Evening star., 1922-07-30
ny JAMES A. BUCHANAN.

Staleu ttdt ouC " ehS O.
est factors for progress was an efn-
cient police force. He added that he
had observed for many years that the
communities enjoying adequate po-
lice protection appeared to take
position in the front rank of progress
sive municipalities. He believed not
only that the success of police
force depended upon the officers and
men comprising the body, but that
no small share of responsibility rest
ed upon the shoulders of the citi-
IONS In closing his address he said:
We should not alone be content to
sit complacently on the side lines
and either watch or criticize the ac-
tions of our peace officers; we should
as citizens of community cooper.
ate in making this one of the best
governed towns in the United States,
and when l say governed 1 do not
mean despotic rule should exist.
OF course, now and then a member
of a police force may break law.
and the very fact that he Is police
man is seized upon by many as an
excuse to condemn the entire force
This, of course. is wrong. There IS
no more reason in condemning an
entire police body because one of Its
members does not comply with the
laws of the community than 1t would
be to condemn religion because
minister might elope with MEM
ber of his congregation or commit
some other overt act Policemen
have not only their own personal
troubles, the same as the rest of US,
but they are thrown daily in contact
with the troubles of others. and they
are the constant barrier between the
eviidoers of a community and the
respectable citizens of city or town.
THE police force of the District of
Columbia is not perfect No po-
lice force is. But today the force is
in far better shape than it has been
for many years. II could be much
better if Congress provided the Com
missioners and superintendent of po-
lice with adequate appropriations with
which to carry on the work that is
far too large for the 935 men that
comprise the force. In this number
SO drivers are included, and while
the representatives from the states
of the Union have granted an in
crease in the police department that
provides for 25 additional men, it will
be seen that the District of Columbia,
large in area and containing about
half a million people. has q force Of
but $50 members, and it must further
be understood that not alb Of these
men are on duty at the same time.
for even a bluecoated guardian Of
the peace must have time to sleep and
eat, and occasionally-that is. very oc-
casionally-he must have Nay to
spend with his family or to devote to
recreation.
Washington is far different from
the majority of other cities, because
in every other town in the United
States there are sheriffs just across
the city line to aid the local peace
officers. Here the police dare not go
beyond the boundaries of the Dis
trict of Columbia, nor can a sheriff
from an adjoining state enter the con-
fines of Washington unless equipped
with court order.
y \
IRON the earliest day of record, the
metropolitan police force has been
"chaperoned" by Congress. 1t has been
under the direct or indirect super
vision of some foreign" or almost
foreign body. Let US turn back the
page of history and see just when
and how the police force of the Dis
trict of Columbia came into being.
What is known as the District CT
Columbia was first travars:d by a
white man. Capt. John Smith. in 1903.
Fifteen years later it was visited by
Henry Fleet The Potomac region
was settled: Capitol Hill, owned by
Francis Pope, was called Rome; the
small body of water known as the
Eastern branch was called the River
Tiber." Georgetown was laid out by
an act of the Maryland legislature in
1751, and incorporated about forty
years later. 1t was in this section of
the city that the plans of the Capital
city were made. So on. from the ear
lfest days Of which we have any rec
ord. down to the act of July 6, 1890,
appointing Thomas Johnson. Daniel
Carroll and David Stuart as commits
sioners to survey what is now the
District of Columbia, We find order
coming out of chaos. This law was
signed by George Washington.
T. X
THE first peace officer was the con-
: stable appointed by the Prince
Georges court. County constables ap-
pointed by Montgomery county were
on duty in Georgetown, and similar
officers were appointed by the circuit
court of Alexandria for that section.
In 1903 an act of council, approved
by Mayor Brent, created the position
of superintendent of police. and Cor
nelius Cunningham was appointed to
the office. In 1904 four constables
were provided; in 1906 Richard
Spaulding was appointed high con-
sable at salary of $3.50 per annum-
not per month. but per annum-the
off1ce of superintendent being abOl-
ished. AS time went on, the police
force was knocked and buffeted about
Until August %. 1912. when there was
established an auxiliary watch for
the protection of private and public
property, the captain to receive a
salary of $1,000 year. while the If
teen men under him were to receive
stipends as follows: Five to receive
H2S a vnopfh and the balance Of ten