The New York herald., 1922-04-07
COMMISSIONER ASKS
FOR 1892 more MEN
Only 1000 Able to Be on Pa
troll at All Times Out Of
Force of II, 500.
HIS REQUEST UP TODAY
Owners of Valuables Warned
Not to Tempt Crooks by
Carelessness.
HIS REQUEST UP TODAY

"Give me more cops to walk the
beats Of 1900 miles Of streets. smooth
cooperation among the authorities
charged with the detection, prevention
and punishment Of crime, and more
prudent attitude on the part of our
well TO do citizens and I will cut crime
to the bone in New York within six
months"
So said Richard E. Enright, Police
Commissioner, yesterday, as he sat at
his desk at Headquarters replying
good naturedly to the various COM
plants and suggestions that have
spurted out of the general crime sit
uation and the Shattuck robbery In
Washington square.
This morning he goes before the
Board of Estimate to apply for an adj
, d,tional 1892 men for his force; to tell
the Mayor and the board what crime
conditions actually are in New York
as he sees them, and to point out that
although the force numbers ll,5oo
men. there are actually only 1900 men
available for patrol duty in every eight
hour shift.
Larger city Needs FOG.
The Commissioner VIII present de-
tailed statement of the number OF addi-
tionai men required and the service 70
which they will be assigned.
He will ask for 7o6 men to meet the
quota on the pro rata basis or the in
crease Of population; 191 to cover traffic
posts f,r which men cannot now be pro-
yided. 1873 to cover necessary addiuonai
nos,s at dangerous street crossings. 20
10 replace patrolmen assigned to the
Health Department. 20 replace men
assigned to the Tenement House De-
partment, so to strengthen the Detcc-
tive division and 81 TO provide additionsl
attendants at the nineteen station
houses designated as district prisons.
the total being 1.ls2
Then the Commissioner will put the
facts, as they appear to him. In this
wise. as he discussed them last evening
with a reporter for THE NEW YORK
HERALD:
There has been no increase In the
force OF this department since jelly. 1913.
which we're granted last year The
force was inadequate in 1919. and many
additional burdens have been placed on
this department since that time. TIL,
populatjon OF the city has increased
approximately one million, while year
after year any corresponding Increase
in the force has been denied.
''Tt Is obvious that the force should
be increased year by year, pro rata to
the increase in population. ard TO meet
the additional burdens placed on the de-
partment from time 10 time. We can
not continue efficiently TO handle the
situation unless sufficient force Is
provided. The total force OF this de-
partment Is approximately 1880 men.
OF whom e.1s7 are available tor regular
patrol duty"
Thousands on Special Duty.
Fnright Is reduced to a patro, force
OF less than 1000 men every eight hours
because Of the drain that necessary spe-
cial duties makes on the total OF i1J0J
There are ISL men In the training
school 537 on the average daily sick and
vacation roll, i.4S5 commanding officers.
s54 In the Detective division. 1856 In the
traffic service, including the parks: 70
IN the Marine division. SO on plain
clothes duty at Headquarters and In
the district offices 50 with the Health
Department and with the Tenement
House Department. depriving the patrol
availables OF 5,3i9 men. Tho Commis-
sioner explained
Under the law members OF the de-
partment cannot be required TO do more
than eight hours patrol duty each day.
which divides the patrol force into three
equal parts. affordIns 1000 men for pa
troll duty at any given hour Of the day
The force available for patrol duty
GnnAlnnnd o.. pn T.rn