Theofficerhadofcoursekickedawayhiswheelatthebeginning，andafterbeingdraggedalongforsomedistanceheletgothebeastandmadeagrabatthewagon。Thedriverhithimwithhiswhip，buthemanagedtogetin，andafteravigoroustussleovercamehisman，anddisposedofhimbygettinghimdownandsittingonhim。Thislefthishandsfreeforthereins。Bydegreeshegotthehorseundercontrol，anddrovethewagonroundtothestation-house，stillsittingonhisvictim。“Ijouncedupanddownonhimtokeephimquietwhenheturnedugly。”heremarkedtomeparenthetically。Havingdisposedofthewagon，hetookthemanroundtothecourt，andonthewaytheprisonersuddenlysprangonhimandtriedtothrottlehim。Convincedatlastthatpatiencehadceasedtobeavirtue，hequietedhisassailantwithasmashontheheadthattookallthefightoutofhimuntilhewasbroughtbeforethejudgeandfined。Liketheother“bicyclecops。”
　　thisofficermadeanumberofarrestsofcriminals，suchasthieves，highwaymen，andthelike，inadditiontohisnaturalprey——scorchers，runaways，andrecklessdrivers。
　　Thethirdmemberofthetrio，atall，sinewymanwithflamingredhair，whichratheraddedtotheterrorheinspiredinevil-doers，wasusuallystationedinatoughpartofthecity，wheretherewasatendencytocrimesofviolence，andincidentallyanoccasionaldesiretoharasswheelmen。Theofficerwasasgoodoffhiswheelasonit，andhespeedilyestablishedperfectorderonhisbeat，beingalwayswillingto“takechances“ingettinghisman。Hewasnorespecterofpersons，andwhenitbecamehisdutytoarrestawealthymanforpersistentlyrefusingtohavehiscarriagelampslightedafternightfall，hebroughthiminwiththesameindifferencethathedisplayedinarrestingastreet-cornertoughwhohadthrownabrickatawheelman。
　　Occasionallyapolicemanwouldperformworkwhichordinarilycomeswithinthedomainofthefireman。InNovember，1896，anofficerwhohadpreviouslysavedamanfromdeathbydrowningaddedtohisrecordbysavingfivepersonsfromburning。Hewasatthetimeasleep，whenhewasarousedbyafireinahouseafewdoorsaway。Runningovertheroofsoftheadjoininghousesuntilhereachedtheburningbuilding，hefoundthatonthefourthfloortheflameshadcutoffallexitfromanapartmentinwhichtherewerefourwomen，twoofthemoverfifty，andoneoftheotherswithasix-months-oldbaby。Theofficerrandowntotheadjoininghouse，brokeopenthedooroftheapartmentonthesamefloor——thefourth——andcreptoutonthecoping，lessthanthreeincheswide，thatranfromonehousetotheother。Beingalargeandverypowerfulandactiveman，hemanagedtokeepholdofthecasingofthewindowwithonehand，andwiththeothertoreachtothewindowoftheapartmentwherethewomenandchildwere。Thefiremenappeared，andstretchedanetunderneath。Thecrowdthatwaslookingonsuddenlybecamemotionlessandsilent。Then，onebyone，hedrewthewomenoutoftheirwindow，and，holdingthemtightagainstthewall，passedthemintotheotherwindow。Theexertioninsuchanattitudewasgreat，andhestrainedhimselfbadly；buthepossessedapracticalmind，andassoonasthewomenweresavedhebeganapromptinvestigationofthecauseofthefire，andarrestedtwomenwhosecarelessness，aswasafterwardproved，causedit。
　　Nowandthenaman，thoughabraveman，provedtobeslackorstupidorvicious，andwecouldmakenothingoutofhim；buthardihoodandcouragewerequalitiesuponwhichweinsistedandwhichwerewarded。
　　WheneverIseethepoliceforceattackedandvilified，Ialwaysremembermyassociationwithit。ThecasesIhavegivenabovearemerelyinstanceschosenalmostatrandomamonghundredsofothers。MensuchasthoseIhavementionedhavetherightstuffinthem！Iftheygowrong，thetroubleiswiththesystem，andthereforewithus，thecitizens，forpermittingthesystemtogounchanged。TheconditionsofNewYorklifearesuchastomakethepoliceproblemthereinmoredifficultthaninanyotheroftheworld’sgreatcapitals。Iamoftenaskedifpolicemenarehonest。Ibelievethatthegreatmajorityofthemwanttobehonestandwillbehonestwhenevertheyaregiventhechance。TheNewYorkpoliceforceisabodythoroughlyrepresentativeofthegreatcityitself。AsIhavesaidabove，thepredominantethnicstrainsinitare，first，themenofIrishbirthorparentage，and，followingthese，thenativeAmericans，usuallyfromthecountrydistricts，andthemenofGermanbirthorparentage。TherearealsoJews，Scandinavians，Italians，Slavs，andmenofothernationalities。
