Evening star., 1941-11-05
City Heads Pass
On New Police
Regulations
Maj. Kelly Told to Droft
Reorganization Plan
For Accident Unit

tendent of police. today was directed
by the Commissioners to study and
submit recommendation on sug-
gested reorganization of the Acct
dent Prevention Unit of the Police
Department as the city heads ap-
proved all but four of TWO score
recommendation for changes IN
the metropolitan police system sub
mitted last August by a group OF
District officials.
The changes in police procedure
and setup. the Commissioners said.
would be effective at once except in
cases where formal orders are yet
TO be drawn or where regulations
or legislation are involved.
The city heads also directed MAJ.
Kelly to determine the number OF
police who must be detailed at Grif-
fifth Stadium and other places OF
amusement in keeping with rec
ommendation that license fees for
such places be increased enough TO
actually cover the cost Of police de-
tails.
Precinct Trials Provided.
Another change approved by the
Commissioners was TO give police
precinct commanders authority 10
try men under their control for dis
courtesy and minor offenSes without
reference to the Trial Board and to
levy fines not to exceed S25 or to as
sign those found guilty TO extra
hours of duty The offending officer
would have the right to appeal TO
the Trial Board when he considered
the punishment unjust.
The city heads also ruled that no
police officer be retained in active
service beyond the age of 64, but re-
jected a proposal that no officer who
has not reached the grade OF in
spector be retained in active service
beyond the age of so years. This
was rejected, they said, so as not to
handicap a Board Of Commissioners
later in selecting new police chief.
They also rejected proposal that
any officer. after completing IS years
service, be retired voluntarily with
retirement pay up to so per cent OF
his last regular salary.
Retirement Pay Qualified.
A new recommendation made to-
day by District Budget Director Wal
ter L. Fowler, a member Of the
special police efficiency" committee,
adopted by the city heads. provides
that no member of the police force
who has been promoted to sergeant
hi no tn o
advantage of such promotion to
obtain a higher retirement pay by
voluntary retirement until he has
served four years or more In the
new rank.
At the same time the Commits
sioners consulted representatives Of
the United States Civil Service Com
mission and high-ranking police
officials to work out details of the
examination requirements for the
four special detectives TO be added
to the detective bureau each to re-
ceive the pay of a captain. $500
year. Also, tentative arrangements
were made for a new general eX-
animation to be given by the Civil
Service Commission soon for pro-
motions in the police ranks.
Test Change Appn1Ved.
Final approval was given by the
Commissioners to the plan to change
the weights for written tests and for
experience and fitness" in the civil
service examinations Tine present
$3.50 rule is to be changed to give
so per cent for experience and fit
ness and only 40 per cent for the
written tests.
1t. Col. Beverly c. Snow, Assist
ant Engineer Commissioner, chair
man of the Commissioners Police
Efficiency Committee. and the two
other members, Mr. Fowler and Mai.
James Lusby, District disbursing Of
ficer, participated with the Commits
sioners. Maj. Kelly, Asst. Supt. Har-
vey G. Callahan and Inspector
Richard Mansfield, detective chief,
in the session.
The Commissioners adopted rule
that no metropolitan policeman be
permitted to sell tickets of any kind
or to solicit funds for any purpose,
except when to specifically author
lied to do so by the Board of Com
missioners.
Many of the other changes already
had been approved, in principle at
least. and in some cases legislation
is pending in Congress.