Evening star., 1941-07-03
Chief Comedies
||nefficiencYof
Detective Unit
Reorganization Now
Under Woy;; Denies
Plan to Retire Soon
Earlier Story on Page AID.

NAL. Ernest w. Brown, super
intendent of metropolitan police,
testifying this afternoon before
the House subcommittee investi-
eating his department, conceded
that the Detective Bureau today
is the weakest link in the depart
ment" and added that he already
had started reorganizing it.
The superintendent admitted the
police had lacked efficiency in three
recent murderS-the assault killings
of Jessie Elizabeth Strieff and Mrs.
Rose Abramowitz and the recent
Staying of DR.. Heinrich Simon, Ger
man refugee musicologist.
Maj. Brown laughed at testimony
of two police captains that the de-
partnent has a "Gestapo." a spe-
cial squad to spy on brother police
men.
Absolutely no." he said.
He corroborated the testimony OF
Acting Capt Earl P. Hartman
earlier in the day denying that his
special investigation squad had any
such duty. Others had named the
Hartman squad as the alleged "Ges-
tapo.'
Denies Plan to Retire.
Mai. Brown also denied. in re-
sponse to questions by Acting Chair
man Hebert. that he planned TO
retire any time soon. He said that,
although he had been eligible for re-
tirement five years and often had
contemplated it, Commissioner Mel
vim c. HaZen had asked him TO re-
main at his post and he had agreed
to stay.
Mai. Brown reiterated to nevs-
papermen after he left the witness
stand that a published story that
he may ask for retirement next
month after h completes his term
as president of the International
Association of Police Chiefs was
not incorrect"
II was asked if I had made ap-
plication for retirement said Maj.
Brown. 'and l said no. The story
said I may seek retirement after
my term ends as president Of the
International Association of Police
Chiefs next month. have no :dult
to find with that statement.
Mai Browns testimony closed to-
days session of the inquiry and
Chairman Hebert told newspapers
men the investigation already had
justified itself and is progressing
nicely
Mai Brown told the committee
he had been member of the force
since 1896, when he entered as a
private.
Would you describe the Police
Department as efficient?' Repre-
sentative Hebert asked.
My department has been recog-
nized. and l feel that is Efficient
said Maj. Brown. 1t may be that
some divisions of it are more eff
cient than others. There have been
three recent murder cases which
have given us great difficulty. II
has been my aim ever since I was
appointed superintendent October
%, 1882. to build up the efficiency
and morale of the department
Maj. Brown said tnat when he
took Office he succeeded an Army
officer who had served l. months
and had left the department pretty
much demoraliZed." especially since
the F. B. I. had Just made an sx-
haustive investigation of alleged
brutality on the force.
Maj. Brown said he felt the de-
partment had done very well until
recently when we had this series
of murders"
Mentions "Sniper Case
He mentioned the fiscal year 1882
as typical of past performance,
when, he said. there we're 66 MUIR
ders and only two remained un-
solved. He admitted. under ques-
tioning. that many of these we're
homicides which could not, be
classed as mysteries. He spoke Of
the recent "sniper" case. pointing
out that il had been solved.
The three more recent MURDERS
he added, have given us the great
est concern, and I'll admit that we
haven't any lead today in any Of
them"
do you thing the department was
efficient in these cases?" the chair
man asked.
TT has not been proved efficient
so far"
Mai. Brown said that in the Strieff
case he put the best men he had
to work and did everything possible.
rs it true asked Representative
Hebert, that at least six hours
elapsed after this girl was reported
missing before the police lifted
! finger?"
Il don't think so. In a lot Of
cases people are taken sick on the
street and sent to hospitals and
don't want any publicity about it.
We were satisfied by 10 that night
/ that Miss Strieff had not been taken
to any hospital.
Didn't some one at headquarters
tell LIE Blanc (Stanley LIE Blanc,
Miss Strieff's fiance) that the police
(See POLICE, Page 2-XJ