Evening star., 1950-02-09
Crime Probers
Obtain Pistols
As'Precaution'
Some Policemen Must
Cover 5 or 6 Beats,
Witnesses Testify
BY Miriom Ottenberq

Police pistols have been issued
as "precaution" to the special
counsel and the investigator for
the congressional subcommittee
investigating Washington crime,
it was learned today.
Hyman I. Fischbach, special
counsel for the House District
subcommittee on crime and pun
lshment, confirmed the report
that the. pistols have been issued
after it was published in The Star.
This disclosure came as the
committee, calling more police
witnesses to it's public hearings,
was told today:
l. That paroled convicts and
those released conditionally ahead
of time for good behavior, may
walk Washington streets for
months before police learn they
are at large.
2. That because of the scarcity
of police some foot patrolmen
have to cover five or six beats in
their precinct.
Get No Court Reports.
3, That police get no reports
from the courts on how the cases
they bring to court are disposed
of. They also get 20 reports from
probation and parole officers and
juvenile authorities.
4. That the statistics which po-
lice have been able to compile
on disposition of cases show that
1884 of the 87,732 arrests made
during the last fiscal year wound
up with the cases being dis
or dropped.
S. That in compiling an overall
report for the subcommittee po-
lice statisticians discovered the
precincts failed to report some Of
the offenses. In the case of con-
cealed weapons, for instance, po-
lice discovered 400 arrests had
been made, but only 240 offenses
had been reported by the pre-
cincts to headquarters.
Asked About Pistols.
AS soon as today's hearing
ended, Mr.. Fischbach was asked
to comment on the report that
he had been issued a pistol. Re
fusing at first to discuss it, he
later told reporters that he and
John Woog, his assistant, and the
committees investigator made ar
rangements for the pistols Mon
day and were issued them Tues
day-the day the public hearings
started.
He subsequently identified the
weapons as .38-caliber police pis-
tol specials. He said they were
issued at his request, "just as a
precaution.
John CWoog) and I frequently
have to go out late at night in
the course of this investigation"
he explained.
He refused to comment directly
on reports that he requested the
weapons after receiving threats.
He said only: "We have had our
fair share of screwballs and crack
pots. We have got to see all
comers."
Information System Urged.
The disclosure during the hear
ing that the Police Department
gets no advance word when con-
victs are to be released brought
from Subcommittee Chairman
Davis the comment that a system
should be installed to give police
this information.
Representative Davis told re-
porters it was very necessary for
police to know the whereabouts
of the criminal element. He said
this problem could be corrected
by legislation, but it would be
more proper if the court would
make the necessary arrangements.
Both Donald Clemmer, direc-
tor of the Department of Correc-
tions. and r. E. L. Smith, chief
parole officer, both were attend
ing the hearing when Police Chief
Robert j. Barrett complained:
"At times, the detective bureau
gets a report that convict has
been put on conditional release.
but sometimes that is two months
later"
Statistics Officer Questioned.
The absence of reports from the
courts was brought out in the
questioning of 1t. Earl P. Hart
man, head of the statistical divi-
sion. He explained that the ar
resting officers try to keep up with
the disposition of the cases, but if
they leave the court before the
case is finally disposed OF. the
police do not get the information.
Mr.. Fischbach wanted to know
Continued on Page A-4, Col. A.
Forecaster Il Degrees Off