　　Allsoonbecomeweldedintoonebody。Theyarephysicallyafinelot。
　　Moreover，theirinstinctsareright；theyaregame，theyarealertandself-reliant，theyprefertoactsquarelyiftheyareallowedsotoact。Allthattheyneedistobegiventhechancetoprovethemselveshonest，brave，andself-respecting。
　　Thelawatpresentismuchbetterthaninourday，sofarasgoverningtheforceisconcerned。ThereisnowasingleCommissioner，andtheMayorhascompletepoweroverhim。TheMayor，throughhisCommissioner，nowhaspowertokeepthepoliceforceonagoodlevelofconductifwithresolutionandcommonsenseheinsistsonabsolutehonestywithintheforceandatthesametimeheartilysupportsitagainstthecriminalclasses。Toweakentheforceinitsdealingswithgangsandtoughsandcriminalsgenerallyisasdamagingastopermitdishonesty，and，moreover，workstowardsdishonesty。Butwhileunderthepresentlawverymuchimprovementcanbeworked，thereisneedofchangeofthelawwhichwillmakethePoliceCommissionerapermanent，non-partisanofficial，holdingofficesolongasheprovesthoroughlyfitforthejob，completelyindependentofthepoliticiansandprivilegedinterests，andwithcompletepowerovertheforce。Thismeansthattheremustbetherightlaw，andtherightpublicopinionbackofthelaw。
　　Themany-sidedethniccharacteroftheforcenowandthengivesriseto，oraffordsopportunityfor，queerhappenings。Occasionallyitenablesonetomeetemergenciesinthebestpossiblefashion。WhileI
　　wasPoliceCommissionerananti-SemiticpreacherfromBerlin，RectorAhlwardt，cameovertoNewYorktopreachacrusadeagainsttheJews。
　　ManyoftheNewYorkJewsweremuchexcitedandaskedmetopreventhimfromspeakingandnottogivehimpoliceprotection。This，Itoldthem，wasimpossible；andifpossiblewouldhavebeenundesirablebecauseitwouldhavemadehimamartyr。Theproperthingtodowastomakehimridiculous。AccordinglyIdetailedforhisprotectionaJewsergeantandascoreortwoofJewpolicemen。HemadehisharangueagainsttheJewsundertheactiveprotectionofsomefortypolicemen，everyoneofthemaJew！Itwasthemosteffectivepossibleanswer；
　　andincidentallyitwasanobject-lessontoourpeople，whosegreatestneeditistolearnthattheremustbenodivisionbyclasshatred，whetherthishatredbethatofcreedagainstcreed，nationalityagainstnationality，sectionagainstsection，ormenofonesocialorindustrialconditionagainstmenofanothersocialandindustrialcondition。Wemusteverjudgeeachindividualonhisownconductandmerits，andnotonhismembershipinanyclass，whetherthatclassbebasedontheological，social，orindustrialconsiderations。
　　AmongmypoliticalopponentswhenIwasPoliceCommissionerwastheheadofaveryinfluentiallocalDemocraticorganization。HewasaStateSenatorusuallyknownasBigTimSullivan。BigTimrepresentedthemoralsofanotherera；thatis，hisprinciplesandactionswereverymuchthoseofaNormannobleintheyearsimmediatelysucceedingtheBattleofHastings。ThiswillseemflatteryonlytothosewhoarenotacquaintedwiththerealhistoriesandantecedentsoftheNormannoblesoftheepochinquestion。Hisapplicationoftheseeleventh-
　　centurytheoriestoournineteenth-centurymunicipaldemocraticconditionsbroughthimintosharpcontactwithme，andwithoneofmyright-handmenintheDepartment，InspectorJohnMcCullough。Undertheolddispensationthiswouldhavemeantthathisfriendsandkinsfolkwereundertheban。
　　NowithappenedthatintheDepartmentatthattimetherewasanepheworcousinofhis，JerryD。Sullivan。IfoundthatJerrywasanuncommonlygoodman，aconscientious，capableofficer，andIpromotedhim。IdonotknowwhetherJerryorJerry’scousinSenatorSullivan
　　wasmoreastonished。TheSenatorcalleduponmetoexpresswhatIamsurewasaverygenuinefeelingofappreciation。PoorJerrydied，I
