The Washington times., 1921-10-10
SULLIVAN TELLS
D. {. POLICEMEN
To GET RESULTS
People Who Foot Bills Mot inter-
estsd In Explanations. Says
Acting Chief.

Policemsn are responsible TO the pso'
pie OF the District.
Bear this In mind" Acting suker-
tntendent OF Police Daniel Sulhvah
told members OF the washington ro'
lice Department In an order issued To-
day. 49,.
residents who foot the bills, are iooA'
ing to you for results con,ihoes
Acting Superintendent sullivan
''They are not interested In expiana'
tions OF failures"
Its oold comfort to taxpayers
who are PER- ,nally interested In mat
ten in which two departments nave
been brought into play. ana which
have gone wrong. TO know thst the
failures were due to only one OF the
departments and that the other was
quite successful"
Assistant Superintendent Of roiice
Sullivan does not In the latter state
ment specify what departments ne
refers TO, but he probably refers 70 the
uniformed and plain clothes DIVISIONS
OF the police department.
Here, In part, Is the order, al u APP
pears on the police bulletin:
"The Commissioners OF the District
of Columbia are responsible TO Con-
Rress and to the people for the eff.
cient administration Of the municipai
government. and as II 10 obviously
impossible for any group OF lhree men.
charged with such heavy responsible
tiles, to give their personal attention 70
every minute detail of the vast AMI
complicated machinery of city gov.
ernment, various departments have
been established by law and specific
duties assigned to each. the Commits
sioners, however, in the final analysis.
being responsible for the proper func-
tioning Of each and every department
% established.
ITO a very large degree the city of
Washington is similar to an everyday
large corporation. In that the success
OF the whole Is dependent upon tbs
success Of each department.: ana there
Is hardly one department, In either
case, that can function with the high.
est degree of efficiency without the
sympathy of practical cooperation OF
ct least one other department.
while their dueies may link to.
gcther two or possibly three city dc.
partments, calling for constant and
unremitting teamwork. the Police De-
partment is peculiarly situated In this
respect; 1t must cooperate with each
and every one Of them by enforcing
such laws and regulations as have
been passed to facilitate their work.
"The city is not striving for eff
cheney bcause II has an active COM
petitor in the field; its stockholders,
the residents who foot tho bills. are
looking for results. They are not in.
terested In explanations of failures. IT
Is cold comfort to taxpayer who fs
personally interested In a matter In
which two departments have been
brought into play. and which has gone
wrong. to know that the failure was
due to only one of the departments
and that the other was quite success
ful.
Bear this in mind and do not get
into controversies with employees Of
other departments or try to- shift the
responsibility or attribute the failure
to them. Your duties are clearly de-
fined and IL you fulfill them, the
failure of another will never reflect
on you.
'The laws and regulations provide
that many of the city departments
shall make certain inspections and re-
pairs, and It Is mandatory that the
public permit access necessary to ac-
complish such results and obey the
lawful orders issued in connection
with the remedying Of certain condi.
tions. Frequently rereqentatiVes of
these departments are interfered with
and retarded by persons acting through
ignorance or through a desire to evlde
compliance with the regulations.
"In most cases the law provides a
penalty and officers are empowered
to make arrests. but as court action
and litigation generally only serve to
delay the accomplishment of the de-
sired result, IL is far better II an Off
Ger, without the use of force and with
out violating any rules of the Depart
ment can bring about the necessary
compliance.
"For instance. the proprietor Of a
store might refuse admission to an
inspector Of the Health Department
who ie authorized. empowered and di-
rected to inspect the premises, but Il
a police officer were to politely, but
firmly explain the law to the store
keeper, II would in all probability have
the desired effect"