Evening star., 1950-03-01
Crime Prober
W ants Police
To Be MarshaIs
Fischboch Proposal
Would Permit Longer
Quizzing of Suspects
By Miriom Gutenberg and
J. Theodore Crown

Lie COUNSEL Tor tne HOuSt
crime probers wants to make
some policemen deputy marshal.
SO they can keep custody of pris.
oners after their arraignment.
This proposal to clear the way
for longer police questioning Of
prisoners was one of nearly g
dozen drawn from witnesses be.
fore the House District Subcom-
mittee investigating Washington
crime yesterday.
Special Counsel Hyman I. Fisch-
bach said he was sure deputizing
of police as marshalS could be
done administratively without re-
quiring law.
The proposal drew immediate
and enthusiastic approval from
Police Inspector Walter Storm and
Capt. Robert V. Murray, assistant
chief of detectives.
Police Need Pass.
They explained that at present
police must get prisoners arraigned
at the earliest possible moment
Thereafter, they said, the prisoner
is turned over to a deputy mar
shal and taken to District Jail.
Once the prisoner is in jail,
Capt. Murray complained, police
need pass to talk to him and the
prisoner doesn't have to talk to
police unless he wants to.
Capt. Murray said detectives
frequently want to question pris-
oners in connection with a series
of suspected law violations ano
haven't the time to do it.
The requirement for early ar
raignment grew out of the Su-
preme Court ruling in the Nc
Nabb case. The court ruled that
a prisoner must be taken before
a committing magistrate as soon
as possible. This decision was
aimed at preventing forced con-
fesslons and So-called third
degree" methods.
When Mr.. Fischbach suggested
that "key officials" of the Police
Department be appointed deputy
marshals, Inspector Storm said
every policeman in the First Pre-
cinct cellblock should become a
deputy marshal so prisoners could
be detained there after arraign-
ment.
The First Precinct cellblock, To-
Gated in police headquarters and
largest in the city, not only houses
prisoners arrested in the First
Precinct but also prisoners wanted
for questioning by headquarters
detectives.
United States Marshal w. Bruce
Matthews, who was asked by Mr..
Fischbach to attend the hearing
SO he could hear the proposal ex-
pounded, will be called later to
give his views of this plan.
More Proposals Due.
More proposals for changing ex-
listing police procedures are ex-
pected to be aired at a session of
the subcommittee this afternoon.
Other proposals brought out at
yesterdays session included:
l. Re- of the
Metropolitan Police Academy for
advanced training of policemen.
The academy. it was brought out,
has existed only on paper since
Maj. Robert j. Barrett became
police chief in July, 1947, but In
spector Storm said police plan to
get it started again by July.
2. Elimination of the long
standing arrangement under
which police serve as collection
agents" for men under court Or
der to provide maintenance for
their wives and children. Inspec-
tor Storm explained the money is
now being paid in at police pre-
cincts and turned over to the
court. He said this practice
should be discontinued.
3. Enactment of habitua
criminal statute requiring stiff
prison terms for repeated offend
ers. Joseph N Sanford, director
of probation at Municipal Court
said such a law would be "most
helpful" in protecting the public
from offenders who never learr
from experience and continually
break the law.
The proposed statute. it was ex-
planned, would not make long
prison terms automatic for offend
ers after certain number OF of.
fenses but would take in mis-.
demeanors as well as felonies.
4. Broadening of the Miller Act
to include offenders charged with
rape, carnal knowledge and at.
tempts to commit these offenses
At present, these offenders are
specifically excluded from the pro-
vision of the Miller Act which per-
mits commitment of "sex psyche.
paths" to st. Elizabeths Hospital
5. Revision of the sections ir
the District Code applying tt
police procedures. Inspector Storm
said some of these laws date back
to the 1860s and no revisions have
been made since 1906.
6. Establishment of a Confer.
ence on Law Enforcement which
would require representatives o.
the various reinforcement agen.
cies to get together once month
to go over their mutual problems
In answer to Mr.. Fischback's
-