Evening star., 1936-09-26
25%LARGERPOL|CE|
FORCE IS ASKED kS|
CRIME INCREASES
Brown Urges Addition of
344 Privates in Annual
Report to City Heads.
TOTAL OF 1A,771
ARRESTED DURING '35
Strengthening of Anti-Gambling
Laws and Regulation Of Wres-
Ting Also Suggested.

Citing an increase in crime, includ-
ing drunken driving and various other
offenses during the past fiscal year.
Police Supt. Ernest w. Brown today
appealed to the Commissioners to in
crease the size OF his force by more
than Is per cent.
In his annual report submitted to the
Commissioners, Brown proposed ap-
pointment of 344 additional privates,
aside from the necessary number Of
additional officers, to raise the total
Of privates to not less than $500.
His appeal was buttressed by reports
showing increased police activity dur
ing the past fiscal year resulted in ar
rest of 144,77l persons, or roughly one
fourth of the District population.
Maj. Brown renewed his repeated
recommendations for strengthening of
the Districts anti-gambling laws, with
particular attention to the numbers"
racket. He also urged reopening Of
the old No. 2 police station, creation Of
o new precinct in the far Northeast
area and better housing for police
headquarters and some of the pre-
etnctS.
Wrestling Regulation.
He also revived his suggestion that
wrestling be placed under regulation
similar to that applying to profession
al boxing.
Due to the Districts financial plight,
Mai. Brown did not ask for as large
an increase in the 1888 estimates
which he recently submitted to the
Commissioners. In those estimates
he requested but 125 additional pri-
Yates and six officers. His statement
today was construed as a declaration
Of what he really needs If funds can
be found.
Police arrested 1913 persons for driv-
ing while drunk during the year end
ing June 30 last, as compared with
351 the year previous. The number
arrested for intoxication was 1926,
as compared with 22,589 the year be-
fore. The number arrested last year
for drinking in public was 178, as
against SO the year before. The re-
port showed also that during the past
fiscal year 102 persons died in trafflc
mishapS.
Charges of violation of all kinds of
traffic regulations were made against
b1.360 persons during the past year.
and these persons deposited $203, ,425
in collateral. More than half of the
traffic tickets were issued by the
Traffic Bureau OF the department.
The third precinct led all the pre-
cincts, with the issuance of 6,6o7
tickets.
Arrests for Felonies.
Arrests for felonies, Maj. Brown re-
ported, numbered $3.50 last year
against Alta the year before Charges
Of violation Of municipal regulations
numbered 69,447 as against 57,842,
and miscellaneous arrests numbered
1892 as compared with 1850 the
year previous.
The total number Of arrests, 144,-
I'll, compared with 132,108 In the
fiscal year 1885.
Again urging control Of wrestling,
Brown, who is a member of the
District Boxing Commission, said:
There Is now no supervision what
ever over wrestling and numerous
complaints have been received and
conditions have developed that. in my
opinion, require that wrestling bouts
be placed under the supervision of .
commission similar to that which
Supervises boxing"
Commissioner Hazen already has
agreed with Maj. Brown as to the
need Of q new police headquarters
building and the reconditioning Of
many Of the older precinct stations.
but questioned the ability Of the Dis
trict at this time to finance such
a program. AS a stop-gap plan he
has suggested the old Police Court
Building after next year may be con-
verted into a new headquarters home.
This plan now is being studied by
District officials.
Murder Cases Probed.
The report shows the Detective Bu-
feau last year made 5,171 arrests, an
increase Of 1920 over the preceding
year. The Homicide Squad investi-
gated Sc murder cases and reported
all but five of them had been
cleared" Only three were listed as
"unsolved." In two of the five cases
indictments have been returned, but
the accused not yet arrested.
A 20 per cent increase in the solu-
ton Of cases placed before the Rob-
berry Squad was reported by Mai.
Brown in a comparison with the 1885
fiscal year. Last year the squad in
vestigated 1,438 cases as against 1900
the year before and closed" s71 cases
Is against 592 the year before.
Maj. Brown said 1885 automobiles
were reported stolen in the last year
and that all but 123 of these had
been recovered.
The Bureau of Identification took
photographs OF 5.41s prisoners last
year and the fingerprints of 5,303.
The police files now contain the I'm
serprints Of ss,54l persons.