New-York tribune., 1920-12-07

men who would be able to cope with
almost any situation.
"Cf course YOU viii have unsolved
murders. 1t is not to be expected that
the detectives are supcrhuman. But
they can. by being permitted rowing
assignments keep in touch with their
people and if not prevent. know just
who did a special job.
Under former administrations
have worked with detectives who after
preliminary invest cation we're able
to tell to what race the crook belonged
1t then became a matter OF elmna-
ton. Every crook of that nationality
was ferreted out arc forced to give
an account Of his action on that night.
1t was the same principal as that
adopted BY the finger print and hand
writing experts. The oldtmers knew
their crooks and how they worked.
"And yet-and this is pathetic-I
met one Of those experts on the street
yesterday and he was in uniform. a
sergeant doing patrol duty in dis
trict whore he had no value. Another
met has reported sick, after being
yoduccd to uniformed service, and he
tells me he is going to quit the de-
partment
"The safe and loft squad, Frank Cas-
sassa, Dick McKcnna, Mugge and the
others on the pickpocket squad, Tom
Tunney on the bomb squad, the old
pawnshop squad, with the floating
assignments they had in the other
days, which enabled them to send their
men anywhere-that's what we need
now.
Clean-Jp of Petty Crime
"With men assigned TO the captains
in plainclothes, many of the petty
i clC a
emphasize the fact that your detectives
to-day ale working harder than eveE
before and accomplishing less because
they have too mucA to do. Take from
VOW trained men the necessity OF
checking Up the loss Of a hall rug
clothes from roof, q baby carriage
work that can be done easily by
CAPTAINS men selected as have sug-
ecsted- and you give them chance te
devote themselves exclusively and prof
itably to cases worth while. You also in
still in the detective the enthusiasm nee
essary for successful Investigations. If {
man has a number Of small and insigniti-
can't cases to handle he is tired out
when q real case is reported. The re-
suit is that the big cases do not re-
ceive the attention that their impor-
tancc demands.
II don't care even to attempt to place
the responsibility for present condl'
tions do want to bring out, how
ever that your New York detective is
as good as he ever was, if given ar
even chance. He does not get it now
The fault lies with the present system
The idertitv OF the men responsible
for thet system does not interset m(
and ! believe it does not interest The
general public
.l4o gevcr every citizen is concerned
ovcr tnc crime wave and / think We
have the right to demand that some
thing be done 70 make it safe to live
work or conduct business here. Just
now it is not safe to do any Of These
things"
The head Of one Of the oldest in
surance companies in this city said
yesterday:
while the police are By no means
solely responsible for the great crime
wave that has cnguifed the city. nc
corrective measures can be successful
unless the morale of the department is
restored. The way to bring the police
force to anything like real efficiency is
to eliminate the playing of politics
Every man on the force to-day know!