Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-11-26
FOR PUBLIC ORDER
Board of Trade Committee Makes
Recommendations.
POLICE AND THE NATIONAL GUARDS
Suggestions of Increase Com
mented Upon and Endorsed.
Il II E n VAL ESERV ES

Il H E n Az Al REESE RV E s
Dealing, as 1t does. with the police force
and National Guard of the District, the re-
port of the committee on public order of
the board Of trade to the president Of that
organizat ton is doubly interesting to every
citizen of Washington and contiguous sub
urbs. The report embodies many recon-
mendations which will be tafen up by the
board of trade and pushed before the COM
ing session of Congress. the committee IS
composed of: Messrs. Ellis Spear, chair
man; A M I.othrop, H. Bradley Davidson.
". Riley Decide, w. P Van Wicltie. o. T.
Crosby, Samuel NJ. Bryan. Charles G.
Sloan, John Sidney Webb. N. Z. Young
Charles r. Fonda, James H. Hopkins, J.
Sprigg Poole, Robert H. Terrell, William F.
Hart Alexander Wolf, Joshua r. Buckle
lew. W. B. Evans. Claas Denekas. John l..
Prosise and Eiphonzo Youngs and It's re-
port is In part as follows:
The committee on public order have at
tended during the past year to such duties
as came before them. Somewhat outside
of those duties. perhaps, they interested
themselves IN perfecting the outfit of the
District regiment which was sent into the
field. They have also examined and con-
sidered the condition and needs Of the
metropolitan police department and Ma
tional Guard.
Grows More Urgent.
The need, long existing. for still
greater increase Of the police force. grows
| more urgent every year. The force has
| not kept pace with the growth of the popu
lation of the District. Originally there was
one patrolnian to aboat 1000 people in the
District: now there is about one to 1900.
lnasmuch as the city has grown by extern
sion and not by increased density OF popula-
ton, it is apparent that the beat of the
patrolman must be greatly extended. In
deed. We are advised that in one instance
within the city limits single patrolmau IL
assigned to q territory including thirteen
miles Of beat.
In recent years also the greater subur-
ban extensions have made more difficult
the task of covering the territory. These
extensions are to some extent scattered
and not contiguous, and increase the dis
tances to be Travelled over. The extension
of rapid transit into the county has multi
piled the scattered country residences AMI
enormously increased the suburban travel.
Wherever there are large excursions Of
people into the country as how especially
happens in the summer time, there is
more urgent call for Increased police force
in the locations frequented. 1t is safe TO
say that a hundred people now 20 out from
the city on excursions into the country
where one went ten or fifteen years ago.
Increase of Visitors.
As for the city proper every one knows
how the influx of visitors increases from
year to year; how conventions and other
gatherings multiply, and how all these in
crease the duties OF the police Special pro
visions, made for the great occasion of the
Inauguration, are needed also, in a large
degree, and not unfrequently on other oc-
casfons. And certainly no one will uues-
ton the statement that it is fitting and
desirable that the capital city of the ma
ton, especially in the matter of perfect or
der of security in life and property and in
protection of citizens and strangers, should
be model city. Your committee are far
from finding fault with the present police
force, or with its mana cement. We be-
lieve 1t to be a very faithful, intelligent
hardworking body of men and to be under
excellent discipline and direction. The de-
feet lies mainly in the insuffiCiency of num-
bers in the force.
I'VE agree, also, in approving the recon-
mendation of the superintendent of police
as to the increase in the compensation of
officers and privates, and that different
grades should be established in the force
one of the class at lower pay and Of a pro-
stationary nature; and another of higher
pay and more permanent. This would al
ways afford incentive to exertion. The du-
ties of a policeman are probably fully COM
pretended by few of our citizens they are
all we'll stated by the superintendent in his
report of the current year.
The report quotes Major Sylvester's de-
tailed statement of the manifold duties of
the policeman, and continues:
The Detective Force.
Another matter We deem worthy of the
favorable consideration of the board: Under
the existing arrangement the detective
force consists Of men detailed from the pri-
Yates of the police force. and these must be
bona fide residents of the District These
| are necessarily confined in their experience
to the District, and If sent abroad in the
pursuit of criminals deficient some
times. at least in the requisite experience
for such excursions and to a large degree
are dependent upon the voluntary aid of
local police and detectives where they may
happen to be sent. The SUPERINTENDENT
recommends that he be permitted TO en-
ploy one or two men who may not be resi-
dents Of the District. This would give him
somewhat larger scope in the selection of
trained and expert detectives, and enable
him to procure men of larger experience
necessary for the work. In this recon-
mendation we concur; and further, it ap-
pears to us that it would be we'll also to
have two grades in the detective force. as
has been suggested in relation to the police
force"
The committee recommends the approval
by the board of trade of the estimates for
items of increase of the police force as
contained in the annual estimates prepared
by the District Commissioners, and COM
menung upon the tabulated statement.
says:
1T will be noticed that the principal item
IS that of POO privates of class at 81, (ySo
each per annum. This would bring the
force. exclusive of officers UP to 100 men
Considering the number of men necessa riIy
detailed to special duty, the percentage of
sick, or absent on leave, the division into
details. the special conditions of the CITY
ana the large extent of suburban region We
believe that this increase asked for Is en-
tlrely within reasonable limits and that
under the present management 1t Will be
efficiently used"
National Guard Matters
The report next deals with National Guard
II alters as follows:
The enlistment of a volunteer regiment
out of the National Guard of the District
has to some extent disturbed the organiza-
ton and given proper occasion, as well as
incentive, for increased effort in the perfec-
| ton OF that force. The District militia il
a federal establishment and Is the domes-
| tic guard Of the capital Its officers are