Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-01-11
Auxiliary Police
Collapse Feared
UnderLirlitation
Loss of Interest
Seen as Result
Of Restrictions

Predictions that the auxiliary
police forces would collapse under
the order restricting its activity to
air raids and tests were made last
night as the officers Of the force met
to discuss the Commissioners order.
Members of the Auxiliary Police
Inspectors and Captains Associa-
ton, meeting at the Annapolis Hotel,
commended that the men spend four
Or five nights week at police pre-
cinct stations.
If their activities are limited to
blackouts, it was said, they would
lose interest in the work on which
some of them have spent as much as
5000 hours in the last year.
Inspectors Reinstated.
A resolution was adopted. with the
inspectors not voting, that the in
spectors be reinstated. One of the
effects of the Commissioners order
was to appoint no officers in the
auxiliary force beyond the rank of
captain.
A mass meeting Of the rank. and
file of the force will be held as soon
as the status of the auxiliaries is
clarified, it was decided. At the
same time, the association voted to
carry on under the Commissioners
order since the men have taken the
oath to serve during blachouts.
Officers reported general resent
ment among the auXiliaries after
their request to have their duties
clarified had been met by the order
relieving them of all duties outside
of tests and air raids.
Asked Qualification of Status.
In a letter sent to the Commits
sioners January T. it was disclosed
at the meeting, the association de-
manded that the Commissioners
clarity the position of the auxiliaries
as to wearing of uniforms; powers
of arrest. If any: arming the aux
iliaries if they were to continue to
do regular police duty and providing
hospital and medical care for any
auxiliarles wounded while on police
duty.
The letter also asked that Police
Supt. Maj. Edward j. Kelly be au-
thorized to ask the Central Labor
Union for $4,000 to buy equipment
for the auxiliary force Members of
the association last night said the
force had spent $65,000 out Of its
own funds to buy equipment.
Commissioner Young was invited
to last nights meeting in the letter,
which also advised that unless def.
mite information was forthcoming
the auxiliaries would revert simply
to blackout duty status. The order
abolishing the Office of inspector
and restricting auxiliary activities
came the day before the meeting
Received Ruling Last July.
Former Inspector Frank Dyer
told the association that the Com
missioners had received a ruling
from Corporation Counsel Rich
mond B. Keech last July that the
auxiliaries had regular police
powers only during blackouts.
When this information leaked
out through unofficial channels, a
list Of men whom the police de-
partment wanted sworn in as spe-
cial police was sent to the Com
missioners November 81, Mr.. Dyer
added.
The association members ex-
pressed resentment that the Com
missioners had known the auxiliar-
les had no regular powers but had
not informed them since the aux
iliaries had let themselves open to
prosecution for illegal arrests.
One of the resolutions adopted
at the meeting was vote of con-
fidence in Maj. Kelly.