Evening star., 1934-09-25
.SH0RT-WAVE SETS
IN AUTOS OPPOSED
|. AT POLICE SESSION
Information Being Given to
Public Is Opposed by
Chiefs.
INTERNATIONAL CRIME
LABORATORY is URGED
DR.. J. L. O'Rourke Asks Univer-
sal Bureau With Federal Aid
to Thwart Lawless.

to IhWart LaWleSS.
The Nations police officials were
urged today by Lieut. Donald S. Leon
ard, superintendent of the Michigan
State Police Department, to take all
possible steps to prevent private cltl-
zens from installing short-wave re-
ceiving sets in their automobiles which
would enable them to keep in contact
with broadcasts from police stations
throughout the country.
Discussing the progress OF police
radio communication at the forty first
annual convention of the International
Association of Chiefs of Police at the
| Mayf1ower Hotel, Lieut. Leonard de-
/ clared that reception of police mes
sages by private citizens could work
| havoc with police administration"
/ He declared in one case he knew OF
murderer had been able to escape be-
| cause he overheard plans for his cap
| ture which were broadcast over po-
| lice radio system and were picked up
| by a private set.
Lawyers Are Blamed.
| Lieut.. Leonard also said ambulance
| chasing lawyers are using short wave
sets in order to more quickly learn
| of bad accidents At present he esti-
mated there are 5000 radio equipped
police cars in daily operation in 1913
cities
Former Secretary of War Patrick
! ]. Hurley told the police chiefs that
where local laws are strictly enforced
''racketeers" would be stopped at the
very beginning of their careers. Hur-
! ley was an unexpected convention
| speaker. He wandered into the hotel
| to examine an exhibit and when OBJ
served by convention officials he was
prevailed upon to make a brief
address
Hurley also expressed regret that
police officers who die in line Of duty
are not given more honor by fellow
officers and the world at large.
Lynn G. Adams. superintendent of
| the Pennsylvania State Police. dis
cussed "A State Police System"
He said that while he felt unified
| Federal police system is utterly i'm
| possible" at the present time. he be-
/ lICNCS bIldb GOWIl- dIId Guilty POllCC
should be consolidated under a State
police administration.
| Creation of an International crime
laboratory to thwart criminals by the
| latest scientific devices was urged by
| DR.. J. L. ORourke. director of the
Presidents Council on Personnel Ad-
minlstration
| DR.. O'Rourke has made an extensive
study OF laboratories devoted to crimi-
nology in the principal cities of
Europe. including Berlin. Paris. Rome,
Vienna and Londons Scotland Yard.
Federal Aid Is Sought.
He recommended that the crime
! laboratory be established by the police
association with the aid of the De-
partment of Justice and other Federal
! departments.
1t requires little Imagination" DR..
ORourke said. Ito realize the serious
ness of having 10000 of our citizens
murdered each year. 100000 assaulted,
| $4,000 robbed, 10000 homes burglar
| lied, and 3.278 banks robbed with a
total loss in excess of $4,000, 900
year. The cost of crime in this coun-
try totals billions annually.
Crime breeds crime. Each year a
portion of this plunder is used to lure
and train recruits in crime. 1t is a
serious menace to the youth of our
country as well as to those victim
lied"
DR.. O'Rourke also discussed a CO.
operative program of the police asso-
citation to improve the methods of
selection of personnel and referred
to request of the organization that
| the research division of the Civil
Service Commission cooperate in the
undertaking. The particular reference
was to the general adaptability test
which had been developed by his divi-
sion under his direction and which
would be administered by police chiefs
in their respective departments for
the purpose of enabling each chief
to know how his men compare with
those of other cities and to determine
the present national standards and
relative strength and weaknesses
Urges Higher Standards.
THE need for raising our standards
is becoming more and more i'm
portant,' said DR.. O'Rourke. ITO
those who question this statement we
need only refer them to the fact that
the policeman of today as we'll as
the detective often acts alone and is
confronted with situations which re-
quire him to rely on his own judg-
ment. He should be able to make
important decisions quickly and in
telligently. He should be able to
interpret the facts of the situation.
IF the laws are to be enforced, the
policeman, the detective, or the in
vestigator must have greater ability
in detecting violations than law
breakers have in obstructing their
activities. A criminal needs thorough
knowledge of only one specialty-the
best method of breaking locks or
safes, or the most improved way of
carrying on his specific racket. what
ever it may be. whereas the detective
must have a broad understanding of
all methods used in all types of
crime"
He pointed out that this situation
emphasized the great Importance in
the selection of policeman and law
enforcing agents of all grades.