Evening star., 1950-09-09
ArlingtonReporl
Highly Critical
Of Lundberg
Findings Submitted
By 3-Mon Police
Inquiry Commission

OF Arlington County Manager
A. T. Lundberg was presented to
the Arlington County Board to-
day by a three-man Police In
vestigation Commission.
The commission was appointed
by the board four months ago to
conduct study of the Police De-
partment. E. j. Steger was named
chairman. Other members are
Joseph Leib and Vic Gauzza, all
county residents.
In naming the commission, the
County Board adopted an l1-point
resolution, setting forth the basic
questions to be investigated.
The report declares that Mr.
Lundberg, throughout the COM
missions study, has proven him
self unco-operative and caused un-
necessary delay in the investiga-
ton"
Score of Recommendations.
More than a score of suggeS-
tions and recommendations are
scattered throughout the report
Many of these were made about
two weeks ago by Grifenhagen &
Associates who were hired to make
an independent survey of the de-
partment.
For the Safety Traffic Bureau,
the report recommends clerk be
furnished to relieve the one-man
bureau of routine work.
Other recommendations include:
That no policeman be permitted
to hide in bushes off the public
highways waiting to spring upon
traffic violators.
That the police chief hold pc
riodic meetings with his entire
staff and iron out difficulties in a
democratic and humane manner.
Better Police Wages Urged.
That policemen be permitted
and encouraged to file reasonable
written charges with the county
manager against any official who
refuses to work in cooperation
with staff members of the depart
ment.
That the safety program con-
Quoted by Dick Mansfield through
The Evening Star be utilized.
That q training course in gath
ering evidence and in the presen-
tation of reports in proper and
readable form be inaugurated.
That personal and official public
recognition be given to each officer
for job we'll done.
That a school for mock court
trials be set up.
Motorcycle Radios Favored.
That the police automobile shop
be Immediately reorganized and a
more efficient repair and main
tenance procedure be established.
A shocking amount of money Is
being wasted.
That radios be installed on
motorcycles.
That persons jailed for intoxica-
ton be examined by physician.
That the system of selecting
recruits be improved.
That policemen be given pistol
training.
That a police matron be ap-
pointed. There have been cases
where prisoners have reached the
courtroom and displayed dan
gerous weapons simply because
no one in the Police Department
had the authority to make per-
sonal or private search.
Asks Who Is Police Chief.
The report declares there is "a
definite uncertainty within the
Police Department as to who real
ly is the defacto chief of police" ;"
rs the county manager or the
chief of police?" the report asks.
1T would certainly clear an
unfortunate atmosphere if this
elaring misunderstanding was cor
rected and undoubtedly would
help boost the morale of the de-
partment as a whole"
Of Police Chief Harry L. Wood
yard, the report declares he "was
very courteous and readily an
swered many embarrassing ques-
tions without hesitating in his in
terview with this commission.
The report declares the COM
mission feels that factors might
level off," with the recent adop-
ton of a police manual.
The report also is highly criti-
cal of the county coroner, DR..
w. C. Welburn. 1t presents with
out comment charges" by police
officers concerning DR.. Welburn.
The report presents accounts
of incidents in which the coroner
allegedly did not respond when
called by the police, but ordered
bodies removed and viewed them
later at a funeral parlor rather
than on the scene.
Presley Incident Cited.
The document reviewed infor-
NAL recommendations made in
october. 1947, by a special county
grand jury impaneled to investi-
gate charges of connection be-
tween members of the Police De-
partment and county gamblers.
The grand jury found that the
charges were without foundation.
The report also reviews an in
cident in which the present chief
of detectives, c. Burns Presley,
then a detective, was suspended
from the force and then rein
stated. The incident touched off
demand for the grand jury in
uuiry.
AAF