　　thinkofconsumption，ayearortwoafterIlefttheDepartment。HewaspromotedagainafterIleft，andhethenshowedthathepossessedtheveryrarequalityofgratitude，forhesentmeatelegramdatedJanuary15，1898，runningasfollows：“Wasmadesergeantto-day。I
　　thankyouforallinmyfirstadvancement。”Andinaletterwrittentomehesaid：“Inthefuture，asinthepast，Iwillendeavoratalltimestoperformmydutyhonestlyandfearlessly，andnevercauseyoutofeelthatyouweremistakeninme，sothatyouwillbejustlyproudofmyrecord。”TheSenator，thoughpoliticallyopposedtome，alwayskeptafeelingoffriendshipformeafterthisincident。HeservedinCongresswhileIwasPresident。
　　Thepolicecanbeusedtohelpallkindsofgoodpurposes。WhenIwasPoliceCommissionermuchdifficultyhadbeenencounteredinlocatingillegalandfraudulentpractitionersofmedicine。Dr。MauriceLewicalledonme，withaletterfromJamesRussellParsons，theSecretaryoftheBoardofRegentsatAlbany，andaskedmeifIcouldnothelp。
　　AfterquestioninghimIfoundthatthelocalauthoritieswereeagertoprosecutethesemen，butcouldnotlocatethem；andImadeupmymindIwouldtrymyhandatit。Accordingly，asealedorderwassenttothecommandingofficerofeachpoliceprecinctinNewYork，nottobeopeneduntiljustbeforethemorningrollcall，previoustothepolicesquadgoingonduty。Thisorderrequiredthat，immediatelyuponreachingpost，eachpatrolmanshouldgooverhisbeatandenteruponasheetofpaper，providedforthatpurpose，thefullnameandaddressofeverydoctorsignthereappearing。Immediatelyuponsecuringthisinformation，thepatrolmanwasinstructedtoreturnthesheettotheofficerinchargeoftheprecinct。ThelatterinturnwasinstructedtocollectandplaceinonelargeenvelopeandtoreturntoPoliceHeadquartersallthedatathusreceived。Asaresultofthisprocedure，withintwohourstheprosecutingofficialsofthecityofNewYorkwereinpossessionofthenameandaddressofeverypersoninNewYorkwhoannouncedhimselfasaphysician；andscoresofpretendedphysicianswerebroughttobookordrivenfromthecity。
　　Oneoftheperenniallyseriousanddifficultproblems，andoneofthechiefreasonsforpoliceblackmailandcorruption，istobefoundintheexcisesituationinNewYork。WhenIwasPoliceCommissioner，NewYorkwasacitywithtwelveorfifteenthousandsaloons，withaStatelawwhichsaidtheyshouldbeclosedonSundays，andwithalocalsentimentwhichputapremiumonviolatingthelawbymakingSundaythemostprofitabledayintheweektothesaloon-keeperwhowaswillingtotakechances。Itwasthiswillingnesstotakechancesthatfurnishedtothecorruptpoliticianandthecorruptpoliceofficertheiropportunities。
　　TherewasinNewYorkCityastrongsentimentinfavorofhonestyinpolitics；therewasalsoastrongsentimentinfavorofopeningthesaloonsonSundays；and，finally，therewasastrongsentimentinfavorofkeepingthesaloonsclosedonSunday。Unfortunately，manyofthemenwhofavoredhonestgovernmentneverthelesspreferredkeepingthesaloonsopentohavinghonestgovernment；andmanyothersamongthemenwhofavoredhonestgovernmentputitsecondtokeepingthesaloonsclosed。Moreover，amongthepeoplewhowishedthelawobeyedandthesaloonsclosedtherewereplentywhoobjectedstronglytoeverystepnecessarytoaccomplishtheresult，althoughtheyalsoinsistedthattheresultshouldbeaccomplished。
　　Meanwhilethepoliticiansfoundanincredibleprofitinusingthelawasaclubtokeepthesaloonsinline；allexceptthebiggest，theownersofwhich，ortheownersofthebreweriesbackofwhich，satintheinnercouncilsofTammany，orcontrolledTammany’salliesintheRepublicanorganization。Thepoliceusedthepartialandspasmodicenforcementofthelawasameansofcollectingblackmail。Theresultwasthattheofficersofthelaw，thepoliticians，andthesaloon-
　　keepersbecameinextricablytangledinanetworkofcrimeandconnivanceatcrime。Themostpowerfulsaloon-keeperscontrolledthepoliticiansandthepolice，whilethelatterinturnterrorizedandblackmailedalltheothersaloon-keepers。Itwasnotacaseofnon-
　　enforcementofthelaw。Thelawwasveryactivelyenforced，butitwasenforcedwithcorruptdiscrimination。