Evening star., 1941-09-03
Police Report
Asks Force
Of 1900 Men
Figures Reveal 1920
Of 1910 FeIonies
Are 'UncIeured'

Are 'UncIeured'
An increase in the personnel of
the Metropolitan Police Department,
to bring its strength to not less than
1900, which would be 280 more than
the present authorized strength, was
urged in the annual report of the
department for the fiscal year ended
June 30. The report was filed with
the Commissioners today.
The report showed that the de-
partment had tougher job last year
than the year before, at least as far
as felony cases were concerned.
There were 8,463 felonies in the past
fiscal year, or an increase of 1,081
over 1910. OF these, 2,551, or about
80 per cent were not cleared during
the year. A case is marked cleared"
when police action supposedly has
been ended by the making of an
arrest and the filing of charges
against the accused.
Simultaneously it was announced
today by the Commissioners that
they would meet tomorrow with
Corporation Counsel Richmond B.
Keech, Acting Police Chief Edward
J. Kelly, and members of the District
Board of Inquiry into police eff
cheney, to act on the 40-odd recon-
mendations made by the board for
improving police efficiency. 1t has
been predicted the Commissioners
will approve the great majority of
the boards recommendations, which
called, among other things. for a
stronger vagrancy law, imposition of
heavier penalties on habitual GRIM
inals, development of a more thor
ough course of training for all po-
licemen and specialized training for
police officers, and enlargement of
the police force.
Maj. Browns Tenure Covered.
The report was filed at the direc-
ton of Acting Chief Kelly, but it
represented activities of the depart
ment in the past fiscal year while
Maj. Ernest w. Brown, retiring
POilIC SlllCly was al SlloA
AS to the need of more men, the
department said:
With the continuing increase of
population in the District, serious
consideration should be given to a
yearly increase in police personnel
and to meet the many demands at
the present time and in the next
year or two. the personnel should be
increased to not less than 1900
members.
"In the estimates for the next
fiscal year, consideration should be
given to replacing policemen in
clerical positions with civilians, and
consideration also should be given
to increased pay for all civilian
members in the department, in
keeping with salaries paid in the
Federal service"
Police officials also repeated the
oft-stated recommendation for estab-
lishment of new police precinct
in the area east of the Anacostia
River. now patrolled by men from
No. IL. 1t is proposed to build a
new station house on District -owned
land at Forty-second and Benning
road NE. Request for funds for
this purpose, the department said,
would be included in the 1943
estimates.
Police officials also renewed old
proposals that wrestling bouts be
placed under the control of the Dis
trict Boxing Commission, stating
that at the present time there is no
supervision whatever over wrestling
and that conditions have developed
at wrestling bouts that in my opin-
ion justify consideration of legisla-
ton for supervision and regulation"
During the past fiscal year, the
Detective Bureau handled 1908 as
signments. increase of 1,056 over the
previous year.
In the traffic division. the acci-
dent-prevention unit, established in
September, 1910, handled all fatal
accident cases and about TO per cent
Of all other accidents, it was re-
ported
The Woman's Bureau came in for
some praise. Last year it completed
% years of service and, police Off
cials said. has proved during that
period to be very valuable unit
Of the department-this bureau has
functioned eff1ciently"~ During the
past year the bureau made $50 ar
rests and handled s 036 complaints
Lost, stolen and abandoned prop
erty, and property received from
estates and insane persons, received
by the property clerk in the past
year was valued at $1,123, ,134.70.
Money turned over to the District
tax collector from the auction sale
of August 5, 1910, of 55 automobiles,
three boats and one iron beam to-
tailed $l,253. Proceeds from a sale
of lost, stolen and abandoned prop
erty held November S, 1910, were re-
g.