Evening star., 1941-07-25

FOLLOWING is the official tert OF
the House subcommittee report
yesterday on the Metropolitan
Police Department.
To the chairman and members of
the House District Committee:
Your committee did not deem 1t
advisable to prolong its investiga-
ton OF the Metropolitan Police De-
partment of the District of Colum-
bia because we soon reached the
opinion that the Metropolitan Police
Department was definitely weak in
its administration and efficiency. 1t
needs, in the opinion of this COM
mittee. a thorough overhauling. In
its entirety, we believe that we have
a very excellent group of men. and
are confident that with proper su-
pervision and instruction this de-
partment could be model for the
Nation. We frankly admit that we
were impressed with the high degree
of intelligence demonstrated by most
of the witnesses who appeared be-
fore this committee.
Young Is COmpllmented.
We have given careful considera-
ton to the arlvisability of making
minute and detailed report and have
concluded that in view of the re-
organization now taking effect in
the Detective Bureau, and the i'm
pending changes, which of necessity
will follow the appointment of a
new Commissioner, that the new
Board of Commissioners should be
given an opportunity to solve the
problem. The Commissioners were
in attendance upon our hearings,
and Commissioner Young, especially,
is now fully conversant with all of
the facts presented. We cannot too
highly compliment Commissioner J.
Russell Young upon his faithful at
tendance, careful consideration and
helpful suggestions.
Your committee, however. has
some very definite views in reference
to some of the major problems The
crime situation is most serious
throughout the entire United States,
and certainly every effort should be
made to free this city from those
types who prey upon women and
commit all kinds of foul and out
rageous acts in violation of our
statutes. We wish to make this an
unsafe city for the lawbreaker. To
this end we must have an efficient,
well-trained, fully manned Police
Department.
Your committee respectfully pre-
sents to the full committee the fol-
lowing recommendations:
Vagrancy.
Your committee cannot too
strongly urge the immediate enact
ment of materially strengthened
vagrancy law. Laws concerning
vagrants are aimed at the lawless
and shiftless who are apt either to
require support in public institu-
tions or to resort to unlawful acts.
The present law is ineffective and
cannot be depended upon to rid
this city of undesirable characters.
The laWless and the shiftless are
focking here in ever-tncreasing
numbers, and the police have no
adequate means of control. The
observation and accumulation of
facts necessary under the old law
before case can be made prevents
the immediate wedding out of such
undesirables. Your committee rec
ommends that the Commissioners
prepare and present to the full COM
mittee a new vagrancy bill so
materially strengthened that the
Police Department will be able to
rid this city of all undesirables.
Habitual Criminals.
Your committee recommends the
passage of bill designed to make
this city to be evaded by habitual
criminals.
There is now on the statute books
of the District of Columbia a section
providing for the punishment of
persons convicted second time for
any criminal offense punishable by
fine or imprisonment, or both. This
section provides that persons so
convicted second time shall be
sentenced to pay a fine not exceed
ing so per centum greater, and to
suffer imprisonment for a period
not more than one-half longer than
the maximum fine and imprison-
ment for the first offense.
We do not believe, in view of the
present situation, that this law is
adequate. Your committee has given
careful consideration to this prob
lem as it relates to the District,
and is of the opinion that a habitual