New-York tribune., 1919-10-06
Citizens Union
Attacks Police
Administration
Calls Department Demoral-
lied Under Enright, but
Finds Rank and File the
Same Fine Body of Men
Helplessness Appalling
Cites Grimes in City; Charges
Through Pull Men Hle-
gally Got Their Jobs Back

The Police Department, under the
administration of Commissioner En-
right, has become demoralized and in
efficient. says the Citizens Union in a
report made public yesterday dealing
with the commissioners reinstatement
of men who We're dismissed from the
force as far back as 1908
The condition of the department.. the
Union asserts, is amply demonstrated
by its helplessncss in the face of "the
appalling number of highway rob
berries. burglaries and homicides which
have been affecting the city during re-
cent months"
For the most part" the report con-
force are the same fine body Of men
who have heretofore rendered excellent
service. They would even now be rem
oering such service ffthey had the IN
spiration of a fair deal from the civil
lans who direct the department, in
stead of the damper on initiative and
effort which is born of the we'll
founded conviction that pull is
stronger than meritorious service.
where the present administration of
the force is concerncd."
Restoration of "Influence"
The Union asserts the decentralization
is due to the restoration of "intiuence"
as power within the department. In
eighteen instances, 1t is stated, En-
rights relnstatements were illegal. and
IN ten OF these contrary to the findings
of the Appellate Division of the Su-
preme Court that the dlsmissals were
justified. In many cases he is alleged
to have relnstated men whose appica-
tlons had been denied by Mayor
Mitchell or owhose dismissal had been
confirmed by Arthur Woods, Enright's
predecessor in Office
Some of the cited cases of alleged
illegal reinstatement in the face OF Ap-
pellate Division deci~ions against the
applicant follow.
"Patrolman John A. Dolan, dismissed
August 23, 1913, after trial before Dep
uty Police Commits sioner Cooley upon
the charge that he had solicited and
received So to fix up the case of an
irdividual who was under suspicion of
crime
Sergeant Everett X. Lewis. reduced
TO patrolman on June s, 1908, following
a trial before Deputy Police Commits
sioner Bert Hanson upon charges of
neglect of duty and violation of depart
mental rules based upon investigation
made by Daniel h. Costgan, who was
then lieutenant
Sergeant John A Kaht. reduced to
patrolman on June l6. 1910. following a
trial upon charges of neglect of duty
in that while on patrol at midnight he
was found stant,:ng IN full uniform in
front Of the bar in a saloon.
"Wait for Favorable Administration
"Patrolmen Joseph Brady, George s.
Frey and John Walsh were dismissed
during the administration of Police
Commissioner Cropsey by reason of
their action in connection with an in
vestigatlon which Commissioner Crop
sey made concerning the conduct Of
former Captain Tappin. who had also
been dismissed by Commits ssioner Crop
sey. These officers were described by
their counsel at the police trial as the
victims OF mistaken code of honor
which was traditional in the depart-
ment. and made it a disgrace for uni
formed man to say anything rejecting
on his commander They were rein
stated by Police Commissioner Waldo
before the enactment OF the charter
section, but upon q taxpayers suit
brought un William Jay Scheffclin,
chairman of the Citizens Union. their
reinstatement was held Illegal by the
courts. Afterward, when the charter
section was adopted. they applied for a
rehearing to Commissioner W Woods. who
denied their application. Nevertheless,
the present Commissi ioner rcinstatcd all
three in July. 1918.
If the action Of the present admin
istration is legal, justitiably dis
missed policeman who desires to get
back on the force need do no more than
file his application for reinstatement
within year and wait for favorable
administration to come in, no matter
how many OF It's predecessors have con
sdered and rejected his application for
reinstatement"