Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XIII.djvu/682

 662 POLICE ulary of 12,472 men and 1,085 metropolitan and 450 local police. The cost of maintaining the entire force during the year was 963,896. There is a metropolitan police for the city of Dublin and vicinity. In the United States, the provisions for the repression of crime and the detection and arrest of criminals were copied from those of Great Britain. Each county had its sheriff and deputies, and, where there were town organizations, each town its con- stables. Justices of the peace, of whom there was a considerable number in each county, and often in each town, appointed by the exec- utive, or of late elected by the people of the town or county, had absolute jurisdiction in petty civil and criminal cases, and power to bind the accused over to a higher court in any case. In the larger towns, the danger to property from fires, burglaries, &c., in the night time, led to the appointment of watch- men, who, like those of London, were often , aged and infirm men, few, and poorly paid. The organization of a day police is of recent date even in the large cities. New York had only an inefficient night watch till 1845, when a uniformed municipal police was organized, under the direction of the mayor. The present police organization of that city may be taken as representative of the police systems of American cities generally. From 1857 to 1870 New York, with the counties of Kings, West- chester, and Richmond, and the towns of Jamaica, Newtown, and Flushing in Queens county, constituted the metropolitan police district, which was under the supervision of commissioners appointed by the governor of the state. The police force possessed con- stabulary powers throughout the entire dis- trict. It has been claimed for this system that it was superior to the municipal, inasmuch as the police force possessed constabulary powers not limited to the city, and, as their appointment was vested in the chief magistrate of the state, they were removed from the in- fluence of local politics. The city charter of 1870 abolished the metropolitan police organi- zation in New York city, and created the de- partment of police of the city of New York, which consists of a board of police comprising four commissioners, who are appointed by the mayor and receive an annual salary of $6,000, the president of the board receiving $8,000, and the police force and officers appointed by the board. With an area of 41 sq. m. and a population of more than 1,000,000, the city is divided into two inspection districts, 19 sur- geons' districts, and 32 precincts, the last nam- ed being subdivided into patrol beats or posts. This territory is patrolled by about 1,900 men, besides about 500 employed in special service. The day posts are about double the extent of the night posts, and consequently the number of men on duty during the night is twice as great as that during the day. The general ad- ministration of the police is vested in the board of police, who meet at irregular inter- vals, and are empowered to make orders, rules, and regulations of general discipline, to make appointments, transfers, and assignments to duty of officers and men, and to hear charges against members of the force. The police force (which varies in numbers from time to time) in July, 1875, consisted of a superintendent, 4 inspectors, 34 -captains, 134 sergeants, 2,272 patrolmen, and 80 doormen, making a total of 2,527. There are also 19 surgeons. The super- intendent is the chief executive officer. He is appointed by the board, to whom he makes written quarterly reports, and receives an an- nual salary of $6,000. He is required, among other things, to be present at all serious fires in the city ; to command the police force in quelling riots or tumultuous assemblages; to see that the state laws and city ordinances are enforced in the metropolis ; and to inform the board of police concerning the presence in the city of any epidemic, or contagious or infec- tious disease, or any nuisance detrimental to the public health. Inspectors rank next to the superintendent; they perform general execu- tive duties pertaining to the force, see that the rules and regulations of the board are complied with, and report quarterly in writing to the superintendent. A captain has charge of the police affairs of a precinct, in which he is re- quired to preserve the peace and see that the law is not violated ; the officers and men of the precinct are under his direct command. He reports every morning to the central office. The force of the precinct is divided into two platoons and four sections. A sergeant is as- signed to the command of each section ; he is required to patrol the precinct and see that the roundsmen and patrolmen are performing their duties properly. Each of the station houses is also in charge of a sergeant. The officers lowest in rank are the roundsmen, of whom there are four for each precinct, one being assigned to each platoon. They are re- quired to see that patrolmen perform their du- ties faithfully. Among other duties patrolmen are required frequently during the night to examine all doors and low windows of dwell- ings, stores, and other buildings, as well as areas and area gates ; to see that street lamps are burning; and to report concerning dis- orderly houses and places, and all persons known or suspected of being policy dealers, gamblers, receivers of stolen property, thieves, burglars, or offenders of any kind. Besides the regular organization of the force for ordi- nary purposes, several bodies or squads are as- signed to special duties. The sanitary police company, about 65 in number, are required to inspect buildings, premises, business pursuits, sewerage, drainage, ventilation, &c., and all matters supposed to be dangerous to life or detrimental to health, and to make report thereof to the board of police ; to report nui- sances ; to seize meat, fish, and other food that may be unfit for consumption ; and to enforce the orders and regulations of the board of