Evening star., 1927-12-18
BY BEN McKELWAY.

One of the great mysteries which
every American city seeks from tlme
to time to solve is expressed in the
question. "What is the matter with
our police department." Whenever
there is spectacular hold-up, series
of robberies, an exciting chase OF
bootlegger through crowded streets
and an exchange Of shots. some or
which may find marks in the more or
less innocent persons of bystanders,
the question is repeated with thunder
ing emphasis. What is the matter
with our police Department. Various
remedies are suggested as answers.
They range from enrolling additional
patrolmen and equipping them WIN
radio sets and machine guns TO put
ting the chief of police in Jail and the
detective force back to pounding the
pavement. And then, when there is a
lull in the nefarious activities of bad
citizens, everybody forgets to ask
What is the matter with our police
department." and refers to its mem
bers as ''our blue coated guardians OF
the peace. than whom none Is hner
nor more stalwart.'
X x
The Washington police force re
ceives, with the forces of other cities,
it's full share of criticism. That state
ment is subject to enthusiastic cor
roboration at the District Building.
Nothing can ever be done to lift the
Washington police force above crltl-
cism, for one privilege which remains
! to every free American citizen is the
right to criticize the police depart
ment. And an answer TO the question
What is the matter with our ponce
I department?" will always be sought
! in vain. But one phase of the problem
! in Washington receives too little atten-
! ton. It is likely to be forgot IN
| the press of more tangible and spec
tacular needs. such as fast automo-
biles, armored cars, radio equipment,
additional policemen and more detec-
tives. 1t concerns the training OF
members of the police force, train
! ing which should fit them more ade-
/ duately for the delicate tasks and sud
den emergencies which are almost rou-
tine in the modern and complicated
business of enforcing the law. There
! is a widespread belief in Washington
that the police department maintains
a school for training it's recruits. 1t
| does. But it is not generally known,
/ for instance, that attendance at the
! school depends upon the extent OF
crime. If there is much crime, there
/ is no school. If there is little crime,
there is some school. During the last
few months, for instance, the 30 or 40
recruits who otherwise would be at
| tending police school have been needed
| for the more pressing work of guard
ing homes from sneak thieves and
burglars. In addition to this, the cart
is put before the horse in training
Washington policemen. Instead of
training a man first to be policeman,
he is made a policeman first and
trained afterward.
X
In effect. the system followed in
Washington today is to receive from
the Civil Service Commission the
name OF a man certified for appoint
ment to the Police Department. He
is examined physically, his record
looked into, and meeting nominal stand
ards he is enrolled on the force. He
is given a uniform, a badge of au-
thority, a night stick and a pistol. He
is a policeman. He is instructed in
the police manual, the District code
and the police regulations. He is
warned that his task is most delicate
task, probably the most delicate task
in the world, which lies in enforcing
the law upon human DelnSS SUBJECT
to all the frailties and foibles to
which he, as another human, is sub
ject And after patrolling the streets
a short time with an experienced
policeman he is left on his own, and
citizens with whom he comes in con-
tact are at his mercy. He is filled
with a sense of his own newly acquired
responsibility and authority. If he is
the right sort he will do no harm;
perhaps receive a friendly warning
from his superiors for oVerzealous-
ness If he is the wrong sort he may
do great harm. He is necessarily
unfamiliar with the law and even