The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-06-22
ALTMAN BELIEVES POLICEMEN NEED
 TRAINING SCHOOL
Declares Force Does Re. markedly We'll Under
 Circumstances

'Birmingham's policemen are doing remarkably we'll, considering conditions.
 "One trained man is of more value to the city than three untrained men.
 'The time has passed when men can get on the force as matter of favoritism or through political pull.
 ''To continue in a metropolitan city like this with a force that is composed largely of men without scientific train ing would be rank injustice to the public and to the policemen them selves"
 These are some of the views ex pressed by John W. Altman, prominent lawyer and chairman of the civil serv- ice board, in a interview Saturday night setting forth reasons why Birmingham must have a police training school without further delay.
 During the year and a half he has served as board chairman. MT. Altman has been in daily contact with the police department and it's operations
 Men Are Hapdicapped
 "The members of the board" he said, realize that a training school is the outstanding need of the department and this is said without any reflection whatever on the men or their work They are a fine aggregation, doing the best they can, but they are labOring under the disadvantage of lack of modern instruction, information and training.
 Birmingham is no longer village it is great city. The police force is entitled to every advantage that can be given it, and the people are. like wise entitled to have trained men of alertness, vigor and understanding, watching over their lives and property.
 Some members of the department regarded their police work as an in cident in their lives. Frequently they obtained leaves of absence and worked at other occupations until the other work gave out, and then got back on the force. But this isn't being allowed any more.
 "A policeman's job is one of the most honorable of all callings. His tasks are varied and he must be pos sessed of the qualifications necessary to cope successfully with each case that confronts him.
 ''The time has passed, or should be, when man is placed on the force, given a uniform, badge and pistol and assigned to. duty, without any knowl- edge whatever of what he should do or how he should do it. I have known members of the force to be killed be- cause of lack of training. have known criminals to escape officers who were amateurs in handling the situation.
 'The men are not entitled to criti- cism and 1 am not criticizing them. But l am criticizing conditions: and no man is entitled to criticize conditions unless he offers some constructive thought to remedy them.
 'The civil service board offers the police training school. -
 Force Will Benet
 ''Ths board members are sure that the members of the department will event ually, if not at once, appreciate the fact that this school is for their benefit. Those who do not appreciate will, of course, make no progress. And men who are without value to the department will eventually have to adopt some other calling.
 Since the civil service board has been functiOning. no man has been put on the force until after he passed a physical and mental examination. The aee-llni mas been 90 years. As re- suit, Birmingham today has an active. energetic and intelligent body of police men. But these men are in need of training, That is all now needed to give us as good police department as the United States boasts, The men de- sire this and the citizens of Birming. ham are entitled to that and nothing less"
 Plans of Mir. Altman and his associ- ates on the board contemplate that the training school will be ready for opera. tions in a short time.