As Civil Service Commissioner I had been instructing heads of departments and bureaus how to get men appointed without regard to politics, and assuring them that by following our methods they would obtain first-class results.

As Police Commissioner I was able practically to apply my own teachings.
The appointments to the police force were made as I have described in the last chapter.

We paid not the slightest attention to a man's politics or creed, or where he was born, so long as he was an American citizen; and on an average we obtained far and away the best men that had ever come into the Police Department.

It was of course very difficult at first to convince both the politicians and the people that we really meant what we said, and that every one really would have a fair trial.

There had been in previous years the most widespread and gross corruption in connection with every activity in the Police Department, and there had been a regular tariff for appointments and promotions.