I'm doing research for a murder mystery set in New York City, 1905, and I'm trying to identify some good information about the bureaucratic structure of the NYPD at this time.
I sent the following questions to the NYPD themselves and the New York police history museum, but the former passed me off to the latter, and the latter never got back to me. I'm hoping someone here can point me in the direction of some good resources. I don't know whether I'll actually use any of the information I'm asking for in the final book, to be honest, but I'd like to have the information handy in case I do.
1) What was the bureaucratic structure of the NYPD's 23rd precinct in 1905? How would it be determined who was assigned to a particular case, and how would they be notified? (Calls at home, wait for them to report to the station for their regular shift, etc. - just in case I want/need a scene depicting them getting the assignment.) What rank would the person they'd report directly to hold?
2) What specific qualifications and skills were needed in order to be a homicide detective? (I'm not going to assume the standards they have today were the same as back then.)
3) How much were homicide detectives of the 23rd Precinct paid, and what kind of neighborhoods and homes would they be likely - and able to afford - to live in?
4) Just for accuracy's sake, did the Crime Scene Unit have a different name in 1905?
If anyone can help out with any of these, I'd appreciate it. Thanks!
I sent the following questions to the NYPD themselves and the New York police history museum, but the former passed me off to the latter, and the latter never got back to me. I'm hoping someone here can point me in the direction of some good resources. I don't know whether I'll actually use any of the information I'm asking for in the final book, to be honest, but I'd like to have the information handy in case I do.
1) What was the bureaucratic structure of the NYPD's 23rd precinct in 1905? How would it be determined who was assigned to a particular case, and how would they be notified? (Calls at home, wait for them to report to the station for their regular shift, etc. - just in case I want/need a scene depicting them getting the assignment.) What rank would the person they'd report directly to hold?
2) What specific qualifications and skills were needed in order to be a homicide detective? (I'm not going to assume the standards they have today were the same as back then.)
3) How much were homicide detectives of the 23rd Precinct paid, and what kind of neighborhoods and homes would they be likely - and able to afford - to live in?
4) Just for accuracy's sake, did the Crime Scene Unit have a different name in 1905?
If anyone can help out with any of these, I'd appreciate it. Thanks!
