The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-01-31
The District Police Force.

The District of Columbia has a po-
lice force of 735 men. including the
superintendent, his licutenants, those
members OF the force detailed for office,
and patrol work Unquestionably,
more police are needed. 1t is. there
fore, to be hoped that the House COM
mittce in charge OF the District ap-
preparation bill will grant the requests
Of Commissioner Johnston, who, on the
facts set for h in Maj. Sylvester's re-
cent report to the Commissioners, has
asked for an appropriation sufficient to
make possible an increase in the force
from 735 to 929 members.
The mere fact that during this past
year there have been more murders in
the District than ever before would
seem to be one OF the most convincing
arguments that could be presented in
favor of the increase asked for.
Other facts should, however, be borne
in mind The District of Columbia en-
braces all area of a little over 6o.2
square miles Part only of this is
the city OF Washington proper. The
greater portion consists of agricul-
tural and suburban sections, including
over sixty small unincorporated but
important villages, such as Anacostia,
Chevy Chase. Cleveland Park, Pet
worth. &c Much of the agricultural
section is densely wooded.
The Metropolitan police force, of
which Mai Sylvester is the head, is
charged with the duty OF policing this
entire area, and protecting life and
property therein. Besides this duty of
protecting life and property in the en-
tire District. and SO preserving the
peace in the more customary use of
the term, the police of this city are
charged with the enforcement of sew
craI hundred regulations having the
effect of law. such as the health, build
ing, and parking regulations. One re-
suit OF this duty is that the number
of arrests the police would otherwise
make are greatly increased. with the
ensuing result that continually some
OF the force, who would otherwise be
on active patrol duty, are forced to be
in court in matters of a quasi-civil ma
turc.
Again, the number OF the force
available for the general duty OF po-
licing the city, is. during the winter
months especially, constantly depleted
by detail assignments caused by the
great number of official and semi-ofi-
cial social functions which distinguish
this city from any other in the land
1t is essential that members of the
force be detailed to attend-in the
neighborhoodS where these functions
take placc-both to preserve the peace
and to regulate the traffic which at
such times becomes very congested
Moreover. the strength of the force is
always reduced to certain extent by
sickness. but TO a far greater extent
by the enforced attendance at the police
and criminal courts of patrolmet who
have made arrests and are required to
be present i'll court as witnesses.
As a result of the snallness of the
force. OF the multitude and variety OF
the duties imposed on It, on an average
not over $50 men are available during
the twenty-four hours OF each day, for
the general patrol duty of the entire
area of 69-2 square miles already re-
fcrred to. But as of this number all
cannot be on duty at the same time,
and as it is necessary that some part
of the force be on duty during each |
one of the twcnty-four hours of the
day. it is necessary TO divide the force |
into four shifts. As a result, the best |
that can be done with the present |
force, is to guard the entire District, |
including the city of Washington
proper. its suburbs, and the sixty odd |
villages within the District, by a day.
light patrol of about 100 men, includ- |
ing mounted and bicycle policemen, and |
those on foot, and at night by force
of about 200 men
These figures. speak flor themselves. |
So far as the force goes it is a very
excellent one, and deserves credit for
its efficiency, but it would seem that
there can be no doubt but that the
increase asked for is urgently neces-
sarv.