Evening star., 1941-06-20
Senators May Urge
100 Additional Police
For District Force
Subcommittee Reviews
Crime Conditions Here
With Maj. Brown
By J. A, OLEARY.

Inc Ponce department. may De
given 100 additional men, instead of
the 81 provided by the House, it was
indicated today, after the Senate
Subcommittee handling the District
supply bill reviewed crime conditions
with Police Supt. Ernest w. Brown
yesterday.
II the Senate group allows 100. all
of them will be assigned to patrol
duty. Maj. Brown told Chairman
Overton after he had testified that
out of present personnel of 1,437,
there are 800 available for patrol
DUTY and of that number only 300
are on foot patrol.
The police chief pointed out that
1876 men are assigned to traffic duty,
and Commissioner John Russell
Young developed by questioning that
during the morning and evening
rush hours virtually the entire force
must help in handling traffic.
strieff Case Brought Up.
The murder of Miss Jessie Eliza
beth Streiff was touched on when
Senator Overton asked Mai. Brown
how far foot patrolman might
have to walk in the precinct where
the crime occurred. The major said
1t would probably be or 10 blocks.
Commissioner Young recalled that
he visited that precinct one night re-
Gently and learned there were two
patrolmen and two scout cars on
duty because of public gatherings to
which special details had to be as
signed.
The Senators also learned the
work OF the Sewer and Health De-
partments will be seriously affected
by the so per cent cut in w. P. A.
allotments after July /.
Sanitary Engineer J. B. Gordon
testified the $40 w. P. A. workers as
signed to sewer construction will be
reduced to Is men, and that they
will have to be used on priority sewer
extensions for defense housing of the
Alley Dwelling Authority. To offset
this loss, he asked the Senate to raise
the 100000 House figure for new
sewers to S375 900.
Later, Health Officer Rutland said
the Health Departments budget for
the coming year would be definitely
upset by loss of the 26O w. P. A.
workers now assigned to clerical and
labor work in Health Department
agencies.
Chairman Overton decided to take
further testimony. probably today.
on how the W. P A. curtailment
would affect all branches of the Dis
trict government.
During the crime discussion. Mai.
Brown told the subcommittee the
police have made good record on
murders over a l0-year period, but
added that this year we are a little
low" until recent cases are cleared
up. For the year drawing to
close. he said, there have been SO
murders, 10 of which are still under
investigation.
City Has Outgrown Police Force.
Senator Overton brought up the
subject Of more policemen, predict
ing that civic groups would be ask
ing the committee for such an in
crease later. To show how the city
has outgrown its police force, Maj.
Brown said it would require 282
more men to establish the same
ratio of policemen to population
now that existed in 1890.
Generally speaking, don't you
have a rather efficient force here?"
inquired Senator OMahoney, Dem
ocrat of Wyoming. Maj. Brown
agreed.
Observing that the automobile age
has added greatly to the volume of
police work, Senator OMahoney in
quired whether the motorists pay a
proper share of the cost of police
service. Senator Overton indicated
consideration might be given to in
creasing the Is per cent which now
comes from the gas tax highway
fund for traffic control.
Senator Overton inquired whether
the sudden increase in population
bears some relation to the volume
OF crime and Maj. Brown said there
Is some relation.
Fire Chief Stephen Porter testi-