A Treatise on the Police of the Metropolis: Containing a Detail of the Various Crimes and Misdemeanors by which Public and Private Property and Security are, at Present, Injured and Endangered: and Suggesting Remedies for their PreventionColquhoun, Patrick
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A Treatise on the Police of the Metropolis: Containing a Detail of the Various Crimes and Misdemeanors by which Public and Private Property and Security are, at Present, Injured and Endangered: and Suggesting Remedies for their Prevention
Colquhoun, Patrick
Crime -- England -- London; Police -- England -- London
The evil, however, admits of practicable remedies, which the
Superintending Board of Police, recommended by the Select Committee
of the House of Commons, might considerably facilitate, by methodizing
the general design, and giving strength, intelligence, and uniformity
to the whole.
Preparatory to this object, however, the System in the respective
parishes must be greatly improved, before a co-operation can be
expected that will prove extensively beneficial to the Public.
The first step to be pursued, is to establish a fund for the
remuneration of Constables of every description. It will not be
difficult to demonstrate that a resource may be found for this
purpose, which will not impose any new burden on the Country, provided
these Officers do their duty.
The enormous expence at present incurred, and which is either defrayed
from the County Rates, or the general Revenue of the Country, arises
chiefly after offenders are detected and punished. Out of 234,153_l._
a year stated by the Committee on Finance, to be the annual amount of
the Police expences, only 26,183_l._ is incurred previous to
detection.--By diminishing crimes, therefore, the chief part of the
burden upon the Country will be taken away; and hence in this saving
will be established a resource for the remuneration of those who may
contribute to so important an object.
The present expenditure of the County Rates for criminal offences, is
estimated to amount to 50,000_l._ a year. In proportion as offences
diminish, through the medium of a well-organized and energetic
Police, will this burden upon the Poor Rates also be diminished.
Independent, therefore, of the policy of improving the system with
respect to parochial Constables, by attaching a greater degree of
responsibility to their situation, and introducing that discipline and
systematic activity, which can alone render their services
effectual--the plan may even be recommended as a proper arrangement in
point of oeconomy.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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