Evening star., 1935-06-23
POL|CE-F|REMEN
MAY Be ADVANCED
BY NEW METHOD
City Heads Ask Change in
System to Reward PraC-
! ticaI Ability.
MENTAL TESTS VALUE
is HELD OVERRATED
Revision Would Favor Older
Men Held Retarded by
Existing Scheme.

Revision of promotion systems OF
the Police and Fire Departments 10
give considerably more weight to eX-
perience and fitness and less 10 eH-
animation marks, was recommended
IN the Civil Service Commission yes
terday by the District Commissioners.
At the same time they announced
that the Police Department efnclency
rating system has been abolished on
petition of Supt. Ernest W. Brown
who informed them the ratings serve
no practical purpose, are a ouroen
on commanding officers and nreeo III
feeling and jealousy among the men
In place of the efficiency rating
systems of both departments tne
commissioners would substitute a
Man under which candidates for pro-
motion would be judged as TO tneir
fitness at the time they take tnelr
promotion examinations.
The promotion revisions are de-
signed to favor officers who nave
grown old in the service, forgetting
much of their formal education, puV
acquiring a wealth OF knoWleoge
eminently fitting them for their par
ticular duties.
Brown Cites Examples.
Police and fire promotions were
aired extensively at the recent near
ings before the House Crime Suocom-
ynittee. where Maj. Brown disclosed
that a number of deserving ofhcers
are held back by existing rules. he
named Lieut.. George M. Little, vet
eran commander of the headquarters
vice squad, as an example.
The recommendations to the Civil
Service Commission were carried In
report of a special committee ap-
pointed by the Commissioners with
instruction to revise the promotion
systems to favor long service and IN
the interest of greater uniformity be-
tween the two departments. Ihe
committee consisted of Assistant Cor
poration Counsel E. W. Thomas, chair
man: Lieut.. A. E. Miller, assistant
executive officer of the Police Depart
ment. and e. r. Pierce, executive ofn-
Ger of the Fire Department.
They urged that experience and
fitness be counted for 10 per cent, with
a maximum of 20 per cent for answers
to practical questions and 10 per cent
on the mental tests. Under the pres
ent rules, experience and fitness is
weighted at so per cent and practical
questions and mental tests for a total
of so per cent.
Mental Test Worth Cut.
The Civil Service rule requiring
candidates for promotion to make at
least so per cent in the mental tests
would be eliminated. 1t was this rule,
especially, which has held back many
of the older members Of both depart
ments.
An increase in the number of re-
uuired years of service in each grade
is advocated, together with the giving
of one-half point credit for each year
over the prescribed period. A limit
of 5 is placed on points to be acquired
by length of service.
The proposed and existing service
requirements are: From private to
sergeant, increased from five to seven
years; from sergeant to lieutenant,
increased from two to three years,
and from lieutenant to captain, in
creased from one to two years.
In addition to service, points would
be given as follows: One point for
each award of the official gold medal;
one-half point for each silver medal,
one-quarter point for each bronze
bar, one-half point for first-aid GER
tif1cate, and one point for an un-
blemished record for five years i'm
mediately preceding the examination.
Deductions of from one to ten points
would be made for each conviction of
q violation of rules or regulations, ac-
cording to the seriousness of the Of
tense.
In figuring fitness Of a particular
candidate, five elements would be con-
sidered. These are intelligence dis
played in daily work, self-control,
physical ability, general attitude and
ability to perform the necessary ad-
ministrative work.
Old numerical marks would be aban-
doned and such ratings given as ex-
cellent, very good, good, fair and
unsatisfactory.