Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-09-06
Trial Board Recommendations.

In stating that it is Fundamentally
In agreement with the position taken
by Mai. Edwin B. Hcsse that Police Trial
Board sentences are too lenient to have
p salutarv effect on the members OF the
force. The Star is rcitcrating its stand
of the past several years, during which
It has repeatedly called attention 10
the potential lowering Of morale caused
b. tbs wholly inadequate sentences
melted out in many cases to police
offenders against the regulations. In
December of last year Maj. HesSe
recommended 10 the Commissioners
radical change in the composition of
the Police Trial Board and in April OF
this YEAR urged that dismissal from the
force for serious offenses should be
mandatory. Neither accommodation
has been acted upon by the Commits
sioncrs.
In view of recent developments i'll
the situation brought about by large
number of policemen being arrested for
various ofTenses and appearing before
the trial board. to escape. with few
exceptions. with ridiculouSly light
penalties. it would appear that the time
has arrived to give serious consideration
to the recommendations of the police
chief which for so long have lain
dormant.
The trial board as at present con-
etituted consists of two police officers
and an assistant corporation counsel
who acts as chairman. Maj. Hesse would
have the board enlarged to three police
officers and an assistant corporation
counsel who would serve as the prose-
cutor. The latter feature would give
the board a prosecuting officer, which,
except in the Staples case, it has never
had
At the present time the trial board
has the option of either filming or recon-
mending dismissal of serious offender
against police regulations. Inasmuch
as in many cases it was apparent that
In the interests of discipline and
efficiency a policeman should no longer
be retained on the force, but was given
only a small fine by the board, Maj.
Hesse recommended to the Commits
sioners that for such offenses as drink
Ing. feigning illness. disobedience OF
orders. gambling and others the manda-
tory penalty should be dismissal.
There can be no question of public
support for both of these recommended
lions. A civilian complaining against
a policeman has been and always Will
be. as the board is now constituted, at
a disadvantage. The accused policeman
may have counsel. but the civilian is
denied the same right. With an en-
lareed board. however, the prosecuting
officer would act as counsel for the
complainant and this very fact would
assure a fair and impartial presentation
of the evidence.
Washingtonians have now reached
the stage where they resent the
spectacle of policemen, in large num-
bers. escaping adequate penalties for
drunkenness, for assault and for black
guardism. and if the trial board cannot
by its actions promote discipline and
courtesy on the part of members of the
force. are ready to support recon-
mendations that will deny it the power
of discretion
Neither Maj. Hesse nor the people Of
this city believe that there is wholesale
GlSorganization in the Police Depart
ment. They do believe, however, that be-
cause Of the composition Of the trial board
and the inadequate penalties melted out
by it, the weaker minded individuals,
such AS will be found in any large
organization. have felt that they could
'get away" with almost anything. These
policemen should be forced to a change
of mind by the simple expedient of
providIng the penalty Of severed con-
nections with the department and this
needed reform is what Maj. Hesse is
striving to bring about. If better way
to do it can be suggested. 1t should be
brought I'D without moments delay,
but If it cannot the Commissioners
should act to end a long standing evil
In Wsshington's Police Department.
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