Evening star., 1934-01-09
TRAFFIC BUREAU
CHARGES PROBED
Trade Board Body Vindicates
Department as c. of c.
Names Committee.

Police Court Judge John p. McMa-
hons charges of inefficiency in the
Traffic Bureau stimulated action on two
fronts in civic circles yesterday. The
Public Order Committee of the Wash
ington Board of Trade at meeting in
the tenth precinct station last night
brought in report, based on an eX-
tensive investigation. vindicatlng the
bureau, while the Transportation Com
mittee of the Washington Chamber Of
Commerce named a special subcommit-
tee to thoroughly investigate the
charges.
Judge Mcmahon is said in the report
of the Public Order Committee TO have
alleged members of the Traffic Bureau
motor cycle squad were guilty Of coast
ing; that the bulk of driving while
drunk and reckless driving cases were
brought IN by precinct men; that there
was lack of supervision in the Traffic
Bureau; that expense Of 38 automobiles
and traffic men charged up to the Traf-
fic Bureau was unjuStlfled; that work
of the Traffic Bureau was inefficient
and it should be abolished.
Committee Praises Bureau.
The special committee which inves-
tigated the charges, composed OF Albert
J. Sardo, chairman; Odell Smith, chair
man of the Public Order Committee:
Harry Dean. w E. Wise and Wallace
Robinson. concluded a lengthy report
Bureau of the Metropolitan Police De-
partment, instead of Icing guilty Of the
various charges and allegations, is a
body performing its functions in what
can be honestly said a highly efficient
manner" The Traffic Bureau force
now comprises los men.
A copy of the report was ordered
presented to Commissioner Melvin C.
Hazen, who attended the meeting last
night.
In connection with the charge of
''coasting." which the committee took to
mean ''loafing," the committee found
that during the period between Sep
tember /. 1882, and October 81. 1888,
a period of IA months, Traffic Bureau
officers made 5,487 arrests for speeding
and 34,l44 arrests for other traffic vio-
lations In addition, 1873 arrests for
felonies were made by them. During
the same period, ATT stolen automo-
biles were recovered by Traffic Bureau
men
During the period covered by the in
total of 8,035 hours on details. such
total of 8.035 hours on details such
as funerals. weddings, escorting parades
or with the President and other dig
nitarieS
Concerning the arrests for driving
while drunk the report shows the Traf-
flc Bureau made 60 such arrests during
the period in question, So of which were
on the officers initiative and not at the
instigation of private citizen. During
the same period, the officers in all pre-
clnctS combined, exclusive of the Traffic
Bureau, arrested 1876 persons for the
same offense. The committee cited that
of all arrests per 100 policemen, the
figures revealed Al for the Traffic Bu-
reau as against 1863 for the precincts.
A like report was shown for reckless
driving cases.
The committee cited reports and
data in defense of the supervision of
the Traffic Bureau, where it said dis
clpllne is OF very high character +"
The automobiles assigned to the Traffic
Bureau, the report said. are allotted to
each precinct, with the exception of
two which are used for Traffic Bureau
Investigations. Men assigned to these
two cars inspected 10,228 automobiles
during the l4-month period, the report
said.
The charge of ineficiency, the COM
facts as found by this committee"
Maj. E. w. Brown. superintendent of
police, greeted the Public/Order Com
mittee at the station house and invited
them to inspect the elaborate police
broadcasting plant there, set up under
the supervision of Lieut.. James l..
Kelley when he was a private on the
police force.
c. of c. Names Committee.
The Washington Chamber of Com
merce group, which termed Judge Nc
Mahon's charges severe" named the
following committee to conduct an in
vestigation: Allen B. DuFord, chair
man; Col. Edward Goring Bliss. w. C.
McDermott, Harry c. Davis, Alexander
Shapiro and E. S. Wilson, jr.
William A. Roberts, assistant cor
poration counsel, addressed the meet
ing on the subject of the coroner's jury
system, urging the committee to bend
every effort to obtain its substitution
by a medical examiner during the cur
rent year. He said the coroner's sys-
tenn lacks adequate facilities for proper
investigation of traffic and other
fatalities.
George e. Keneipp, chairman of the
Transportation Committee, named Ray
B. Roberts to succeed the late c. Phil
lips Hill as chairman of q special SUBJ
committee dealing with pedestrian safe
ty, negligent homicide law and the med
ical examiner proposal A resolution
of sorrow on the death Of Mr.. Hill was
adopted.
A resolution opposing the making Of
and q streets one-way under pres
sent conditions" was ad0pted.