Evening star., 1932-10-01
GLASSFORD RUSHES
POLICE SHAKE-UP,
EIGHT MEN SHIFT TED
Crime Bureau Force Reduced
to 17-Burke Refuses
Custer Fight.
INSPECTOR WILL RETIRE
DESPITE FRIENDS PLEA
Authority to Force Him Out Rests
Only With Commissioners,
Protestants Declare.

Brig. Gen. Pelham D. Glassford.
superintendent of police, continued his
drastic reorganization of the force today
by ordering a reduction in the person
mel Of the Crime Prevention Bureau
from 25 to II men.
In the meantime Inspector Frank s.
w. Burke, chief of detectives, announced
he would not withdraw his application
for retirement. despite the question
raised as to the legality CT Gen. Glass
ford's action in forcing him to make
such a move or accept a demotion.
Immediately after Gen. Glassford's
order for reduction in the personnel
of the Crime Prevention Bureau was
received, Inspector L. I. H. Edwards
assistant superintendent and personnel
officer, held a conference with Capt.
Edward J. Kelly. temporary command
er of the Crime Prevention Bureau. and
selected the seven men to be dropped
from the bureau.
Returned to Precincts.
All of these men will be returned ID
the precincts from whence they cane
prior to the organization of the Crime
Prevention Bureau They are w. P.
Ais. John Auffenberg. Luther c. Wise,
]. P. Comiskey, c. P. Flynn, Alec Fried
UcIS, Z. y. ~ h6dId dLlQ VI. n. fIedQlLlE.
Ais, Auffenberg and Friedberg will
go to the fourth precinct: Wise to the
ninth; OMeara to the first. and Flynn
to the second. Ccmiskey will resume
his former duties as motor cycle off,
Ger in the Traffic Bureau and Reading
will remain at police Administrative
headquarters as precinct detective.
The changes will go into effect at
8 am. Monday.
Mind Is Unchanged.
II have not changed my mind" Burke
declared, although I do think Gen.
Glassford's action was illogical and il
legal. 1t has publicly Inundated me
and jeopardized my whole future.
Il feel that if I stayed in the de-
partment now there might come a time
in the near future when something
would happen entirely out of my con-
troll, but for which 1 would be held re-
sponsible, and that might lead to my
dismissal"
Gen. Glassford went ahead with his
original plans to complete the reorgani-
zation he started earlier in the week with
the transfer Of Inspector o. T. Davis from
command Of the Crime Prevention Bu-
reau to the second inspection district.
The legality of his move in forcing
Burke 10 apply for retirement has not
worried him. and he proposes to settle
that question by asking the Commits
sioners to approve his action.
Praised Him Previously.
Corporation Counsel Bride advised
Gen. GlaSsford that only the Commits
sioners may remove an assistant super
lntendent of police, rank Burke held
by virtue of being in command Of the
Detective Bureau. There is some doubt
at the District Building whether the
Commissioners would support him
without more Justification than he has
given in his statements to the press.
Inefficiency and the lack of cooperation
are the grounds which Gen. Glassford
cited as the reason for his action.
But Inspector Burke cannot recon-
lie these charges with Communications
he said Gen GlasSford showered on him
just "a hours prior to the memorandum
he received ordering him to apply for
retirement or take demotion. In fact,
Gen. GlasSford told newspaper men late
yesterday he regarded Burke as an "ex-
cellent officer" and that the Detective
Bureau had improved under his direc-
! ton
However. Gen. Glassford added that
Burke had not co-operated with him,
ana ne DeIleN6Q Ine DeUeCIlVe bureau
could be raised to greater standards of
efficiency under new leader.
Although Inspector Burke refuses to
! withdraw his retirement application.
there is yet a possibility that he may
not be forced out of the department.
The Board of Police and Fire Surgeons,
it was pointed out, must first find him
physically unfit and then the retire.
ment board must approve the findings.
Inspector Burke, it was said, was told
! rec3rtly by one of the Police Depart
n physicians that his physical con-
dion was good, except for a slight
throat infection which is expected to
clear up.
OdelI S. Smith. chairman of the
Public Order Committee of the Wash
ington Board of Trade. Joined with In
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