Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-07-19
Chairman Harries Reports on Police
and Fire Needs.
CRITICISM AND BLAME MINGLED
The Needs Of Larger Forces Pointed
Out.
s O Me SUG ES TION

sumed the duties OF his office, he wrote a
letter to Chairman Harries of the commit
tee on public order of the board of trade,
asking for an expression of opinion as to
the needs of this city'S police and fire de-
partment and tn District National Guard.
This report was received today and is as
follows:
THE police force should be bigger and
better Bigger it cannot be until Congress
says 1t may, but it can be made Letter
without legislative enactment.
The department unquestionably needs
more or less of reorganization. for there
are In 1t many men whose interest in the
department, save for the pay they re-
celve Is too small to be of any public use
Such condition will grow without
mucn cultivation; inattention or weakness
on the part of one or two officials of the
higher grade speedily results in the de-
moralization of a hundred subordinates
HOW great the scope of the REORGANIZATION
should be is a matter that must be left to
your own excellent Judgment but 1t is our
opinion that the operation should be thor
oushly and speedily performed. 1t is hoped
that the police pension fund is large
enough to render material assistance
Many or those who are obst acles in the
way of the latter-day conditions We desire
nave rendered the best service to this COM
munty and are therefore entitled to the
most kindly Observation-Disclosures men and
efficient officers, they deserve the practi-
cal good will of all Washington-but they
are not low fit for the onerous duty of this
time ard should be retired with all possible
haste. Others whose claims are not so SOL
IDLY founded may perhaps be made useful
by transfer or reduction in rank Still 9TH
ers might be and should be removed fer
the good OF the service.
Detective Department..
Our police force is weakest where it
should have most strength, viz, in the de-
tective department. Some of the detec-
tives are really capable thief-catchers, but
the majority lack the true detective quail
ity. 1t may be that we expect too much
for the recompense we offer, and are crit
ical of men who are doing the best they
can in an element for which they are not
fitted. but whatever the reason 1t is GER
tain the average of efficiency In the detec-
tive bureau is low; much lower than 1t
should be in city of SO muck importance
as the national capital To secure an excel
lent altogether detective force for the
money available may be a difficult matter
but it is reasonably certain that within the
scope OF the departments membership roll
Is a sufficient number of men able to render
service more valuable than that now
vouchsafed. One of the things that mill
tates against hish-grade efficiency in the
detective office is the rate of pay.
In other cities of this class the cOmpen-
Sa ton is much greater than it is here, and,
as a natural consequence, there is difficulty
in securing the services of men who have
developed that peculiar and valuable talent
necessary to the makeup Of an expert de-
tectiVe.
Trial Board.
"A potent factor in the discipline of the
department Is the trial board. The infiu-
ences of that body outweigh all others.
Open sessions of the board will doubtless
result in disciplinary betterment, but so
long as the board is composed of officers
whose judicial faculties are not always be
yond conscientious bias the department Will
fail to reach that degree of efficiency which
YOU and all other good citizens would
like to have it reach. Otfenses against the
provisions of the police manual should be
considered and adjudicated by board OF
citizens otherwise wholly without relation
ship to police affairs-such II body as the
board of school trustees. for example.
There is no reason why there should be
any difficulty in securing the voluntary
services of three or five Westinghouse OF
high character to serve as members OF the
police board. The District of Columbia
abounds in public-spirited men who are
willing to perform, without fee or nope OIL
reward. many of the services Wnlcn Tess
favored communities have to pay for. 1t IS
understood, of course, that such boaro
would be nothing more than an ADVISORY
board-to clothe 1t with absolute powers
would positively work confusion-but II lts
advice were given careful consideration
there would surely be Improvement through
out the entire department. Free from the
acknowledgements of service kinship this board
would relieve you of labor that you ought
to he spared and would at the same time
accomplish great good.
Larger Force.
1.-The fight for a larger force has been
going on for years. The Commissioners,
the chief of police, the press, have insisted
that without considerable increase in the
numerical strength of the department, the
property and interests of the government
and the people here resident cannot be
cared for as they should be. Slowly re-
sponsive to the pressure of sound public
sentiment, Congress has made additions to
the force, but never to a sufficient extent.
Over and above all the force now provided
for by law we should have 200 more patrol
men, with enough of sergeants and inspec-
tors to suitably officer the whole number
Although very much has been written and
said about the inadequacy of our police
force, few people have been impressed with
the fact that our city has. according to
area. less of police protection than any
other city in the country.
Did the public fully realize how eX
tremely Inadequate the force is, especially
when special details, leaves of absence and
sick leaves are at a maximum, there would
be much more of agitation for an increase
than has yet been known.
General Appearance.
THE cleanly appearance OF the force
while on duty is cause for congratulation
the additional neatness Of button jackets
adds much to the general effect, but there
is weakness in the really more important
matter of physical set-up. This is where
the gymnasium may and should do its
work. 1t is not too much to expect of
Washington policemans ability to stand
erect, with shoulders squared, to have
soldierly attitude, in short, and to be able
to control the club-swinsins propensity
which marks the average local officer.
"A slouchy, round-shouldered policeman
standing with wide-apart feet and engaged
in twirling his billy, is likely to be regard
ed by the critical visitor a fair sample
of the population. The remedy is easy of
application. 1t has been the custom here
to put some OF our least attractive officers
on duty in the more conspicuous places. A
snowy officer is not always the most eff
fective as keeper OF the peace, but it Is
undoubtedly the case that sufficient num-
Der of fairly good-looking physical speci-
mems can be found for duty III locations
where their appearance and acts are SO
notably in evidence 1t Is an astonishing
statement, yet one easily capable of proof,
that there Is more carelessness as to the
hygienic conditions in station houses than
can be discovered in any other class Of
public buildings in the District CT Column
n role