The globe-independent. (Hagerstown, Md.) 1943-19??, 1950-02-09
adde's and Gentlemen:

anu GGIlLlGIllGIl.
Since my appointment as Police
Commissioner l have learned at first
hand of the many problems with
which a Police Department is con-
ronted. We have attempted to take
hese problems in stride, and we
will continue to do so.
In my opinion Hagerstown has
fine Police Department. l am very
proud of our organization, and happy
of my utilization with it. The people
of Hagerstown have been extremely
cooperative, and it seems to me that
he feeling of teamwork grows daily
in our community, an attitude which
cannot fail to make Hagerstown a
better place in which to live, and
raise our families.
There is one problem which has
me worried. It is a problem of ire
mendous proportions, and has be-
ONE increasingly dangerous in the
asst few years. l am referring to
he Sex Crime Problem.
Let me refresh your memories on
3 items that you probably noticed in
he newspapers this past week. l
Tipped them for my files, so quote
rom them.
l. A 14-year- Clarkton, Va,
choolgirl was raped and shot to
death while on her way home from
school.
2. At Atlantic City the American
Legion announced a program to COM
bat sex crimes against children in
even eastern States and Washing
on, D. c.
8. In Pittsburgh Warden Charles
D. Dye of the Allegheny County Jail
eported that one out of 10 persons
edged in Jail during 1949 was charg-
ed with morals offense. 1889 per
sons were charged with sex crimes
in 1948 while 1885 were charged in
GAG.
Police Commissioner John Prem
dergast was informed that in Chi
cago there are at least 10000 men
and boys with records as sex offend
ers, and that it was assumed there
are at least 5000 other sexual psyche
paths who are not listed in police
files. Records sent to the Commits
ioner showed that sex offenses had
increased each year since 1914, and
hat the 1949 totals for rape and
crimes against children would be
about 10 percent higher than in 1948.
On Nov. 18th j. Edgar Hoover, Di-
ector of FBI reported that the rate
of sex crimes during the first half of
949 ran slightly ahead of the same
period for 1947-when the aIl-time
high was reached. This report said
steady increase in sex offenses be-
gan several years ago and after slack
ming slightly in 1948, is on the rise
gain.
The FIJI maintains that too many
children will learn the facts of life
in back alleys" Criminals are aid
ed, it says, by family taboos, family
pride, shame, fear and indifference.
All these are held up as obstacles to
the detection and arrest of abnormal
persons who frequently betray them
selves before committing crimes.
Just before Christmas, did you
notice the press reports of 81 boys
and girls engaging in wild parties,
and shocking the quiet town of New
Haven, Indiana? Also, at Lake Pla-
cid, N. Y. a 28-year-old odd-job man
was charged with raping pretty Z
year-old Babbette Wilcox after tell
ing her he was one of Santa's help
erS.
Possibly you will say ut can't
happen here!" l feel confident that
the people of the communities where
these horrible acts are occurring ev-
cry week also believed that 1T
couldn't happen there!
We know that there are abnormal
people in our community, and dur
ing the past few months our De
partment has made a number of ar
rests of sex offenders. Any of these
offenses are serious enough, but they
can grow and grow, if not stopped in
the early stages.
am a great believer in the law
of averages. Hagerstown has been
fortunate in that we have not ex-
perienced sex murders, sadistic kill
ings, or other heinous crimes, such
as we read about occurring prac-
tically every day in some part of the
country. I know that we all sin
cerely pray that nothing of this kind
will ever befall our city. We hope
that the law of averages will not
catch up with us.
We, of the Police Department,
want to prevent any crimes of this