New-York tribune., 1920-12-07

There Is no crime wave and there
hasn't been any during the present ad-
ninistration," says Police Commis-
sioner Enright
New York is engulfed to-day in the
greatest crime wave it has had to cor
send with in twenty years. And un-
Fortunately the Police Department is
woefuily unprepared to meet the situa-
+ion.' says Frederic Rathbone Shep-
nerd one Of the city's pioneer bur-
glary insurance underwriters.
Mr.. Shepherd went into burglary IN
surance work when there were only
three companies writing such insur-
ance. He was at first inspector Of
risks. and successivcly claim investi
gator. claim adJuster aRI manager for
me city district Later he took charge
II underwriting throughout the coun-
.-y for various insurance companies.
The Tribune's Work Praised
The Tribune has accomplished
real work in advising the public of the
faliucy OF the present system in not
only detecting crime but preventing
a. Mr.. Shepherd said yesterday
'.Nithout an adequate patrol system
during the eight hours after midnight
without special squads OF experts and
.,i,hout the Capitalization of tho work
{ crime detection under one RESPONSE
be head. and that man trained de-
.cctive. New York may as we'll make
up its mind that the present reign OF
terror vii. continue.
Commissioner Enright and Chief
Inspector Lahey may have a perfec,
alibi for making the changes thev have
solne very good theories on which they
based such changes. But il is going
70 be extremely difficult for them to
move. in view of the cold facts dis
closed By The Tribune and known to
nj burglary insurance underwriters.
:na- their theories have worked out
successfully.
There are, in my opIn,on, several
.h'ngs necessary to bring about re-
urn to the days of Woods Waldo,
Ifopsey, Bingham and McAdoo. They
s-c:
Restore the branch bureaus where
ere can be segregated first and sec
CA Grade detectives who are always
~ the job to handle cases with which
ions experience has made them
a:niliar.
Bring back the safe and loft squad.
&c pickpocket squad, the pawnshop
Quad, the vice squad, with the stats
men who had devoted themselves
30. only to crime detection-and they
snew every crook operating in their
special lines-but to crime prevention.
"Pu. Inspector Cray and Inspector
.aurot back into active detective work
With competent stats. These men know
:7cir business and records prove it,
Special Work for Police
institute the system Of giving each
uniformed captain two CT three men in
plain clothes TO handle the petty cases
% that detectives assigned to bureaus
arc free TO handle big cases. Have the
captains men SO assigned that the sDe-
cial duty will end every thirty days
and you tnereupon create an incentive
among the other men connected with
the precinct to do real work so that
.hey will be chosen for special duty
and eventually for the big detective
bureau.
Have the detectives under the con
.rol OF a merit system-a system of
checking up the work of each detective
so That i. is possible 20 judge q man
On his record only. Political control
% 60 important branch Of the Police
Department as the detective bureau is
Z positive method OF running the
morale and certain way to make pos
ibe the crime epidemic whic! now
lias New York by the throat.
Under the branch bureau system
md the Capitalization of men who have
proved themselves experts in various
Ines OF crime detection and prevcn-
ton, there would be at hand at all
hours Of the day and night. force of