The Washington herald., 1922-08-31
Tin Policemen.

HtISTRICT OF, COLUMBIA policemen must
take part in military drill for two periods
ktthnf Of hour every week. Fifteen minutes
evil bef devoted to settingup exercises and the
'ehainder other and less important training pre-
-uecrsssd by the infantry manual
' This order, issued by the superintendent of
esshcH, is excellent in respect to the settng-up
exercises. Members of the Metropolitan force need
: .s!gt : such training. We have noted of them
sfwho present rather flabby appearance their
rpost+who do not seem, to the ordinary observer,
.,scaPab.e of battling snglehanded with three ban
,--sdts,sor OF running 100 yards in twelve seconds
To such settng-up exercises will do world
s-esof good
--fs--The other ssuf-the school of the squad
: Efhe school OF the company, etc-seems to be
= exitly what Washington policemen do not need
and should not have 1t may make for, collective
efficiency. At least we have the word of distin-
= guished military that it does But policemen
:. called upon to act collectively very seldom
siideed. 1t is the OF training that makes for
individual ineficency. No policeman is worthy of
BIS Uniform unless he is able to act and fight alone.
1t would be excellent to order thrty-mile
hike" for every member of the police force twice
week. 1t would be excellent to order every man
engage in a strenuous twenty-round boxing con.
cry week. Most of the force are conf
would enjoy this and would benefit greatly
Sc they would enter into the spirit of the
and work only with their bodies but
carts.
what possible advantage can come to the
Plitan force from cose-order drill-from
right and squads left, etc, etc, ETC.? They
made to look better on parade by such
it is true, They will present a snappier
Fe when reviewed by the District of Co
commissioners. But Washington does not
a police force for parade purposes. 1t ID
d for the purpose of preventing crime,
criminals. guarding property etc. We
despite the excellent authority of former
Wilhelm, that human being ever was
ore efficient in single-handed fight BY
in close-order drill.
course, one hour and thirty minutes each
this tin soldier nonsense will not be suffi-
70 do any real damage. 1t will not be
to submerge the pofceman's individuality
lis sense OF responsibility to himself. 1t will
a slight tendency to injure morae-because
old enough and responsible enough to hold
lions on the District of Columbia police force
apt to being chased over drill field
high school cadets.
The military establishment works with diff
erent idea in view. In the army squads platoons
companies. battaons and regiments act as units
In the police force men act units
q Some OF the best policemen we ever have
? known have been men least amenable to that kind
. cf discipline. They were men who singlehanded
:. would have battered down the gates of hell and
!. battled with the devil his red coal pile
but they were men who would have resigned from
the force rather than spend an hour doing squads
right etc, like children in orphanage at fire drill
= S'strict OF Columbia policemen should be
: f'resd to take advantage of every possible means
. OF improving themselves physically it is true But
military drill seems to us very inefficient way
make a man strong. 1t has some value in this
''srsst Just as beer, without doubt, has some
z value food But we maintain that ham and
eggs, eesteak, etc, better for food purposes
. than beer. We a'so maintain that a twenty-rnile
hike, kept up at pace of seven miles per hour
: with an interval of double time every two miles
is better physical training than close-order drill
: Training policeman by the l. D. R. seems
to us about as intelligent training prize-hghter
:. by those self-same regulations