Evening star., 1939-08-23
Brown Asks
106 More
Policemen
Seeks $3,625,461;
Fire Chief Sets
$2,434,450 Estimate

%Zsf0fy NV 6SttIIlOlS
Appointment of 106 additional
members of the Metropolitan Police
Department, and provision for the
opening of a new precinct station
at Forty-second street and Benning
road NE. were among major re-
quests made by Police Supt. E. w.
Brown in his estimates for the l941
fiscal year, released this morning
by the Commissioners.
For the District Fire Department,
Fire Chief Stephen T. Porter re-
quested S2.434;450, or an increase of
but SAL ,460 over this years appro-
priations, estimates released by the
city heads also showed. In this
sum, Chief Porter provided for the
purchase of 13 new pieces of fire.
fighting apparatus, to cost $81, 1,15O.
Maj. Brown sought 1941 total
police fund of $3,625 ,461, or an in
crease of $237,726 over this years
appropriations. For the proposed
new precinct station there would
be provision of one captain, two
ieutenants and 40 privates. In ad-
dition go more patrolmen would
be appointed to increase the active
strength of the police force gen.
orally.
Asks Funds for Helmets.
Carrying out a recent promise,
Maj. Brown also asked for s1,2l3.50
for the purchase of tropical type of
helmets for 1,488 men in the de-
partment, ranging from inspectors
down to patrolmen and including
also motorcycle mounted men.
In urging the need for an in
crease in the force, Maj. Brown de-
clared THE great necessity is for
patrolmen. 1t is found that there
are so many details of policemen
to various duties incident to cere-
monies, legations, embassies, emer-
gency situations, escorts, protection
Of school children in the morning,
afternoon and recess times, and
handling of traffic during the rush
hours, that at no time are there
sufficient patrolmen to assign to all
beats, and many patrolmen are
forced to cover two or more beats,
thus materially reducing their eff
cheney as we'll as the degree of pro-
lection to which the public justly
Is entitled"
Asks Precinct improvement.
Included In a sum of $4,000 re-
quested for buildings and grounds,
Mai. Brown sought a sum of $40
600 for improvement of the home
of the Second and Thirteenth pre-
cincts, located on U street between
Ninth and Tenth streets NV. These
precincts make more arrests than
any other unit, he said, and has
but eight cells in the U street build
Ing "At times as high as eight
men are confined in one cell, max
ing conditions for the prisoners un-
sanitary and intolerable," he de-
clared.
He proposed additions, including
Q one-story cell block to accommo-
date 16 cells.
For motor vehicles, Maj. Brown
sought an increase from $66,700 to
$4,000. to include provision for pur-
chase of % small cruisers, six pa
troll cars and 20 motorcycles, as re-
placements for old equipment.
Fire Chief Porter, in submitting
his first estimates as head of the
Fire Department, requested resto-
ration of the impending loss this
fiscal year of Is privates under an
economy move ordered by Congress.
Their loss, he said, would greatly
curtail granting of annual leave
and cause the department to oper-
ate almost constantly at absolute
minimum strength" and thereby
cause severe strain on each unit
so reduced and prevent the depart
ment from rendering proper fire
service.
Asks Winter Clothing Fund.
Chief Porter sought funds for the
purchase OF special winter clothing,
including flannel shirts for firemen
to use at nights in winter when sub
ject to extreme exposure.
The 13 new pieces of apparatus
would be two combination hose
wagons, five pumping engines, one
aerial hook and ladder truck, four
chiefs autos and one passenger au-
tomobile. During the fiscal year
1941, he said, the department will
have IA pieces of apparatus in serv-
Ice which are Is years or more old,
all of which have passed their life
Of usefulness, are obsolete and
should be replaced.
An increase of $4,000 for the pur-
chase of fire hose was asked on
the grounds that the remainder of
q quantity bought in 1882 must be
condemned this year, as unservice-
able, so as to avoid delays, loss of
property and loss of life at fires. He
said IS per cent of all hose that
brust in service last year was out
of this 1882 batch.