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。