Assault and Battery 5,638 1,161
Disorderly conduct 9,376 5,559
Intoxication 15,918 8,105
Intoxication and 5,232 3,466
disorderly conduct
Petty larceny 3,700 1,209
Grand larceny 1,623 499
Malicious mischief 1,081 32
Vagrancy 1,065 701
During the past nine years over 73,000 lost children have been restored
to their parents by the police. More than 40,000 houses have been found
open at night, owing to the carelessness of the inmates, who have been
warned of their danger by the police in time to prevent robbery. There
is scarcely a fire but is marked by the individual heroism of some member
of the force, and the daily papers abound in instances of rescues from
drowning by the policemen stationed along the docks. In times of riot
and other public danger, the police force have never been found lacking,
and they have fairly won the "flag of honor" which the citizens of New
York are about to present to them in recognition of their gallant and
efficient services on the 12th of July, 1871. That there are individuals
whose conduct reflects discredit upon the force is but natural; but as a
whole, there does not exist a more devoted, gallant, and efficient body
of men than those composing the police of New York.
The Station Houses of the city are so arranged as to be central to their
respective precincts. The new buildings are models of their kind, and
the old ones are being improved as rapidly as possible. Perhaps the best
arranged, the handsomest, and most convenient, is that of the Fourth
Precinct, located at No. 9 Oak street. The locality is one of the worst
in the city, and it is necessary that the police accommodations should be
perfect. The building is of red brick, with a fine white granite facade,
with massive stone steps leading from the street to the main entrance.
The entrance leads directly to the main room, or office. On the right of
the entrance is the Sergeant's desk, of black walnut, massive and
handsomely carved. Back of this is a fine book-case of the same
material, for the record books and papers of the station. The telegraph
instrument is at the side farthest from the windows--a precaution looking
to its safety in case of a riot or attack on the station.
Speaking-tubes, and boxes for papers, communicate with the other
apartments. The walls are adorned with fine photographs of the late
Superintendent Jourdan, the present Superintendent Kelso, and the Police
Commissioners. Back of the office is the Surgeon's Room, with every
convenience for the performance of the Surgeon's duties. The office of
the Captain in command of the station is to the left of the entrance, and
is fitted up with a Brussels carpet, and black walnut furniture. The
walls are covered with fine engravings and photographs of prominent men.
The Captain is also provided with a bed-room, bathroom, etc., which are
elegantly furnished. The Sergeants' bedrooms are large, airy, and well
furnished. Bathrooms for the Sergeants and Patrolmen are located in the
basement. The sleeping rooms of the Sergeants and Roundsmen, and four
large dormitories for the Patrolmen, are situated on the second and third
floors. Each Patrolman has a private closet for his clothing, etc., and
each bedstead is stamped with the occupant's section number. The fourth
story is used for store-rooms. On the first floor there is also a large
sitting-room for the Patrolmen.
Attached to the Station House, and connected with it by a bridge, is the
prison, a brick building three stories in height. It is entered through
the Patrolmen's sitting-room, and is the largest in any city station
house. It contains fifty-two cells, all of which are of a good size and
are well ventilated. Four of these (Nos. 1, 16, 17, 32) are somewhat
larger than the others, and are humorously called by the force "Bridal
chambers." They are reserved for the more respectable prisoners. Over
the prison are two large rooms designed for the unfortunates who seek a
night's shelter at the station--one for men and the other for women.
They are provided with board platforms to sleep on. These platforms can
be removed, and the whole place drenched with water from hydrants
conveniently located.
As a matter of course, this model station is in charge of one of the most
efficient, experienced, and reliable officers of the force. It is at
present commanded by Captain A. J. Allaire, whose personal and official
record fairly entitles him to the high and honorable position he holds in
the force.
The station houses are kept scrupulously clean. Neatness is required in
every department of the police service. The Inspector may enter them at
any hour, and he is almost sure to find them in perfect order.
[Picture: A WINTER NIGHT SCENE IN A POLICE STATION]
These stations afford a temporary shelter to the outdoor poor. In all of
them accommodations are provided for giving a night's lodging to the poor
wretches who seek it. When the snow lies white over the ground, or the
frosts have driven them out of the streets, these poor creatures come in
crowds to the station houses, and beg for a shelter for the night. You
may see them huddling eagerly around the stove, spreading their thin
hands to catch the warmth, or holding some half-frozen child to be thawed
by the heat, silent, submissive, and grateful, yet even half afraid that
the kind-hearted Sergeant, who tries to hide his sympathy for them by a
show of gruffness, will turn them into the freezing streets again. When
the rooms devoted to their use are all filled, others still come,
begging, ah, so piteously, to be taken in for the night. I think there
is no part of the Sergeant's duties so hard, so painful to him, as to be
forced to turn a deaf ear to these appeals. Let us thank God, however,
he does not do so often, and even at the risk of being "overhauled" for
exceeding his duty, the Sergeant finds, or makes, a place for those who
seek his assistance in this way. Many of those who seek shelter here are
constant tramps, who have nowhere else to go. Others are strangers in
the city--poor people who have come here in search of employment.
