Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-03-29
LIEUTENANT JOHN sTUckERT
on How Policemen Are Trained

THE days when all that was necessary to
L get men on the police force of Philn-
delphia was the recommendation of some
politician have gone forever. Now the
applicants must not only be Thoroughly
trained, but also must pass difhcult
examination. according to Lieutenant John
Stuckert, in charge Of the Police Training
School.
Every new member of the force said
Lieutenant Stuckert. ''is taken on three
months probation. Two months Of this are
used in his training and then comes one
month Of actual service. At the END or
this time it Is known whether he VIII make
n good officer: IL 1t is decided that he Will.
he Is taken on regularly, ana II not he Is
dropped from the rolls.
AT the training school we get from every.
man all the information about himself
which he can give and this is tabulated
The recruits are first taught the rules.
regulations and organization or the depart
ment then the laws and ordinances, the
various kinds Of crime. election laws. the
crimes, the ordinances covering permits and
licenses. traffic regulations, patrol duty. evi.
dencc court procedure. city government,
duties relating to fires and many other things
which they must know thoroughly to become
good patrolmen. All Of these subjects are
lectured upon. and every Saturday morning
mn examination Of ten or more questions Is
held in order that the progress OF the recruit
may be noted.
''The physical instruction is just as com.
prehcnsive, including jujutsu, boxing. wrest.
ns the hsndns e S1.sknr Of Hnruy
! hold and mass Of other detail which will
enable the men to hold their own in per-
sonal encounters.
I'm the afternoon there is drill. at
which the men carry rifles in order that they
may have something In their hands. They.
arms SO that they may learn to think quickly
and TO obey spoken orders promptly Each
Saturday. from 4 T.. NJ. to midnight. each
recruit is assigned TO district to do duty
with a uniformed member of the force. who
acts as his instructor in actual patrol
work.
Much Homo Work Given
AS we have only two months in which
TO turn out regular members Of the force,
it is necessary for them 10 do home work
every evening. This takes the form of ques.
tions on matters In which they have received
instruction during the day and we are thus
enabled to check up on the memory of the
recruit and upon his ability to learn.
Sundays they are given police problems
TO solve and give their answers on the fol-
lowing day. These problems relate 10 such
things as a complicated murder case or an
accident.
Each Monday morning after our roll
call ten of the men are taken TO the Dc,oc-
tive Bureau, to the line up that Is the
identification OF criminals. They are shown
the procedure of positive Identification and
lis importance Is impressed upon them as
we'll as the process Of taking pictures and
the imprints Of the finger tips. Then these
ten men spend the rest Of the day in one
OF the criminal courts and are given u prac-
teal demonstration Of what they have been
taught about giving evidence.
Mock Trial Held
I'VE consider this matter of evidence so
important that we hold mock trials at the
raining school. We use cases which have
been actually tried in the courts.
philadelphia has what ! might call the
only 'socialized' police force In the country ,
we teach the recruits that il n child Ia
found committing some ofense against the
ordinances of the city which is not TOO
serious, they should take the child to its
| parents and let them bring 1t to colrt
rather than arrest the child. In the same
manner. MS far us possible. we try 10 take
the same general attitude toward ailuit
offenders. The recruits are instructed TO
| make no more arrests than are necessary ana
| TO try to inculcate respect for the law
rather than fear of II In al persons.
1--WE get about TOO men . year TO train.
The main requirements are courage and Tue