The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1927-02-22
HERE
IS POL ICE
VIEW


Almost anybody in Wash
ington, with the exception Of
police, can buy narcotics at
nearly all hours Of the day or
night right in the heart Of
the downtown section, says
Mrs. Nina 6. Van Wrinkle,
head OF the Police Women
Bureau.
Have Every thing
Dope peddlers stalk the down
town streets day and night, with
. wary eye on the claw" but
ever ready to make sale Of NOR.
phine, cocaine, heroin, or other
form Of narcotic to the purchaser
with ready cash.
Ring Suspected
Although she does not believe
that the dope condition In the Ma
tional Capital Ii as alarming as It
has been pictured. the head OF the
District policewolnen IL Of the opin-
ion that y narcotic ring exists here
not a large ring, she said. but q
Closely.banded. elusive ring that has
many rarnifications in local crime.
Not In Her Province
Her department. does not handle
the dope cases. Mrs Van Wrinkle
explained. but through her official
duties in caring for delinquent
women and juveniles. she has had
occasion to make many interesting
observations OF the result OF the
use or distribution Of drugs.
In q number Of these cases de-
linquency has been directly attribut-
able to the sale or use OF narcotics,
and while she IL OF the belief that
Washington holds a comparatively
low rank among other large cities
IN which the dope evil exists, the
policewomei1's head advocated the
exertion OF all legal methods in
stamping out the traffic IN drugs in
the National Capital.
In Larceny Cases
Occasionally. she said, girl or
young woman IL taken in by the
women's bureau, charged with lar
ceny In small or large degree, and
; subsequent investigation reveals that
the unfortunate woman has become
ensnared either in the sale or IN
the use Of dope,
She recIted til caseaof two yo,,ns,
women who became criminals after
having fallen victim to drugs.
Each of these girls. she said
obtained employment as a sales.
woman in different department
stores. Their scheme was to visit
each other in the role of customer,
make purchases" Of valuable silks
and finery for which transaction no
money was needed as each destroyed
the sales slip.
They were caught by a member
Of the policewomen's bureau who
had been patiently waiting to ''get
the goods" on them.
Cities Other Instances
She told OF two young boys,
about Is or IA years OF age, who
embarked on career Of crime
after running afOuI of . prOHes.
BAOMdl urug peuIer III FnliaueApn18s
This was about three years ago,
Mrs. Van Wrinkle related.
At that time there were q large
number OF petty robberies OF the
footpad variety, purse snatching
and smuggling.
When the boys were taken in
custody they asked for their
brother" and took investigators
TO q local lodging house, where
the man IN question was found,
CARRIED among other apparel, in
white naval ''spats" and a white
naval cap. although it was in mid
winter.
In almost deiirium for want of
dope. the man admitted he had
met the boys in the Pennsylvania
city and had enticed them away
from home; had exposed them to
the use Of drugs, and instructed
them to go out and slug people
for money wherewith to buy the
stuff.
The work OF the policewomen.
while not covering narcotic viola.
Continued on Page 49,