Failing to find it, and what little money they brought with them being
exhausted, they have only the alternative of the station house or the
pavement. Many who are simply unfortunate, suffer almost to perishing
before seeking the station house, mistakenly supposing that in so doing
they place themselves on a par with those who are brought there for
offences against the law. But at last the cold and the snow drive them
there, and they meet with kindness and consideration. I could not here
present a description of the quiet and practical way in which the members
of the "Force" relieve such sufferers. No record is kept of such good
deeds by the force, and the Sergeant's book is modestly silent on this
subject; but we may be sure it is written in letters of living light on
the great book that shall be opened at the last day.
The stations are connected with each other and with the headquarters by
telegraph. The telegraph system has been so perfected that by means of a
set of numbers struck on a bell, each of which refers to a corresponding
number in the book of signals, questions are asked and answered, and
messages sent from station to station with the greatest rapidity.
The Headquarters of the Police Force are located in a handsome building,
five stories high, known as No. 300 Mulberry street. The building
extends through to Mott street, in the rear. It is situated on the
easterly side of Mulberry street, between Bleecker and Houston streets.
It is ninety feet in width. The Mulberry street front is of white
marble, and the Mott street front is of pressed brick, with white marble
trimmings. It is fitted up with great taste, and every convenience and
comfort is provided for the members of the force on duty here. The
greatest order is manifest. Everything and every man has a place, and
must be in it at the proper times. There is no confusion. Each
department has its separate quarters.
The Superintendent's office is connected by telegraph with every precinct
in the city. By means of this wonderful invention, the Superintendent
can communicate instantly with any point in the city. The news of a
robbery or burglary is flashed all over New York and the adjoining
country before a man has fairly secured his plunder. If a child is lost,
all the precincts are furnished immediately with an accurate description
of it, and the whole force is on the lookout for the little wanderer, and
in a marvellously quick time it is restored to its mother's arms. By
means of his telegraph, the Superintendent can track a criminal, not only
all over the city, but all over the civilized world, and that without
leaving his office. One of the most interesting rooms in the
headquarters is that for the trial of complaints against members of the
force. Every charge must be sworn to. It is then brought before the
Commissioners, or rather before one who is appointed by the Board to hear
such complaints. He notifies the accused to appear before him to answer
to the charge. Except in very grave cases the men employ no counsel.
The charge is read, the Commissioner hears the statements of the accused,
and the evidence on both sides, and renders his decision, which must be
ratified by the full "Board." The majority of the charges are for
breaches of discipline. A Patrolman leaves his beat for a cup of coffee
on a cold morning, or night, or reads a newspaper, or smokes, or stops to
converse while on duty. The punishment for these offences is a stoppage
of pay for a day or two. First offences are usually forgiven. Many
well-meaning but officious citizens enter complaints against the men.
They are generally frivolous, but are heard patiently, and are dismissed
with a warning to the accused to avoid giving cause for complaint.
Thieves and disreputable characters sometimes enter complaints against
the men, with the hope of getting them into trouble. The Commissioner's
experience enables him to settle these cases at once, generally to the
dismay and grief of the accuser. Any real offence on the part of the men
is punished promptly and severely, but the Commissioners endeavor by
every means to protect them in the discharge of their duty, and against
impositions of any kind.
Another room in the headquarters is called "The Property Room." This is
a genuine "curiosity shop." It is filled with unclaimed property of
every description, found by, or delivered to the police, by other parties
finding the same, or taken from criminals at the time of their arrest.
The room is in charge of the Property Clerk, who enters each article, and
the facts connected with it, in a book kept for that purpose. Property
once placed in this room is not allowed to be taken away except upon
certain specified conditions. Unclaimed articles are sold, after being
kept a certain time, and the proceeds are paid to the Police Life
Insurance Fund.
The pay of a policeman is small, being only about $1200 per annum. In
order to make some compensation for this deficiency, the Police Law
contains the following provisions:
"If any member of the Municipal Police Force, whilst in the actual
performance of duty, shall become permanently disabled, so as to render
his dismissal from membership proper, or if any such member shall become
superannuated after ten years of membership, a sum of not exceeding $150,
as an annuity, to be paid such member, shall be chargeable upon the
Municipal Police Life Insurance Fund. If any member of the Municipal
Police Force, whilst in the actual discharge of his duty, shall be
killed, or shall die from the immediate effect of any injury received by
him, whilst in such discharge of duty, or shall die after ten years'
service in the force, and shall leave a widow, and if no widow, any child
or children under the age of sixteen years, a like sum by way of annuity
shall become chargeable upon the said fund, to be paid to such widow so
long only as she remains unmarried, or to such child or children so long
as said child, or the youngest of said children, continues under the age
of sixteen years. In every case the Board of Municipal Police shall
determine the circumstances thereof, and order payment of the annuity to
be made by draft, signed by each trustee of the said fund. But nothing
herein contained shall render any payment of said annuity obligatory upon
the said Board, or the said trustees, or chargeable as a matter of legal
right. The Board of Municipal Police, in its discretion, may at any time
order such annuity to cease."