The Washington times., 1921-04-04
GRANT
CALLED DOWN
Major Alleges Detective Force
Is Not Giving Desirable
Cooperation.

Dissension which threatens to dis
rupt the morale of the Police Depart
ment has broken out between Major
Harry l.. Gessford, superintendent
of police, and Inspector Clifford L.
Grant, chief Of the detective bureau.
an aspirant for the superintendency
prior to Gessfords appointment.
CENsUREs DETECTIVES.
The situation, which has been brew
ing for some time. came to head
last week. when Major Gessford, as
serting his authority as superintend-
ent of police. entered the detective
bureau assembly room and censured
the members of the bureau for their
alleged failure to cooperate with the
uniformed members of the force
He told the detectives he was get
ting more cooperation from "the pre-
cinct men than from the plainciothes
men at headauArters-',... -.
| He then charged the detectives
with being "disioyai." according to
reports from persons who were in
the room at the time.
The superintendent, when asked
about this alleged assertion today.
did not deny he termed the detec-
that IL he did he did not recall the
fact.
CRITICIZEs POLICE.
Major Gessfords assertion fell
among the assembled detectives like
| a bombshell. The first to recover
from the effect Of the "bawling out"
was Inspector Grant, it was said.
Grant is reported to have challenged
the major and asked him to state
specific cases. Gessford Is quoted
as having replied. "It isn't so much
the men as the head of the depart
ment."
Don't worry about me-" Grant is
| said to have retorted hotly. The
major then left the room.
Major Gessford this morning gave
the following statement to a reporter
of The Washington Times:
"As chief of police / think II was
my duty to remind the detectives
that they should cooperate in every
way with the uniformed men OF the
force, but j do not think that 1t is a
matter for the public to know. / do
not remember having used the word
'disloysl,' but I'did tell the detec-
tives that did not think they were
giving their fullest cooperation.
"It is their duty. as II is the duty
of every man on the force from my
self down, to safeguard the interests
of the public and protect life and
property in the District OF Columbia"
Gessford said he had two or three
g old men in the detective bureau"
which indicated he is of the opinion
that the majority OF the plain clothes
men are not. at least, doing their
| best work.
sHAKE-UP Is TALKED.
Prior to the Presidential election,
| rumors were current that there would
| be a general shake-up in the police
department. 1t was then-and is
now-believed that Grant had his eye
on the superintendency.
| Whether this desire on the part of
| Grant is responsible for Gessford's
outburst has not been definitely es-
| tablished.
| Inspector Grant refused to discuss
the matter this morning.
'T will let the major have his say
about the incident" he told The Times
| reporter.
Detectives Kelly and Srrivener
were absent from roll call when the
major paid his visit to the roll room.
He inquired for them, IL was said.
Kelly had been on duty twenty-four
hours and was at home, while
Scrivener was busy on a war risk
case to which he had been assigned
1t will be remembered that Scrivener
won The Times gold medal for the
most heroic deed performed in the
Police Department during 1920. Both
he and Kelly are two of the ablest
detectives on the force.
| MORALE Is IMPAIRED.
1t Is contended that while there Is
difference OF opinion between the
superintendent of police and the
head of the detectives the morale of
the plain clothesmen will be con-
sidcrably impaired. This Is particu-
larly true at this time In view of
tho depleted ranks OF the depart
ment
There is considerable petty thievery
in the District at present. Many OPP
orators OF automobiles who have sped
OF and left their victims In the road
at large. Bootleggers are busy, des-
pite the denials of many, and at pres
ent II is pointed out the whole police
department should be bandtd together
in one loyal organization to night
1 SrfrnA and ptnrA law hreaka