Evening star., 1947-02-01
Police Shakeup
Revised Again
ToEndFrittion
CoIIuhonf Announces
Changes to Remove
Officers Objections

police officials with orders for theil
reassignment, originally scheduled tc
60 into effect today with. number
of other department changes, result
ed late yesterday in 11th-hour
changes in the orders calculated to
appease the dissatisfied officers.
At the same time, Maj. Harvey G.
Callahan, police superintendent, an
nounced that the transfer Of Capt
Albert I. Bullock from command OF
the 18th precinct was ordered be-
cause of "unsavory connections
Capt. Bullock made in the precinct
The captains transfer to the eighth
precinct was effective at 8 am. to-
day.
Maj. Callahan called a special
meeting Of all inspectors and pre-
cinct captains at headquarters
today. -.
Members of the press were not
told the purpose of the meeting and
were excluded from the conference
room. There was speculation how
ever, that Maj. Callahan was giving
his high-ranking subordinates a
pep talk" over the friction which
resulted in a number of changes in
the transfer order that became
effective today.
The reaction of the inspectors to
the shifts ordered last month "was
unsatisfactory" Maj. Callahan told
reporters, principally because of the
inferences which were being drawn
as to the reasons for the transfers
and the insinuations of unsatisfac-
tory service in their previous assign
ments with the implied reflection
On them which the changes created" +"
1t. Blick Heads Vice Squad.
The sweeping list of changes Gre
ates a new head for the vice and
gambling squad. 1t. Roy e. Blick
was put in charge of the squad to-
day. The previous order would have
replaced Inspector Oscar j. Letter.
man with Inspector Lloyd E. Kelly.
The transfers climaxed a week
fraught with rumblings of dissatis-
faction and political pressure within
the police department. The changes
for the morale" of the department
came only "a hours after Maj. Gala
hah told Star reporter he did not
intend to bow before pressure by
politicians and businessmen seeking
an amendment of the first transfer
order.
The inspectors, who presumably
got what they wanted in the last
minute reversal, are Ira E. Keck,
Clarence Talley. and Letterman.
The first two named will continue
in command of the second and third
districts, respectively, while Inspec-
tor Letterman will take over the post
vacated today in the first district
by.retirement of Inspector James E.
Beckett.
Under the rescinded order, Keck
would have gone to precinct one,
Talley to precinct two and Letter.
man to precinct three.
Fondahl Relieves Bullock.
In the 18th precinct, where gam
bling squad raiders broke up a
$10,000-a-day gambling establish
ment earlier this week only a block
from the station house, Capt. Bull
lock is relieved by Capt. John E.
Fondahl. Because Capt. Fondahl
now is student at the Federal
Bureau of Investigation police
academy, 1t. James E. Silvea will
take over command at the 18th pre-
cinct until the new commander
graduates.
Capt. Bullock was sent to the
9th precinct post vacated by Capt.
Lloyd E. Kelly, as originally ordered
Kelly, who became an inspector to-
day and who was slated to take over
the vice and gambling squad, in
stead will become sort of Swing"
man at police headquarters.
All the transfers, with the excep-
ton of the shift involving Capt.
Bullock, were the result of Inspector
Beckett's retirement, Maj. Callahan
told reporters yesterday. Using ex-
tremely careful language, Maj. CAL
lahan informed newsmen that
"things haven't been done as well
as they might have been in the 11th
Precinct" under Capt. Bullock.
The police chief referred to 'un-
savory connections" made by Capt
Bullock in the Southeast precinct
adding that he did not like some
Of the friends Bullock had made"
Thomas to Control Vice News.
1t. Blick, leading figure in the
Carmen Beach, Hopkins Institute
and 'Clainos vice Investigations, will
be directly responsible to Maj. Cal
lahan's right-hand man, Inspector
Walter H. Thomas, assistant super
intendent of police. 1t. Blick will
decide when, where and how to
strike at gamblers in Washington
but all word of vice and antigambl-
ing forays from now on will come
from Inspector Thomas.
This setup may have the effect of
eliminating any future news stories
on the activities Of Detective Sergts.
Howard Ogle and Paul Clarke, the
team of sleuths who have been
butted by goats, bitten by dogs and
fallene through skylights in the
course of their anti-gambling in
vestigations.
Approved BY Young.
All the changes made by Maj.
Callahan yesterday were made with
the approval of Commissioner John
Russell Young after careful con-
sideration and thought, Maj. Gala
han declared.
Other changes which take effect
today include:
Promotion of Sergt. Paul Sullivan
to lieutenant and his transfer from
precinct 2 to IL.
Assignment of Precinct Detective
Wilbur r. Coffey as detective SER
geant and his transfer from pre-
cinct to the Detective Bureau.
Assignment of Pvt. Benjamin D,
Clark as precinct detective at his
present station in precinct 8.
Transfer of 20 privates from one