired and maintained. 1t was con-
siderable of problem to adhere strict
ly to your policy of rigid economy
and at the same time reconstruct the
implements and habitations of the
Police Department. 1t has been done,
however, to a considerable extent"
Criticises Last Regime
A large part of the Commissioners
remarks are devoted to criticism of
the previous administration. He saved
branch detective bureaus, he says. The
previous administration, he also states,
wasted S66,074 on overcoats for mem
bers of the old Home Defense League.
The Commissioner reported that ar
rests in 1918 totallcd 170,159, compared
with 1898 in 1917, and says:
"This marked decrease is attribut-
able to the order which directs that
arrests shall not be made when the
same purpose will be served by the
issuance of summons, and that sum
monses shall not DE served when q
warning will suffice"
Reduced Civilian Force
As further evidence Of his econom-
lcal administration Commissioner
Enright says siXty-six Offices in the
department. have been abolished, and
that where there were 115 civilian
clerical employees in the department
on January /. 1918. with salaries ag-
gregating $l33,22O a year, there were
now eightyfve drawing total of
$1O8,O40 annually.
He puts the total savings of the de-
partment at S1,l97.506, "of which," he
adds, 1857 6S2.98 represent economies
and S639,S23 retrenchment effected
by the speedy reduction and final
elimination of the force Of special pat
rolmen who rendered no adequate ser
vice for the wages paid them
The Commissioner compliments his
deputy commissioners and adds trib-
ute to the rank and file Lf the force
on; the competent manner in which
they handled peace demonstrations and
parades during the year. He also re-