Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-09

1t would enable him to improve the eff
cheney of the force immensely. I am in
favor of making promotions between cor
poralS and captains by seniority, provided
a mans record Is good and he passes the
examination, but the first and the last pro-
motions in the life of a police officer are
the most important and should be based
upon the recognition of personal character
and qualifications that cannot be aScer-
tained by asking questions The corporals
a police force are the most important
of al the officers in command, more i'm
portant than captains inspectors. be-
cause they have immediate control of the
rank and file and set the standard Tor re-
cruits. The first impression of a recruit Is
the most important of his entire service
The first three months in the experience OF
a police officer are the most important OF
all his career. and during those three
months he seldom comes in contact with
any superior except his corporal. and. there
fore, the influence of the latter officer Is
permanent. II the commissioner had the
basis of efficiency without considering
length of service, the results of examina-
tons or the reports of the board of exami-
ners. 1t would be great deal better all
around
Frauds in Examinations
1.-THE examinations almost as bad as
politics and you would be astonishes at
the frauds that are committed continued
Gen. Bingham. Here in this great city.
with q force OF lU,CtO men, IL "
detect them. There are men who make
business of personating patrolnen and TAX
ing examina lions for the benefit of officers
of the force who are afraid to go in them
selves. The representation of recruits is
common. When candidate for appoint
ment on the force is doubtful whether he
can pass the required examinations. 1t IS
comparatively easy for him to hire some
one with a better education AMI greater In
teligence to take the examination for him.
We cannot prevent it.
Then, another trouble-ani you see the
same thing in the army-is that wren po-
lice officer feels that his position Is secure
as long as he keeps his record clean ana
furnishes no excuse for his superior OH
GERS to prefer charges against him. he be-
comes Indifferent and performs his duties
with just enough energy and efficiency TO
keep him out of trouble He loses respect
for his superior officers and walks his beat
like an automaton, avoiding trouble ana
following the path of least resistance. 1
have been fighting ever since l have been
here to impress upon every member of the
force that he has got to respect me and
not the politicians the examination
board.
Record Kept of Every officer.
I'VE have pretty much cXterminated
political influence. and the written ex-
aminations for appointments and promo
tions all right now so far as they go,
but they are purely theoretical They
don't bring out the judgment or tact or
courage OF 4 man. but, after all. courage
isn't always the best quality for Il police
man. Heroic deeds do not prove efficiency
On the contrary, they may be evidence that
a man lacks judgment. YOWcant proper
ly estimate the character of any man,
policeman or private citizen, without siZ-
ing him up on his everyday behavior,
hence we are keeping a PERSONAL record of
every man on the force similar to those
kept in the War Department of the OIL
GERS of the army.
we are getting a biography of every
man. his ancestry. his associations. his
daily conduct. his personal history, his as
signments, his details and whatever he has
done either to his credit or discredit. Here
tofore all we have had to go have been
the wrong things an officer has done: the
results of the investigation of charges
made against him, his trials. and the fine
he has raid. And sometimes the best
men on the force are tried and fined for
delinquenCics while a man may be a sccUn-
that respect. But is we keep tab on him
all the time he will find out after a
while what he is good for. and the new
card record we have adopted will show
the good things he has done as we'll as the
complaints that have been against him.
"A mans record ought to be what the
term implies. If a policeman does a good
piece of work he ought to have the credit
of it, even If it is not of sufficient impor-
lance to be mentioned and commended in
orders. / notice that the men are watch
ing this very closely. iiae good ones are