Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-07-04
PRATT COMPLETES
PLANS FOR SHIFTS
IN POLICE FORCE
More Than 100 Officers of
Varied Ranks Involved in
Wide Reorganization.
MORE THAN so SLATED
TO RECEIVE PROMOTIONS
Several Of Original Ideas Are
Dropped, Due to Compromises
in Fund Measure.

Plans for an extensive reorganization
OF the Police Department, involving
more than 100 officers Of varying rank.
were completed today by Maj. Henry
u. Pratt, superintendent, after a con-
ference with Inspector e. w. Brown,
assistant superintendent, and Lieut.. L,
h. Edwards, personnel officer.
Inc changes include the promotion
OF more than so men and the transfer
OF at least 40 others, which will consti-
tute a widespread readjustment of the
entire force. The names of the officers
to be affected were not oficially dis
closed in view of the fact that the
commissioners must approve the plan
before 1t Is put into effect.
MAJ. Pratt said he would submit the
llst OF names of the men he has selected
10 be promoted to the Commissioners
Monday morning. AS special meeting
OF the Board of Commissioners will be
held that day, the recommendations are
expected to be approved and ordered
effective Tuesday morning.
Several Plans Fail.
Tentative plans for the reorganization
have been in the process of preparation
Tor nearly two months, but Maj. Pratt
was unable TO make any definite
arrangements pending the passage of
| the District appropriation bill for the
current fiscal year which began July l.
The bill became a law last night and
the police superintendent lost no time In
completing the reorganization scheme
Maj. Pratt, however, probably will
De unable to carry out several of his
| original plans because OF compromises
made in several Police Department
items in the appropriation bill as it
nnally passed. Instead of IS additional
men which the Senate provided, the de-
partment was allowed IL, which likely
Will prevent the reorganization of the
police training school,
WIN 70 additional men, it was pro-
posed TO enlarge the curriculum of the
police school, and give all new an
polntees three-month course before
assigning them to beats. The present
course lasts 30 days, and the school
mas been operated on a haphazard sys-
tem, sessions being held only when a
| pointed to organize class.
Shelby Was Slated for Post.
Had the department been granted
20 additional men, Mai. Pratt believed
1t would have been possible to keep the
Scnool running continuously and make
| IL OF such Importance that an assistant
superintendent would be assigned to
olrect It's activities. Inspector William
5. Shelby, an assistant superintendent
VINO Is now serving as chief of de-
tectiveS, was slated for this post. and
inspector Brown, in charge of the Traf-
nc Bureau. would have succeeded Shell
ny as chief OF detectives. With only
IL additional men, Maj. Pratt said. he
would not be justified in designating
an assistant superintendent to take over
the school, although it would be pos
sible to organize a class of about 40
for the. initial session. Subsequent
classes, however, would necessarily be
The major promotions involve II
Sergeants who are to be promoted to
lleutenantS and one lieutenant, B. A.
Lamb, OF the Traffic Bureau who is
TO step up to a captaincy. Two of the
sergeants slated for promotions are
are Frank A. Varney, special aid to
Police Commissioner Herbert B. Crosby
and president of the Policemen's Asso-
citation, and Oscar j. Letterman, for
mer head Of the vice squad. Some of
the others expected to be promoted
to leutenants are Acting Lieut. War
rem Q. Embrey, Dennis j. Cullinane,
John H. Fowler, Bagby r. King and
Richard j. Cox, all of the Detective
Bureau. The remaining 10 lieuten-
ancies will be filled by the promotions
Va SohsCoACS dSolSlco 10 Tie various
precincts.
Lieut.. Edwards, the personnel officer.
also is expected to be made a captain.
He Is now the ranking Lieutenant o.
the eligible list for promotion
Lieut.. Edwards is stationed at head
quarters. and under the reorganization
scheme he will remain there, in charge
OF the personnel office.
Twelve privates are to be promoted
TO sergeants. Four of these are ex-
pected to be drawn from the Detective
Bureau personnel, and the others from
the precincts. Those at the Detective
Bureau eligible for advancement are
Hoyle D. Secrest, Hugh d. Robey.
David G. Fletcher and Ben H. johnson.
for number of years. and Secrest has
been doing clerical work in the Office
OF the chief Of detectives. johnson is
now detailed at Union Station.
The other eight sergeantS will be
picked from the precincts. Some of
Detective Bureau. The first, second
fourth and thirteenth precincts, will
provide most of these men,
Under the reorganization plan It also
is proposed to return to the Detective
Bureau, Charles P. j. Weber, who was
recently promoted from a detective
to a lieutenant and assigned
to the tenth precinct. This will be In
line with the plan to have a commits
stoned officer in charge of the Detective
Bureau through the "a hours of the
day.
Although the department will have
after the reorganization plan is put
into effect so vacancies in the person.
mel of the privates, it will be unable to
appoint any new men until the Civil
Service Commission certifles candidates
who took the last police examination.
The department has been notified that
nearly 10 of the candidates for APP
pointment had passed the requisite
mental and physical tests, but a char e.
acter investigation must be made be-
fore they can be qualified as eligible
for appointment.