Evening star., 1948-03-21
; Detective 5ergeants
Twill Retire April |
Because Of Disability
By ]. Theodore Crown

Three well-known detective ser
geants. all of whom have earned
numerous concentrations, will re-
tire for disability April /, it was
learned at headquarters yesterday.
They are Walter D. Perry, Al,
homicide squad: Roland M Kirby.
As, general assignment squad, and
Hugh B. Robey, so, auto squad.
The three investigators. appeared
before the Retiring Board at spe-
cial : session Thursday. and the
board recommended that they be
relieved of their duties for reasons
of health ~'- ~ -|-
They will be leaving the force far
in advance, Of the statutory retires
ment age Of 81. ~" =
Headquarters reported that this
month had seen one of the largest
totals of disability retirement ap-
prevails in the history of the de-
partment. Inspector Walter H.
Thomas, assistant superintendent,
and other high officers of the force
have been among those going be-
fore the board.
Sergt. Perry's record bears 10
concentrations. A specialist in in
vestigating homicides, he was COM
mended for his work in the Wash
ington Cathedral murder case in
1914, the murder of soldier in the
Southwest section in the same year,
the Staying of Charlotte w. Robin
son, whose body was found in a
sewer in 1943, the holdup shooting
of Milton Lowe outside a chain
store on Minnesota avenue Sc. last
year and several other killings.
Last January he was commended
for arresting an armed man who
had just killed his wife. Supt
Robert j. Barrett also praised him
officially last September for his
investigation of the death of John
Forrest Bunch in Gallinger Hospital
sfter his arrest on a drunkenness
charge.
Perry's Record Cited.
Sergt. Perry was born in North
Carolina He joined the department
in 1880, became a precinct detective
in 1885 and a detective sergeant in
1899. In addition to his work on
homicide cases, he was commended
several times for solving robberies.
Sergt. Robey, a native of Washing
ton, is known to insurance investi-
gators throughout the East for his
work on stolen automobile cases.
He joined the department in 1919
as a civilian driver and became a
policeman several months later. For
number of years, he was a
familiar site in the Capital at the
wheel OF cars used by headquarters
for emergency runs. He became a
detective sergeant in 1880.
Sergt. Robey's work harried auto
stealing gangs and often led to
the arrest of persons wanted for
other crimes.
His concentrations include men,
tions of his arrest of jewel thief
in 1880 during which the detective
small man, was injured while
dragging the culprit from under a
store showcase He also was COM
mended for taking into custody two
men wanted by Maryland and Vir-
ginia authorities for holdups last
August and for the arrest of a
man wanted for assault last De-
cember.
Kirby Often Commended.
Sergt. Kirby, holder of more than
dozen concentrations won the
praise of the Commissioners and
a promotion from private to tenn
porary precinct detective in 1912
for his work with Precinct Detective
Charles T. Williams in solving more
than 80 housebreaking cases in the
9Th precinct They arrested two
burglars who had been ransacking
homes on and near Connecticut
avenue NV.
A native of South Carolina. he
Joined the force in 1925, served on
the special Capitol security detail
in 1910 and 1941, and went to head
quarters as a detective sergeant in
1914 after duty in the 9th precinct.
His commendations include nota-
tions on the arrest Of juvenile
gangs wanted for housebreakings,
a murderer, a hotel swindler and
the solution of numerous chains Of
thefts.