Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-03-06
NO GREAT REFORMS
IN VIEW FOR POLICE
Neither Commissioners Nor
Supt. Pullman Contemplate
Any Wholesale Changes.
LATTER PRAISES SYSTEM
BUILT UP BY SYLVESTER
Aims to Socialize Work Of Depart
ment as Far as Practicable
vocate of big Brother" Plan.


No sweeping reforms or wholesale
changes in the personnel of the police
department are contemplated either by
the District Commissioners or Raymond
w. Pullman, new superintendent Of
police.
AS Commissioner Brownlow expressed
it today, there was a vacancy to be
filled as a result of Maj Sylvester's
request for retirement, and the Com
missioners simply sought to find the
best man available for the place Their
choice fell upon Mr.. Pullman. as they
believed him to be Ideally equipped for
administering effectively the police
needs of the District
Following their announcement yes
terday that their investigation of the
charges of official misconduct pre-
ferred against Maj. Sylvester had not
been sufficient to warrant a trial being
instituted, the Commissioners state
ment that they do not contemplate re-
vising the administrative methods of
the police department generally is ac-
cepted as further evidence of the
high esteem in which Maj. Sylvester's
work is held by the District govern
ment heads.
Admirer Of Maj. Sylvester.
The retiring police chief has no more
enthusiastic admirer than Mr.. Pull
man. who declared Maj. Sylvester had
built up police system which Is a
credit to the District and that his re-
tirement is loss to the city.
Mr.. Pullman spent the morning at
his office in the National Metropolitan
Bank building. where ewas kept busy
receiving congratulatory messages from
friends and officials of the police de-
partment. extending assurances of their
desire to cooperate in every way with
the new official.
Thoroughly in accord with the Com
missioners' social service views, Mr.
Pullman will endeavor to socialize as
far as it may be practicable the work
of the police department. But this will
be brought about by steady stages.
He believes that a policeman should
be not merely cog in the machinery
Of government, but that he has big op-
portunities for promoting social well
| fare. which he should constantly keep
in mind and make the most Of In this
connection study will be made of meth
DDS of developing the patrol service to
| the point of highest efficiency in the
promotion of the city's social welfare.
Humanity, in short Is what the de-
partment IS TO Work 1Or.
Thinks Highly Of Department
Washington has a good police de-
partment and it's personnel ranks
high" said Mr.. Pullman today. 1.-The
policeman gets and deserves more re-
spect from the municipality than for
merly was the case. He is being rec
ognized as bigger factor in municipal
government. His opportunities for do
ing good are almost unlimited and it
shall be my aim to see that he re-
ceives every encouragement in making
the most of such opportunities. Aside
from this 1 have no plans which would
be of value or interest at this time.
When l enter upon the duties of the
office April i l shall make a study first
of the work that the department is
doing and of what I think can be done
with the men we have available. If
receive half the support that officials
of the department already have pledged
me 1 shall have no fault to find and
will feel that we can give the capital
good police administration.
incidentally the position of chief OF
police is not the first District govern
ment job that has sought Mr.. Pullman
Some time ago he was selected by the
Commissioners to fill a vacancy on the
board of children's guardians. He has
h,
which has developed many problems of
a sociological nature.
Among proposed District reforms
which have an indirect police interest
is the suggestion for an indeterminate
sentence and parole law for prisoners
at Occoquan. Mr.. Pullman believes
there is merit in the indeterminate
plan, provided sufficient safeguards are
thrown around it to insure prisoners
being released from custody the mo-
ment they have been conditioned for
returning to society.
Interested in Vagrant Question.
A frequent complaint since the estab-
lishment of Occoquan has been that
vagrants who have served their SEN
tences are arrested upon their reap
pearance in Washington and again
sentenced to the workhouse before they
have an opportunity to look for work
Just what can be done to prevent in
justices of this character is a matter
that is interesting Mr.. Pullman, and it
is not unlikely that this question will
be considered in connection with the
general problem of humaniZing the
work of the police department.
Mr.. Pullman believes there is a place
for the woman in police work, and has
investigated the success which this
experiment mas met IN Los Angeles
and other cities. He realizes the op-
portunity of the policeman for setting
a good example for the boys of the
neighborhood in which his beat is
located, and is expected to prove an
ardent advocate of the big brother
plan.
Not only was Mr.. Pullman the rec-
pient of many congratulations over his
appointment, but the Commissioners
today also shared extensively in the
felicitations Their appointment of
Mr.. Pullman came as complete sur
prise to the latter. who was not a can
lidate for the position, and who was
not aware of Maj. Sylvester's request
for retirement until informed that he
had been selected as his successor.
u. S. EMBASSY IN PARIS