Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-06
Increase the Police Force.

The murder of Elsie Kregio Is testimony
written in blood-to the insutficiency of our
police force. That insufflciency is contin-
ually apparent, even within the old city
limits. and now the truth as to this weak
ness in the suburbs is made conspicuous.
That the murderer is known and may be
by this time in the hands of the authorities
does not alter the situation; the police force
is too small to watch over such a compare
lively extensive area II is an unassailable
fact that a large proportion of this great
government reservation is practically with
cut police protection OF any kind lament
able condition. which will speedily become
apparent to any one who wanders through
the city's outskirts either on pleasure bent
or in search of an officer of the law Oc-
casionally, and then accidentally mounted
oblcers have made opportune appearance,
but so infrequently to offer to the law
less reasonable hope of uninterrupted mis-
conduct There is a regular system of
patrol covering the principal highways but
the passing of the blue-clad horseman is
not deterrent; between the times-once
OF twice IN day-there is ample season for
Criminals to work their pleasure
Inc pains IN our suburban parks are I'M
tfod by policemen. although those byeways
are generally used by a number of pedes-
TRANS who find in the shady trails an aftlu-
ence of botanical delight not to be enioye,,
by those WHO never leave the broader and
more frequented roads 1t has been sue-
gested that the beautiful suburban walks
and drives be forsaken by all who do not
deem themselves capable of defending their
persons from prospective assault; that the
joys of our woodland. of our grassy slopes
and OF the valleys in which the streams
make sweet music. be untasted by large
proportion of the people of Washington be-
cause there is possibility of robbery, Of as
sault and of murder in those places This
sugges ton involves the exile of the inno-
cent from the rural sections of the Dis
trict instead of their protection there
through the expulsion of the criminal, and
assumes that the scene of a crime must be
surrendered to criminals. 1t might quite
as logically be Insisted that the Wesley
Hall ldurder-still a mystery-warns men
and women not to remain within their
homes In the Hall case the victim was
seated In his workshop, rear the street and
Within few feet of police station when
the assassin took away his life; his loca-
ton ard all the circumstances attendant
upon the crime seemed to offer the unfor-
tunate shoemaker sufficient security, yet he
was killed and the murderer is at large
The Observation-Disclosures could easily show
how much greater Is the danger of those
who remain indoors than is the peril of
those who ride or walk on our suburban
roads. but it would be much better to put
the energy that would thus be wasted into
an endeavcr t. bring about immediate in
crease of police force so that it shall
no longer be possible for criminals to cal
culate upon the absence of those upon
whom the eople lean for safety.
IT every man on the rolls of the police de-
partment was engaged in street duty. the
force would still be too weak; with about
one-fffth of the total number OF detached
service and on sick report. the force is dis
gracefully inadequate so far as it's propor-
tons 60 1t Is unquestionably proper 10
furnish complete police protection to the
Executive Mansion, and to him who is it's
principal occupant, but the number of Off
GERS needed for that duty should not come
from department as weak as our Solice
department is. There is no reason worth
talking about why the White House and
its grounds, as well as the President him.
SELF should not be guarded by detachments
OF troops. There is a cavalry garrison at
Fort Myer, artillery garrison at the
Washington Barracks, and there are ma
fines at the Navy Yard; why may not a
sufficient number of either one or other. or
all. OF these arms of the service be re-
quired to relieve the police force of a strain
which is being seriously felt?
The District Commissioners will be ear
nestiy supported in any move they NAV
make to bring about immediate increase i'm
the numerical strength of the force When
that has been done, II will be in order to
suggest the possibility of greater efficiency.