Evening star., 1948-11-15
Approval Likely
For DC. Police
Reserve Corps
Action Seen as Result
Of Report on Role Of
Civilians in Wartime


Civilians in Wartime
Police Supt. Robert j. Barrett to-
morrow is expected to receive from
the Commissioners the authority to
create a special police reserve corps
for use in event Of unforeseen cir
cumstances."
The city heads action will follow
a report to Secretary Of Defense
Forrestal, which was presented Sat-
: urday by the Office of Civil Defense
Planning, on the role of civilians in
modern warfare. Russell j. Hopley
of Omaha, president of the North
western Bell Telephone Co., is direc-
tor of the Office.
Mai. Barrett, who took part in
the conference that preceded draft
ing of the National report, began
planning a police reserve force some
time ago, following the lead of other
, cities, including New York and Los
Angeles.
:. Criticism Aroused.
Although Maj. Barrett has con-
sistently refused to discuss his
plans, details leaked out several
weeks ago and aroused consider
able criticism, particularly on the
score of arming the proposed re-
serves and the extent of their po-
lice authority.
On this score the National re-
port makes no specific proposals.
It merely states: Some cities have
preferred to arm and to extend full
police power to auxiliaries, others
have preferred to grant less extern
sive authority.
POLICY to be followed should be
Q matter of local determination.
However. many cities prefer care
full selection, adequate basic train
ing and then the granting of full
police power to obtain the, greatest
benefit"
Most Proposals Supported.
Vernon E. West, corporation coun-
sci, and Oliver Gasch, assistant cor
poration counsel, were understood
today to have completed a report
TO the city heads in which they
approved most-but not all-of Maj
Barrett's recommendations.
It may be necessary for the Com
nissioners to ask Congress for leg
islation if the city heads are to
carry out some portions of Maj.
Barrett's police reserve program, Mr.
Gasch said.
The special police reserves planned
by Maj Barrett would be we'll
trained not only in riot weapons
but in hand-to-hand combat anu
crowd Handling tactics. They would
pay for their own uniforms and be
classed as privates in the reserve
corps.
Activities Controlled.
The World War II auxiliary had
no special police powers and almost
invariably was assigned to patrol
with a regular policeman. The ac-
tivities of auxiliary policemen were
rigidly controlled after several in
cidents occurred which saw auxil-
iaries attempting to carry out the
functions of regular patrolmen.
The proposed organization here
would be trained and equipped
along the same lines as the special
civil disturbance squad already
formed by Maj. Barrett, with In
spector Lloyd E. Kelly as the prob
oloIe eo,,,p, a. rdipp officer
The Commissioners also are ex-
pected to act soon on other phases
of the civilian planners report,
which adds up as a primer for the
public on what to do in an atomic
attack. The planners advised that
air raid shelters afford only partial
protection and declared that the best
preparedness for American cities lies
in a ready and available system to
save the injured. put out fire and
prevent panic.
& The civilian planners told MIR. For
festal that existing police and fire
departments provide an excellent
starting point The report said,
however, that because of the magni-
4ude of attack that might be ex-
pected, the problem may be greater
than any single police or fire de-
partnent can handle.
Would Use Trained Men.
The Hopley report said key per-
sonnel for police services should be
drawn from the ranks of existing
police organizations, including per-
sons with adequate education and
police training.
key positions should preferably
be filled by persons currently active
IN police work, released on leaves of
absence by their organizations for
limited tours of duty with the Office
of Civil Defense" the report de-
clared.
1T must be anticipated that in
time of war regular police strengths
will need to be increased in sub
stantial proportion. The develop
ment of personnel with high indi-
vidual competency is a long, costly
Ind trying process.
THE ability of a given commu-
nifty to absorb auxiliaries is limited
by the number of regular police Of
ficers available to provide adequate
supervision. Above the maximum
point, additional auxiliaries will
prove more of a hindrance than a
help"
Inquiries Due in Deaths -