The Washington times., 1922-06-20

&
Part Of the letter of the Commission to the
ditor is as follows:
The important point is that the fact that
policemen are now selected through civil service
examinations has nothing whatever to do with
crime IN the force. 1t is not because competi-
tive examinations required that men
must be sought outside Of Washington for the
police force; 1t is because of the fact that for
several years past it has not been possible TO G
recruit the force from among District of Colum-
bia residents owing to Industrial conditions.
The examination Of the mentality of appli-
cant made by the Civil Service Commission in
terferes in no way with the character investi-
cation Of the applicant by police department
officials. The first step in the examination Of
applicant for the local police force is
physical examination by the board of surgeons :
of the Metropolitan Police Department. Those
who pass the physical examination given the.
mental examination by this commission, and II
they attain the prescribed minimum rating they
are certified eligible. The police department
is at liberty to make and does make such char
acter Investigation as it deems proper and pfhc-
ticable, just as it always has done, and men
who are found through the police departments
investigation to be unsuitable for employment
as policemen removed, from the eligible
list
II civil service examinations were not
quired the police department would be in
exactly the situation as to the employ
ment Of men outside the District Of Columbia
and in exactly the same situation as to the
character Investigation practicable in the cfr-
cumstances. To return to the "old way Of pick
ing policemen" would simply transfer from the
Civil Service Commmission to the police de-
partment the duty Of determining whether or
not IN applicant is mentally qualified to be
policeman. The Congress has decided that the
Civil Service Commission is better equipped to
perform this duty.
The important thing to Washington people
rho want to have complete confidence in their
olicemen, and to feel that they are at all times
citing full protection, is that every man ap-
ointed upon the Metropolitan Police force
hall be of unquestioned character and courage
Applicants for police vacancies are required
0 file the usual character vouchers with the
ivil Service Commission before they are put
trough the physical and mental tests. 1t has
,een pointed out that these character vouchers
re almost worthless in the selection Of men
nd women to positions in the civil service.
congress is now contemplating giving the Com
mission an appropriation to extend the scope of
Is Investigations into the characters of appli-
ants for positions of trust
If the responsibility for character tests of
olice applicants rests upon the Police Depart
,ent, as indicated in the foregoing letter, then
he department should adopt more rigid meth
IDS for investigation before naming new police
len to the force. There should be the strictest
somewhere for determining the
,oral worth of man who is to become pro-
ector of the people of Washington. IF il IL
rue, under the law, that the only responsibility
Z the Civil Service Commission is the mental
ests, then the Police Department had better
ull tighter rein.
As to the general run of Civil Service exam
nations, however, the criticism still stands
hat these examinations are more than 80 per
emit educational, and that character, worth,
,dustry, devotion to duty, are almost neglected.
t Is doubtless true that Congress is to great
xtent responsible for this In having failed to
live the Commission appropriations that would
nable extension Of the scope of Investigations
to the general fitness Of applicants for the
ivil service, aside from their "book learning -
All the education in the werld often fails to
I've eemmen sense, moral stamina, responsible
" to duty, whatever 1t may be, and those