Evening star., 1947-07-02
BY George Kennedy

BY George Kennedy
Maj. Robert j. Barrett sat on the
front porch of his home last night
and tried to relax. His day had
started with his taking the oath
as the new superintendent Of the
Metropolitan Police Department
and ended with radio interview
on Station WMAL.
The man whom District Com
missioner John Russell Young, in
making the appointment, called "all
cop" could talk OF nothing but
police work. His home is senlde-
tached brick house at 5811 Seventh
street NV. in the Brightwood Sec
ton, where he has lived three years.
Joane, his 1s-year-old daughter,
and Mrs. Barrett. protected him
from the constantly ringing tele-
phone, but Maurice, the handsome
|8-year-old boy who is in the process
of being adopted into the Barrett
family, sat close to him listening
to it all, and Maurice's eyes bugged
out when his father told how the
two informers were shot and killed
In a dark street after the raid OH a
gambling joint.
Courtesy Ordered.
He talked of his plans for the de-
partment. For one thing he was
going to see to it that the police
are more courteous-not for courtesy
itself, but for practical reasons.
"A trafic cop will bawl, out a
driver" he said. Maybe he lets
him 60 without writing q ticket. But
that man remembers the bawling
out and sometime later he may be
on jury in criminal term where
cops are testifying-trying to get a
conviction in a case they worked
hard on. That's not good"
This may interest you" said Maj.
Barrett. "It was % years ago to-
night that started out on my first
beat from No. 6, commanded by
Capt. Martin Reilly. father of John
A. Reilly. presjdant Of the Second
National Bank and head of the
Board Of Trade.
Left Club in Store.
There was no police school in
those days. They just gave you
a badge and a club and sent you out
in plain clothes with q uniformed
policeman to tell you what to do.
I remember a sergeant who met me,
Sergt. Tom Dalhouse-he's still
living.
He asked me, How do you feel?
7 feel terrible l told him, foolish,
that is Don't bother carrying the
club he says, and you won't feel
so foolish So left it in a store
until I finished my beat and l did
feel better about it.
Maj. Barrett's first beat was In
diana avenue where the new police
headquarters is now located. and
Missouri avenue. three colored
blocks between Third and Sixth
streets south Of Pennsylvania ave-
nue. on land now a park area occu-
pied in part by the National Gal
lery.
OF a Police Family.
The new rookie was OF O. police
family. His grandfather. 1t. John
F. Kelly, had been commander OF
No. 6 precinct. 1t. Kelly's son,
Edward ]. Kelly, was to become
superintendent of the police depart
ment. Miss Susie c. Kelly. a daugh-
ter of 1t. John F. Kelly, married
policeman, William F. Barrett
William Barretts brother Jim was
crossing policeman for years at
Seventh street and Florida avenue
NV.
William Barrett did not stay long
on the police force. He quit and
opened a blacksmith shop. He quit
that when stricken with a paralysis
of the legs. and Maj. Barrett's early
memories of his father are when he
was proprietor of a tobacco shop and
magazine stand in the 500 block OF
H street NE. Maj. Barrett and his
sisters and his younger brother used
/ to help keep store. His father was q
shrewd businessman and traded
speculatively In real estate until his
death.
ours is a big family-there are
lots of them in Washington. MAJ
Barrett said. There are SulliyanS
Helans, Murphys and F1ynns ane
OLearys."
The new superintendent nevel
misses a funeral OF relative or
connection by marriage.
Joined Force Early.
Robert Barrett attended st. Alo'
ysius parochial school on Nortf
Capitol street and quit to 60 u
work after . year under the Jesuit
at Gonzaga High School. He wa
appointed to the police department
As soon as he came Of age. Hi
younger brother was stricken witt
q painful form of arthritis when Il
and has spent much of his time II
hospitals since. His last trip II
Providence Hospital was seven year.
ago and he is still there. Yesterday
was one of the unusual days wher
Mai. Barrett was so crowded fol
time that he did not get in to SET
him.
Two years after he walked hi!