The New York herald., 1922-01-17
ENRlGHT DECLARES
HESAVES$2,OO0,OOO
Calls Abolished Stations
Insanitary, Costly, Use
less and Obsolete.
HYLAN NONCOMMITTAL
Police Head Dodges Pro-
tests of Merchants, Who
Tell of Crime Increase.
TRADE BODIES WILL ACT
detective Bureau Shakeup Is
Said to Be Shelved for
the Present.
TRADE BODIES WILL ACT

IN reply to protests from residents
and merchants of four police precincts
abolished yesterday, Commissioner
Richard T.. Enright issued a statement
IN which he said the "old, unsanitary
ana useless station houses have long
since become obsolete" They will be
sold and the money turned into tie
sinking fund, thus saving approxi-
mately 100000, he said.
The fur and garment trades CEN
tered in the lower West Side Of Man
haitian. expressed the opinion that a
saving Of 100000 scarcely compen-
sated for the loss of the West
twentieth street station house. located
In the heart of the district The Chel-
sea NeighborEood Association and the
Central Mercantile Association inti-
mated that something "had been put
over on them before they had a
chance to express their disapproval.
Mayor Hylan said Commissioner
Enright was in charge Of the Police
Department and whatever changes
he makes are OF his volition.''
Merchants Association to Act.
J. II. Bleistein, president of the Fur
Merchants Association, said that never
has there been time when fur robberies
and holdups were so plentiful. There
has been no parallel, he declared. The
last six months of 191 were the worst
in the history of the trade
About three weeks ago Mr.. Bleistein.
on behalf of the association, wrote to
Mayor Hylan, who referred the letter to
Commissioner Enright. Mr.. Enright re-
piled that there was a substantial de-
crease In burglaries In the fur district
Mr.. Bleistein then sent to the Commits
sioner a list Of the most recent crimes
to prove that instead Of decreasing fur
thefts have increased alarmingly. Mr..
Enright did not answer that letter, Mr.
Bleistein said.
The New York Merchants Association
will consider the matter when reports
are received from members who are af-
fected by the changed precinct boun-
daries. The Central Mercantile Associa-
tion. Ill Fifth avenue. will discuss the
situation to-day at a meeting Of its
board of directors.
Commissioner Enright in his state
ment defined the duties of Deputy In
spector, a new rank created for captains
without precincts. Heretofore when
ever district inspector was absent on
leave or vacation 1t necessitated the
temporary transfer of captain and
general shifting around. This will be
eliminated, the Commissioner said, by
keeping a competent assistant constantly
on tho job.
Calls Old stations Obsolete.
Referring to the changes in district
and precinct boundaries, Mr.. Enright
said
Further changes have been made in
the inspection district boundaries which
Will work out to advantage. so old, un-
sanitary and useless station houses.
which under changed conditions had long
since become obsolete as police centers,
have been abolished. SO far as inspec-
tion district centers. precinct sta
uons and precinct boundaries are
concerned. we have been living for
many years in the horse car days. Sta
uon houses were instituted in this city
according to the old ward boundaries,
regardless of any other consideration.
in some instances station houses were
placed in n certain locality because some
cnterprsing citizen or politician had
plot of ground for sale and i'm some
al u. .Faet t.z
located in certain place because of
crime conditions prevailing in that To-
cality at some time I'm the past.
conditions have changed completely.
Crime centers have moved or have been
obliterated. The characters of certain
localities have changed completely. re-
ouiring a reorganization of police con-
troll in these localities.
''In the abolition of unnecessary pre-
cinct stations readjustment OF terri
tory and considerable economy have
been effected.
''rhe unused station houses and their
sites will be turned over to tho sinking
fund. The value of such station houses
and sites already abolished and which
have been or will be tupncd over to
the sinking fund amounts TO npproxi-
mately two million dollars. These build
ings can be used for other city purposes
or the sites and buildings can be sold
and tho treasury will be benefited when
useless city property Is sold and made
available for taxation.
IN further economy is effected In the
cost of maintenance for coal, light and
repairs. Besides this there is very
large economy in man power BY the
abolition of these useless station houses
the services OF at least one captain four
lientenants, nine sergeants, two at
and one clerk arc dispensed
WITH This saving alone amounts to ap-
proximately $4,000 per annum and the
men so relieved are transferred to duty
elsewhere where their services arc
needed.
We arc endeavoring to modernize,
motorizo and stabilize the department. |
placing the best men IN the places where
they can do the best work"
Although no mention was made as TO !
the distribution of the plain clothes de- |
tsctivcs attached to the four abolished
stations IL was understood that they !
would be transferred to the adjoining |
precincts along with the uniformed |
men. No immediate shakeup i'm the de- !,
tectivc bureau is contemplated, 1t was
said.