Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-03
RESPECT FOR LAWS
URGED ON DISTRICT
BY JURORS REPORT
Continued From First Pase.1

Continued From First Pase.)
the power to investigate and report vio-
lations of the act and to swear out war
rants before United States commission
ers or other officers or courts authorized
to issue warrants for the apprehension
OF offenders.
Recently the authority for the en-
forcernent OF the prohibition act has
been transferred by an act of Congress
to a newly created Bureau of Prohibi-
ton in the Treasury Department under
the direction Of the commissioner of
prohibition.
Since the adoption OF the eighteenth
amendment the Congress. which is in
effect the legislature for the District of
Columbia. has passed no legislation I'M
der section 2 for its enforcement specofi-
Cally by the District. The terms Of the
national prohibition act, of course, APP
ply in the District as they do in all
the State. but the authority for the
enforcement Of this law by act Of Con-
gress rests with the commissioner of
prohibition. The District of Columbia
has a prohibition law known as the
Shepherd act, which was passed by
Congress prior to the adoption OF the
eighteenth amendment, but this law is
not as broad in its terms or violations.
In other words, the Metropolitan Police
Department of the District is without
specific legislative authority to enforce
the eighteenth amendment or the ma
tional prohibition act.
"The commissioner Of prohibition at
the present time has IL men acting as
Federal prohibition enforcement officers
for the District, five counties in Mary
land and one county in Virginia. This
force is obviously inadequate. The
grand jury does not mean by this state
ment to convey the impression that it
believes the conditions in the District
of Columbia require an extraordinary
number of prohibition enforcement ON
GERS. We do wish to point out how
ever. that the territory covered in this
particular district by the Federal pro-
hibition officers involves O wide area
outside OF the District, through which
run many of the main highways from
and to the adjoining States, and that
the entire area includes the population
of over 10000 people, approximately
half Of whom reside in the District Of
Columbia.
Police Serve DOubIy.
1.-THE Federal officers. therefore, can
and do devote but little time to the
District Of Columbia and consequently
enforcement power has been secured
by the Metropolitan Police Department
by detailing approximately IS men who
were sworn in by the commissioner of
prohibition 80 that they have authority
to act in the enforcement of the ma
tional prohibition act. These men are
paid by the Metropolitan Police De-
partment, but in addition to serving the
District government are also serving the
Federal Government.
This involves dual authority which
is not satisfactory and further. takes
the men assigned to prohibition work
away from their regular duties.
In this connection the grand jury
wishes to commend the Metropolitan
Police Department for the effective work
it has done in prohibition enforcement
in the District. in spite Of the handi-
caps under which it Is operating.
1T Is impossible to state what the
intention of Congress may have been
in emitting to provide specifically for
the enforcement of the act by local au-
thorities. However, on its face, it is
apparent that the Congress did not pro-
vide that the Metropolitan Police De-
partnent should undertake the enforce
ment of prohibition in the District
under terms of the national prohibition
act. Metropolitan Police officers, there
fore, while having authority to enforce
all other laws, cannot act in the en-
forcement of the national prohibition
act without first securing authority frcm
the commissioner of prohibition.
Two Counts Left Open.
"The present situation presents two
courses OF action. First, that the en-
forcement of the act be left entirely to
the commissioner Of prohibition, as pro-
vided in the national prohibition act.
Second, that the Congress specifically
provide by an amendment to the ma
tional prohibition act or by q separate
act that the Metropolitan Police De-
partment have equal authority with the
Of prohibition for the en-
forcement of the act in this District.
The grand jury recommends that steps
be taken to accomplish the latter course.
This would empower every policeman
to act in connection with the prohibi-
ton law Just as he does in connection
with every other law, and would not
involve any special detail for that pur-
pose"
1.-The grand fury also has noted it IS
the practice of the Police Department
to employ persons outside OF the regular
service as 'informerS' to obtain evidence
in cases Of reported or suspected liquor
violations, and to appear as witnesses
in these cases. We believe this practice
is not sound, and recommend that the
practice be discontinued, and that all
evidence in such cases be obtained by
persons in the regular service of the
Of prohibition or the Met
rnnolitan Police nepa rtment or ofhar