Evening star., 1927-09-11
POLICE VACANCY
/ INSPIRES POLITICS
Many Candidates Put For
ward for Post Which Was
Held by Evans.

Considerable pressure is being
brought to bear on the District Com
missioners by members of Congress
and men prominent in Washington ;
business and professional circles. IN
the interest of the various candidates
for the vacancy in the administrative
staff of the Metropolitan Police force
caused by the death of Charles A
Evans, assistant superintendent, II
was learned yesterday at the District
Building.
Letters have been received by the
Commissioners indorsing Inspector AL
bert J. Headley for the post. Some
Of them came from members of Con-
gress, principally those among the
PENNSYLVANIA delegation in the House.
The inspector, however, numbers
among his supporters group of bus
mess and professional men of the Capt.
tal. some of whom take an active part
in the movement for his restoration
10 an inspectorship following his de-
motion to captaincy by former Com
missioner Frederick A. Fenning.
Another familiar figure in the Po-
lice Department, Capt. Guy +. Bur
lingan1e Of the second precinct, whose
name has been mentioned as po'en-
tial successor to the late Asst.
Sunt Evans. likewise, has a number
Of supposedly influential friends VINO
have urged the Commissioners to re-
ward him with a promotion.
Can't. Fred Cornwell of the tenth
nrecinct also has been recommended
for the vacant post, and his supporters
uoint proudly to his long record as
police officer, especially his Il years
Of service in the Central Detective
Bureau.
All to Receive Attention.
Most of these Endorsements have
found their way to the desk of Com
missioner Proctor L. Dougherty. who
has administrative supervision over
the Police Department. The Commits
sioner has promised to give them the
same consideration that he does all
other communications that come to
his attention.
The Commissioners, however, 1t is
pointed out, make the appointment
and order the promotion or police OF.
f1cials upon the recommendation of
Maj. Edwin B. Hesse, superintendent
of police, who has repeatedly declared
that adyancements would be based
upon the records of candidates and
not upon political influence.
Mai, Hesse is expected to send the
name of his selection for the vacant
Office to the Commissioners some time
this week and early action on his
recommendation is anticipated. III
Inspector Henry G. Pratt, chief or the
Detective Bureau, is named for this
post, and is is reported that he is
being seriously considered for it at this
time, the Commissioners will be re-
quired to appoint new head for this
department, which will create num-
rrrHa-
out the various ranks.
Inspector Pratt also holds the rank
of an assistant superintendent and his
assignment to the administrative de-
partment to fill the vacancy in the
assistant superintendency would mere
" mean a transfer. The detective
chief would be familiar with the duties
of the office at the outset, however,
as he performed them at one time
Jointly with the late Asst. Supt.
Evans.
Other Possibilities.
District Building attaches who are
familiar with activities in the Police
Department believe that should In.
epector Pratt be transferred, cap
tain OF one of the fourteen precincts
would be promoted to the position he
HOulu lCdfG. 1hG ObACA fdIdASACoS
which would automatically occur In
such an event, however, would have
to be filled by a competitive examina-
tion conducted by the Civil Service
Commission.
A new set of rules and regulations
governing candidates for promotion
Of officers below the rank of captain
is now being drawn up by Police De-
partment officials. in conjunction with
representatives of the Civil Service
Commission, and probably will be put
into effect before an examination is
held to create an eligible list from
which would be drawn the names of
the men for the various vacancies.
While there is no restriction on the
officers above the rank of captain in
seeking the support of friends in order
to get a promotion, those under this
rank are forbidden by rule of the
Civil Service Commission to solicit in.
f1uence. Maj. Hesse called the atten.
ton Of the entire force to this rule
June "a, just prior to the promotion of
a group of officers. The reason for
this, police authorities explain, is the
fact that Congress has given the Com
missioners authority to promote the
men who hold the rank of captain or
higher, but that those of lower rank
are governed by rules laid down by
the Civil Service Commission.