Evening star., 1946-07-13
Senate Unit Approves
Measure 10 Clarity
Police Jurisdictions

FUIICc JuI1yuICIIOnS
Authority of Metropolitan and
Capitol police to make arrests and
patrol the Capitol and its grounds
would be clarified under measure
approved yesterday by the Senate
Public Buildings and Grounds Com
mittee, while another bill approved
would clear up long-standing con-
fusion as to the jurisdiction of park
police in number of areas in
District environs.
The bill concerning authority of
Metropolitan and Capitol police
specifically defines areas comprising
the Capitol grounds 1t is so drafted.
according to committee testimony,
"as to insure against any person
committing a criminal act outside
Of the Capitol buildings and grounds
and securing immunity from arrest
therefor within the Capitol build
ings and grounds"
Authority would be vested in the
Capitol Police Board to make traffic
regulations for the Capitol grounds
and to prescribe penalties. This
would give Capitol police authority
in their jurisdiction parallel to that
Of the Commissioners over the Dis
trict generally and that of the
National Park Service over the Dis
trict's park system.
Streets Assigned tn n e.
The following streets and road
way in the Capitol grounds, how
ever, would remain under the juris-
diction and control of the Commits
sioners: Constitution avenue and B
street from Second street NV. to
First street NE; First street NE.
from D street to the Union Station
Plaza; Massachusetts avenue and
E street from Second street NE. to
the Union Station Plaza; E street
from Union Station Plaza to North
Capitol street. New Jersey avenue
from Constitution avenue to the
west property line of Louisiana. and
First street NV, from the west
property line of Louisiana avenue to
Pennsylvania avenue
1T is necessary that the Commits
sioners of the District of Columbia
be authorized to retain control over
these particular streets" Capitol Of
ficiAs told the committee, ''in order
10 permit of the proper flow of traf-
fic through this section of the city.
and to provide proper access to and
from the Union Station
The measure concerning park po-
lice jurisdiction would eliminate the
necessity for separate legislation to
give that agency authority over
every area acquired by the Federal
Government Included in what the
bill described as Federal reserva-
tions in the environs of the District
of Columbia" are Arlington and
Fairfax Counties and Alexandria in
Virginia, and Prince Georges and
Montgomery Counties in Maryland,
Park police officials said that If
the measure is enacted into law
their jurisdiction over the Pentagon
grounds, the National Airport
grounds, the Camp Springs parkway
and the various Suitland CMd) Gov
ernment building grounds would be
clear. The projected Washington
Baltimore boulevard would also be
policed through Prince Georges
County by the Federal agency.
Conveys Courthouse Site.
A third measure approved by the
committee provides for conveying of
title to the Federal Government of
the large tract at John Marshall
place and C street NV, where a
new Federal courthouse for the Dis
trict is to be built The tract,
bounded by John Marshall place,
c and Third streets and Constitu-
tion avenue, is now used as an auto
parking lot by the District. Under
the terms of the measure. the Dis
trict would continue to collect about
$500 annual revenue from the
parking lot until the Federal Gov
ernment begins construction of the
courthouse.
Federal officials estimate 1t will be
at least year before construction
can begin. The District govern
ment would be given a credit of
s2,42o 900.
In addition to the new court build
ing, the bill would authorize funds
for three other projects. These in
clude:
Annex to the projected General
Accounting Office Building for which
excavation has been made at Fifth
and G streets NV, 81 500, ,0O0 This
sum is to buy land in the block west
OF the proposed main accounting Of
flee building and pay for drawings
and specifications.
Drawings, specifications and con-
struction of first unit of film stor-
age building at Suitland, Md, ST.
600, 900.
Drawings and specifications for
combination record storage and
Office building at Suitland, Md,
1925 900.