Evening star., 1932-09-30
Chief of Detective Bureau
Applies for Retirement
Upon Request.
CRIME PREVENTION
FORCE TO Be CUT
Reorganization Also Calls for In.
creased Personnel in Hack
Inspectors Office.

inspector Frank S. W. Burke, chief
OF detectives, applied for retirement
from the police force today, four hours
after Brig. Gen. Pelham D. Glassford,
superintendent, gave him the choice be-
tween making this move or accepting
demotion.
AT the same time. Gen. Glassford re-
vealed that Capt. Edward J. Kelly of
the third precinct will be promoted to
succeed Burke as head Of the Detective
Bureau.
The removal of Inspector Burke came
as the latest move in the plans of Gen.
Glassford for a sweeping reorganization
CT the police force.
inspector Burke had been given "a
hours to make decision. but after q
three-minute conference with Gen
Glassford about 1890 o'clock TODAY an
nouncement was made that he would
ask for retirement rather than take a
demotion.
Burke's Letter.
In applying for retirement, Inspector
Burke wrote the following letter To
Supt. Glassford:
To the Major and Superintendent:
Guided by your memorandum of
this date, giving me the option of re-
tiring or being reduced. hereby for
mally apply for retirement. I have ap-
proXlmately 80 years of service in police
work, records for all of which are avail
able in your Office.
1T is most gratifying to know, as you
said in our conversation at noon today.
that you considered me an excellent
officer and a capable one. and that
there had been no complaint of any
kind against me- You say that in your
Judgment you believe that the efficiency
Of the Detective Bureau can be in
creased by the change and I bow to
your Judgment and appreciate your
permitting me to retire at my present
grade.
Il cannot help but observe that dur
ing my year and a quarter as chief of
detectives, during which period I be-
neve we have had the greatest volume
and variety Of crime in our history, our
bureau has functioned more than rea-
Sonably well, which fact is probably
gagged best by the fact that during
that period there has been no adverse
criticism Of the manner of conducting
the Office whereas, prior to my assign
ment here, there had been serious and
continued criticism. This in spite Of
the fact that, too, that inaugurated a
series of changes in operation. which
was diStaSteful to many members OF
the bureau but which changes I feel
satisfied. have resulted in a more eff
cient detective service, and in spite OF
the fact also that for some months past
the personnel of this bureau was con-
siderably reduced by details to other
services.
Expresses Surprise.
"As I told you many months ago. if
for any reason you did not have full
confidence in me, then 1 could be of
no use to you or our department.
still feel that way about it, and since
| you have indicated that you probably
| have lost confidence in me here, then
can realize that my usefulness to you
and the department is at an end
II cannot help but feel surprised,
| however, at the very apparent change
, in attitude since day before yesterday
when you came into my office to dis
| cuss certain things you had in mind.
| You surely indicated nothing else but
| that my bureau. as well as myself, was
/ functioning eXcellently.
With best personal wishes for your
success. permit me to remain,
Respectfully.
"(Signed) FRANK S. w. BURKE,
Assistant Superintendent.
Commanding Detective Bureau"
Simultaneous with Gen. GlaSsfords
! IF hic rN1onc n E2iIrko
as chief of detectives, he issued formal
! order transferring Capt. Kelly from his
command of the third precinct to the
! Detective Bureau, where temporarily he
| will supervise the Crime Prevention Bu-
reau pending the retirement Of Burke.
Capt. j. A. Sullivan, assistant COM
mander of the Crime Prevention Bu-
reau. was transferred in the same order
to command the third precinct. This
change will take effect at 8 am. tomor-
row.
Personnel to Be Cut.
! Gen. Glassford also announced that
his reorganization plan contemplates a
reduction in the personnel of the
Crime Prevention Bureau from IS to
| 16 members and an increase in the
| hack inspectors force from 4 to 10
men. The Crime Prevention Bureau.
it was indicated, ultimately will be alb
sorbed by the Detective Bureau and
the activities of the two units more
closely co-ordinated.
The proposed increase in the hack
inspectors force, 1t was said presages
a rigid campaign Of enforcement Of the
taxicab regulations of the Public Utili-
ties Commission, promulgated August
Continued on Page 2, Column 81
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