The Washington herald., 1916-07-22
An Efficient Police Department.

The editorial which appeared in the WASH
ington Herald yesterday morning under the above
caption brought a quick reply from residents OF
Washington. Among the many letters received
by the editor number which went TAR IN
criticism of the police. Others were written
with more evidence of sincere effort to deal
fairly.
Nearly all of the letters contained interesting
views but as the letters were far too numerous
to permit publication, an effort has been made to
select two which seem to represent the opinions
of the majority of the writers. These letters
call for no comment and given to the public
merely because the public has so much interest in
the administration of the police department
The two letters selected as most representa-
tive as follows:
Editor The Washington Herald Your edi.
torial "An Efficient Police Department will
strike responsive chord in the breast OF every
thinking man in the city Had the author been
just bit more fearless he would have cnched
his point and made the definite statement en-
bodying well known fact namely, that the
present administration is an unworthy joke, per-
petrated by the present Commissioners on an in
offensive public.
The personnel of the force ranks high; it will
compare favoraby with the police personnel OF
any city in the world. 1t deserves to be led
and administered by man Of brains, poise, and
whom the individual members Of the force can
repose the utmost confidence. To expect etticl-
ency under the administration of an inexperienced
young man who lacks all the essential requisites
of leadership is to expect the impossible.
The Washington police department should
equal in efficiency the force OF any other city
of equal size in the country. 1t should be some
thing than a traffic squad 1t should be
able to rise to the emergency in such matters
as robberies and murders and not be Inundated
by having to confess failure when special inte-
become a Mecca for petty thieves; nothing even
approaching mystery is ever solved. There is a
vast amount of talk of Cooperation" and get
ting together" and endless discussions of more
or less academic nature concerning preventive
measures While these most excellent ideas are
serving as topics of polite conversation the i'm
Rf 49d aTs O0'y IN
What is the remedy? If you have friend
on the force put this question to him. Nine out
Of ten of them know. Perhaps all Of them know.
Nine out of ten will tell you. TAXPAYER.
Editor The Washington Herald: As reader
Of your publication l desire to commend your
views on the Washington police department.
There is no doubt but that the editorial has met
Washngtons finest.
1t is Of course, easy to criticise, though not
so easy to formulate plan Of action which will
Close students of the local police situation are
agreed that the force is numerically ample tor
the work in hand; that the mentality OF the men
is above the average, and that the pernlclots
forms Of petty graft that form problem in other
cities are almost negligible factor in the situa-
ton. Also they agreed that the force does
not produce results Why?
The answer is easy In spite OF all we hear
Of "co-operation" there is no genuine effort to
work together. The OF the force are per
fectly we'll aware Of the inexperience Of their
leader As result his pronouncements do not
carry weight There ensues obedience without
enthusiasm-the deadliest form Of discipline. The
esprit de corps Of the battalion is conspicuous
by its absence The various members perform
their duties in a more or less perfunctory man
ner. content to wait until a change Of politics
shall give them a chief who has won his spurs
on the field of action and accomplishment.
COOPERATION.
The names and addresses OF the authors. OF
the letters are withheld at their request.