The New York herald., 1921-01-11
POLICE. E.'BATHTUBS'
SCARE SERGEANTS
Many Seek Retirement Rather
Than Face Death i'm Side
Car of Motorcycle.
ONE KILLED; FIVE HURT
Sixteen New Appointments
Made by Enright to Fill
Vacancies.
ONE KILLED: FIVE HURT

with casualty list Of one dead and
five injured as a result of two weeks
use by the Police Department OF
motorcycles equipped with side cars,
scores OF sergeants who have found
riding In them too hazardous have
filed applications for retirement. The
advent OF the side cars has caused so
much dissatisfaction among the SER
geants of the department. 1t Is said.
that Il is with the greatest reluctance
they agree to ride In them. Retirement
al half pay is considered preferable
by the sergeants to death or serious
injury.
While neither Commissioner Enright
nor Chief Inspector Lahey would see a
reporter or even answer an inquiry sent
into them II was learned that the names
OF all the sergeants who have asked for
retirement since Christmas have not
been made public.i IL was pointed out
that In the last ten days Mr.. Enright
has appointed sixteen new sergeants, six
OF whom were named yesterday. Some
OF these appointments were made to MI
vacancies caused by the promotion or
sergeants to lieutenants but. II is said
the majority were to iill the vacancies
caused BY retrements.
One policeman who lost his life was
William Wallis OF the ParlSville station.
On January / he was sitting in the side
car Of motorcycle that was speeding
down Nostrand avenue. Brooklyn. Ser
geant william O'Brien was driving 1he
machine At Kings Highway the motor
cycle shot up on the sidewalk and crashed
into a tree. Wallis was killed and O'Brien
was removed to the hospital suffering
with a fractured skull Another accident
occurred In Astoria few days ago. The
motorcycle in which two sergeants were
riding collided with an automobile truck
in Steinway avenue. Both sergeants
were injured.
Before the advent OF the motorcycle
the sergeant, whose sole duty Is TO see
trat policemen do their work, made his
rounds Of the posts by foot. They
worked on tours of four hours each.
Now sergeant has to spend his four
hours in the sidcclr of motorcycle
which does not have 20 pay any atten-
lion to speed laws The sidecars have
been niclcnamed "bathtubs" by the ser
aeants because II IL rains that Is pre-
cisely what they get--a bath. The SER
geants. who are sitting tight" In the
hope that Mr.. Enright eventually will
realize that the "bathtubs" are useless
both as thief catchers and as watchdogs
ard will eliminate them. look fearfully.
Il IL said, toward colder weather with
the possibility OF ice coated streets.
When sthe motorcycle is thrown into
high speed It and the sidecar, II was
pointed out act like a rubber BALL They
virtually bounce along the pavement
Should the road not be In perfect condi-
tion or the pavement slippery. Il is al
most impossible to prevent an accident
1t Is generally believed by the sergeants
that the roadway in Nostrand avenue
could not have been In good condition
:he day Policeman Wallis met his death.
There are eight such motorcycles now
in the department. which are said to have
cost In the neighborhood of $4,000
Persons high in police circles who have
been opponents OF Mr.. Enright's motor
cycle scheme point out that this money
used in the purchase OF low priced au-
tcrnobiles would have been better spent