Evening star., 1941-07-12
Law Needed 10 Drop
Civil Service System
OF Police Promotions
Department Heads
Prepare Questions for
Tests, Commission Reveals

Abolition of the civil service sys-
tenn for promoting police officers, as
agreed to yesterday by the District
Commissioners at the House sub
committee investigation of the Po-
lice Department. requires new legis-
lation, it was pointed out today.
Provision for appointment and
promotion of both policemen and
firemen is included in an act of
Congress, 1919. it was disclosed at
the Civil Service Commission. and
this makes the continued use of
civil service promotions for the po-
lice mandatory on the Commits
sioners.
If, however. the Commissioners
desire to make some change in regu-
lations by which the Police Depart
ment co-operates with the Civil
Service Commission in making pro-
motions. this opportunity will be
open soon.
At the commission ii was ex-
planned that examinations for pro-
motions of police are held every two
years. The last one was held in
1899. and another is due next month.
Unless there is some radical change
in procedure plans for another eX-
animation for promotion Of police
would be coming up Immediately.
Prepared by Police Department.
Taking sharp issue with charges
made at the House subcommittee
hearings regarding the civil service
questions given police in promotion
examinations, spokesman for the
Civil Service Commission declared
there was no such silly questions
about the moon or "starlings" as
had been banded about in the
hearings.
The questions submitted in the
examination for police promotions,
as matter of fact are prepared by
the Police Department itself, it was
learned
For instance, the questions for the
last promotion examination held in
the fall of 1899, were prepared by In
spector L. I. H. Edwards, it was
learned at the Police Department.
The questions were based on the
police regulations and were designed
to discover what the officers knew
about them. The questions were
submitted to Maj. Ernest w. Brown
superintendent of police. and then
taken over in person by Inspector
Edwards to the Civil Service Com
mission.
At the commission, Inspector Ed
wards went over the questions again
in cooperation with experts of the
Civil Service Commission, helped in
revising the questions and finally
agreed with the experts there as to
the final form in which the questions
should be submitted to candidates
for promotion.
Civil Service Edits Questions.
The Civil Service Commission, Of
ficials said, has the responsibility of
editing the questions, eliminating
any ambiguity, and making them
perfectly clear.
The written examination is only
one-half of the civil service exam
ination for promotion. Results of
the written examination are given a
weight of so per cent for promotion,
while the other so per cent is based
on the efficiency rating concerning
experience and fitness, which is fixed
by the Police Department.
This is shown in the special order
issued by Major Brown, August 18,
1899, for the examinations for pro-
motion.
Civil Service officials were aroused
by charges made at the subcommit-
tee hearing, casting reflection on
the questions submitted. Some of
the questions concerning the moon"
and "starlings" were branded as
Pigments of imagination"
At the hearing Chairman Schultz
of the committee had described
Acting Capt. George M Little as one
of the most "efflcient officers in the
department, who had not been pro-
NOTED to the full rank of captain"
because he couldn't tell how long
it takes a startling to fly from the
White House to the Department of
Justice"
Mr.. Schultz also denounced the
civil service system of promoting
officers as one of the causes con-
tributing to police inefficiency. He
thought it's elimination would have
a very beneficial effect on the de-
partment."
Commissioner Hazen, under ques-
tioning, had said the arrangement
for civil service promotions had been
in the nature Of an "aRreement."