Evening star., 1948-11-26
Proposal 10 Arm
Police Reserves
Up ptoCity Heads
Must Pass on Manual
Of Regulations Now
Under Preparation

VI SoiStsSHS wv"
Under Preparation
The final say on arming members
of the new Police Departments
civilian reserve corps will be up to
the District Commissioners, it ap-
peared today.
The Commissioners have to give
their approval to 25-page manual
of rules governing the reserve corps.
The manual now is being prepared
on orders from Police Chief Robert
j. Barrett,
Maj. Barrett said the tentative
draft does discuss the use and han
ding of firearms, but he hastened to
point out that he has not yet ap-
proved the draft. He said the plan
provides for arming of qualified men
those who have completed their
basic training and a craftsmanship
course.
The police chief, it was reported,
told Inspectors Walter T. Storm and
Lloyd E. Kelly what he wanted in
the manual, but he has not yet seen
it in written form.
Counsel to Pass on Manual.
He said today he didn't know
when he could get to the manual.
When he does, he said, he will re-
view it at a conference with its two
authors and Assistant Supt. Floyd
A. Truscott.
After he goes over it and makes
whatever changes seem necessary,
he went on, he will recommend its
approval by the Commissioners. In
turn, they will refer it to the cor
poration counsel to review the legal
aspects of the reserve corps.
In acting on the manual, the
Commissioners will have their
chance to change the rules If they
wish to do so.
Inspector Storm said the order
setting up the reserve corps pro-
vided for organizing, equipping and
training the men. BY equipping, he
said, he took for granted the COM
missioners meant arming of quail
fled men.
Nom Residents Eligible.
In that connection Maj. Barrett
commented today:
You know there are 4,400 mem
bers of the National Rife Associa-
ton in the Metropolitan Area.
There's no reason we couldn't go
through their membership and pick
500 men with more qualifications
than our own policemen as far as
the use of firearms is concerned"
The tentative draft of the manual
does not limit prospective reservists
to District residents, it was learned.
The department hopes to attract
reservists from nearby counties.
AS for the uniforms, the tenta-
tive design of a badge will say re
serve" but will be more similar to
the regular police badge than to
that worn by the former auxiliary
police. The badges have not yet
been ordered. The wartime auxil-
iaries were not required to turn in
their badges and many of them still
are in. the possession of ieNauxil-
iaries.
Planning for the addition of 80
policewomen to the force, also au-
thorized last week by the Commits
sioners, advanced today with con-
ference scheduled between police
and Civil Service Commission off,
cials.
Applicant List May Be Set Up.
The meeting. it was explained, was
called to discuss whether enough
women can be made available
through present civil service reg
listers or whether an examination
should be held to start a register
specifically designed for police
women.
Assistant Supt. Floyd A. Truscott
said plans now call for drawing
women from the commissions junior
professional registers. But commits
sion officials may advise the police
that to maintain source of appli-
cants, a list for policewomen should
be set up.
Scheduled to attend the conference
with commission officials were In
spectors Truscott and Storm and
Capt. Rhoda Milliken. commander
of the Women's Bureau.
Plans for Uniforms Pushed.
Meanwhile, the Police Department
went ahead with its plans to get all
special police into uniform by jan
uary / and to maintain tighter con-
troll over the activities and qualifica-
tions of special policemen (not to be
confused with the newly authorized
civilian reserve corps.
The tightened special police reg
ulations, authorized by the Commis-
sioners in September and due to
become effective January /, apply to
store policemen, District Govern
ment building guards. armored car
guards and employees Of guard
agencies using electrical alarm sys-
TENS. Federal building guards ars
not included.
BY January l more than 1000
special policemen must don a stand
ard blue uniform with an Identify
ing shoulder patch on the blouse
and a sky-blue stripe down the
side of the pants.
Detectives to Be Exempt.
The remaining 700 special police.
men must go into a uniform that Is
to be standard for all special police
by January, 1850. This includes a
brown jacket, trousers and cap, a
Sam Browne belt with pistol hol-
ster attached.
The only special police who will
not be affected will be store de-
tectives, whose job would be hin
dered by the identifying uniform.
Under the new regulations, special
police commissions are limited to
one year instead of three. BY the
first of the year, all special police
commissions will be revoked. pend
ing a study of individual qualifica-
tons by Detective Sergt. ]. K.
Hunter of the special investigations
squad.
Men qualifying under the new law,
it was explained, will be given in
struction in the new regulations.
Special policemen already have been
receiving some formal lectures in