Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-09-05
D. C. HEADS STUDY
HESSE PROPOSALS
FOR POLICE RULES
Continued from First Page,)

tainlv this shows that the nlnth pre-
cinct did not lack police protection.
However. II the precinct Is short OF
men. then it is the duty OF the COM
manding officer to remedy the condi-
ton by canceling leave"
While the Commissioners are not yet
convinced that there Is anything wrong
with the police force. recent develop
ments have spurred them to give serious
consideration. at least. to the recon-
mendations Maj HesSe submitted to
them April IL, urging a series OF
notifications and amendment TO the
Police Manual which would make 1t
mandatory, instead of optional, as at
present upon the police trial board TO
remove officers convicted of certain
offenses
Commissioner Dougherty today dis
cussed the recommendations briefly with
Daniel Z. Garges. secretary TO the Board
of Commissioners, and indicated that
he would bring them before the board
meeting when 1t next conveneS. AS
Engineer Commissioner William B.
Ladue returned from his vacation to-
day. there is a strong likelihood that
definite action will be taken before the
end of the week
Sees Solution.
In the adoption of these recommended
tions. Mai Hesse sees the real solution
of present conditions. which he indicat-
ed are no worse now than last April
when he wrote to the Commissioners as
follows
st have definitely reached the conclu-
sion that some drastic measures are
necessary and essential to improve the
III. e rnn a n NJ
crease its effectiveness and efficiency.
There are numerous cases Of men hav-
ing been retained on the force Who in
the interest Of discipline and efficiency,
should have been removed and 1t Is be-
lieved that the only way to correct this
condition Is definitely to fix the penalty
for certain specific offenSes."
The penalty Maj. Hesse proposed was
mandatory dismissal Of all officers con-
victed of drinking either on or of duty;
malingering or feigning illness in order
to evade the performance of duty; WILL
full disobedience of orders: gambling or
knowingly freqnenting any place where
games OF chance are permitted; willfui
failure to report promptly any disloyalty
or suspected disloyalty against the
United States or District Governments.
and willfully and knowingly making
an untruthful statement.
Mai. Hesse preceded these recon-
mendations last Winter with report
advocating radical change In the
composition of the Police Trial Board.
which he partly blames for retention on
the force OF the men who have brought
discredit on the force. In fact, the po-
lice superintendent declared today that
the cases Of many of the Is men now
under suspension should have been dis
oosed of long ago. THE Trial Board
is a disciplinary body" he reiterated,
land it should rot permit long continue
ance OF the cases brought before IL.
win Consider Recommendations.
In considering the police situation.
the Commissioners plan to take up botn
sets of recommendations. but indlca-
tons are. 1t was said, that those pro-
posing reorganization OF the Triai
BOARD are to be discussed more seri.
ously than those prescribing dismissal
of all officers convicted for certain spe-
cific offenSes,
The Commissioners feel. 1t was point
ed out, that properly constituted ua'
hoard with authority to use It's as
cretion probably would be more effect
i've in remedying present conditions
than a set of drastic and fixed penaltleS.
The new trial board under MAJ
Hesse's plan would be composed OF three
notice Officers and an assistant corpora
ton counsel, serving as the prosecutor.
Under the present organization the
hoard is made up of two police omceIs
and an assistant corporation counsel
who acts as chairman. Thus the boaGo'
as now constituted, Is without prose
cutor and only In special cases, sue''
as the recent trial OF former Police
man Orville Staples, are prosecu1iis
officers assigned.
While the Commissioners were plan
ming to give early attention 10 Ine
problems Of the Police Department. IN
spector William S. Shelby. personnei
officer, proceeded with plans for the
comprehensive scientific analysis when
Mai. HesSe directed him to make OF
cases that have come before the tIaai
board in the last three years. ana m
spector Albert j. Headlcy continued ms
investigation of the shooting OF MAI
thew owen Lee. colored, by Policeman
Lester Parks of the second precinct.
Lee, who Is In serious condition IN
Emergency Hospital. rallied from state
of coma long enough last night to deny
that he had gun In his possession
while being pursued by Parks and Po-
liceman j. l.. TayioA who were at
tempting to arrest him ON traffic
charge. The policemen claimed they
fred In self-defense. but search failed
to produce trace OF the weapon which
Lee Is alleged to have fired at the OH
GERS.
Completes Hargrave Probe.
In the meantime. according to Mai,
Hesse. the police department completed
It's investigation OF the shooting of
George Hargrave, colored, l2A1-A Car
roliberg street southwest. by Policeman
Lonnie O. Tompkins, and exonerated
the officer on the ground that he fired
In self defense, Hargrave also was
shot while trying to escape arrest on
a traffic charge.
Police officials who have made q cur
sorry examination OF the cases 10 be
studied by Inspector Shelby In his an
alytical survey. said that they believed
the result would show that a majority
OF the men that have been before the
trial board In the last three years are
new members OF the force, particularly
those who have been In the service
two and three years.
The recruit who IL on probation for
the first year and who can be tss~
missed without trial, II was pointed out,