Evening star., 1948-03-05
Police Figures Show
Only One Patro|man
For 2,091 Persons

The cop on the beat In the Dis
trict must protect the lives and
property Of more than twice the
number of people he protected in
1925, according to Police Depart
ment statistical report made pub
lie today.
The report disclosed that % years
ago there was one foot patrolman
,onsthe street for every 8e1 District
|resideIts. IN 1s4T that figure read
one to 2,o91.
Since he became superintendent
OF the Metropolitan Police last july
Mai. Robert J. Barrett has plugged
long and hard for more policemen
on the street. He has urged that 205
additional men be authorized for
the force under the budget for the
coming year.
To lend strength to his argument
for more men, and particularly for
more footmen, Maj. Barrett detailed
Pvt. A. A. Aderholdt to dig into
police records for comparative sta
ttstics.
An arbitrary average" day was
picked for the year 1925 and COM
pared for the year 1947.
The statistics seem to show that,
since, 1928, the department has not
expanded as rapidly as the popu-
lation OF the District. They indi-
cate the emphasis that has been
put on mechanization and speciali-
zation has cut into the available
plumber of men for street duty.
The report shows:
In 1928 there were l,19s men on
the police force for total popula-
ton Of 46i 900. Last year the au-
thofized force was 1,795 men. Be-
cause Of q lack Of recruits 1t
operated through the year with an
average number of 1898. Mean
while. the population had almost
doubled, with a census estimate last
July Of s6l, 900.
In 1925 the police force had Sld
men available for foot patrol. In
1947, because Of an increase Of
special detail Assignments, = the
number was 40.
In 1925 there were 385 persons te
each police officer, taking the de.
partment as q whole. In 1947 there
were 479 persons for each officer
based on the authorized strength.
The report reveals that an average
OF II men are available at any giver
time in each Of the 13 precincts ir
the city's SO square miles. Thi,
number is depleted by special de.
tails, such as police assigned tc
Turner's Arena, to Grifhth Stadium
to Constitution Hall. parades. pres
idential details and so on. In 1941
these special details. which take
the police of their regular beats
consumed q total Of 132,538 man.
hours.
Furthermore, the distribution Of
such special assignments is not
equally divided among all the l;
precincts. At certain times nearly
all available footmen may be or
special detail from one precinct.
Last week. when two taxi drivers
met their deaths at the hands OF
murderers in Southeast Washing
ton, there were only seven footmen
on duty in No. S Precinct.
The report devotes a considerable
section to the subject OF policemen's
pay. Maj. Barrett has said that he
feels low salary scales for police is
a large factor in the failure to bring
the department up to strength.
Present scales for top-grade police
privates (who have been on the force
at least five years. is $55.76 a week
take-home pay for single men,
$60.l1 for a man with wife and
child.
Mai. Barrett also is seeking the
creation OF two additional assistant
superintendents of police and three
additional inspectors.