Evening star., 1941-07-26
The Police Report.

has been investigating the Metro
pClltan Police Department has
submitted to the House District
Committee a report which is gen.
orally constructive and which should
lead to reforms long needed in the
local field of law enforcement. Some
of the recommendations, if carried
out, would require legislation, others
could be put into effect by admin
istratiVe action of the District Com
misSionerS. Among the legislative
proposals are some measures which
have been advocated by various or
CARNATIONS or individuals from time
to time in the paSt-Such as a
stronger Vagrancy law, SITTER pen
altieS for habitual criminals and
enlargement of the police force. The
recommendation for abOlishment of
the cOrOner'S Office and substitution
of medical examiner is not new
one, either. Other cities have in
Stltuted similar changes, seemingly
with success. That the existing in
quest system, which is of ancient
origin, has shortcomings in this
modern era of law enforcement has
been pointed out by sundry authori-
ties. The suggestion that the Com
miSSionerS give careful study to the
present policy of detailing police
men to preserve order at private
functions and enterprises conducted
for profit and gain" has merit. In
this connection the committee ad-
vocateS that special officers, having
full police power, but employed by
the private interests, be appointed,
presumably for duty at professional
sports and similar functions. If such
officers are given police powers they
should Of course, be under supervi-
sion and control of the Police De-
partment.
Chief among administrative re-
forms resulting from revelations of
police inefhciency at the committee S
hearings is the pending "top-to-bot-
tom" reorganization of the depart
ment, with special attention to the
Detective Bureau. The committee
properly prefers to leave the details
Of this reorganization to the Com
miSsionerS, who are known to be in
agreement with committee members
on general phases Of the Shake-up.
Certain it is that the bureau will
have new leadership and new per-
sonnel-as it should. The plan to
place precinct detectives under the
bureau seems logical and practicable.
The emphasis on enlargement of the
pickup squad is well placed. Un-
QueStiOnably there should be an
actively functioning police training
school for new officers. The Fed
eral Bureau of Investigations Ma
tionaI Police Academy stands ready
to cooperate in training instructors
for such a school. And, incidentally,
local police would benefit from wider
use of the F. B. is unequaled facili-
ties for laboratory analyses and spe-
cial research.
The committee devoted conSidera-
bic attention to the problem of in
creasing the efficiency of police per-
sonnel. Compulsory, retirement at
sixty, except when the Commission
erS rule otherwise, would be provided
for under a proposed amendment
. to the retirement law. Standards
of eligibility for promotion would be
fixed by a personnel board. Assign
ment of inspectors to purely police
duties" commensurate with their
rank was favored. The committee
pointed out that in all these recon-
mendations it had in mind the de-
sire that all avenues for favoritism
and influence be closed" 1t is a
little difficult, however, to reconcile
this commendable desire with the
committees proposals that civil
service examinations for promotion
be eliminated and that Trial Board
procedure be dispensed WITH in max
ing demotionS. To vest in the Com
missionerS exclusive and arbitrary
powers of promotion and demotion
would seem to open wide the avenues
for favoritiSm and inf1uence-for out
side pressure on the Commissioners
from political or other sources. Any
move that serves to encourage such
pressure would be a distinctly back
ward step, destructive of morale and
efficiency. The House District Com
mittee should give serious thought
to this angle before passing on the
promotion and demotion phases OF
the subcommittee report.