Evening star., 1952-03-18
Bureau Official Urge,
Enlargement Of D. {.
Police NarcoticsSquad

Although the size Of the dope
racket in Washington is on the
downgrade, the size Of the Metro
|politan Police Narcotics Squad
should be enlarged, according tc
10 spokesman Of the Federal Mar
cotics Bureau.
Benjamin r. Mitchell, general
counsel for the bureau, told j
meeting Of the Interfederatior
Council last night that. in hi
opinion. the District squad shoulc
be increased to q minimum of Is
men to do really effective job o1
stopping the dope trade here
There are now eight men on the
squad, including three temporaril,
assigned undercouer men.
The speaker declined to COM
ment on question from a council
member, who asked whether, ''in
his observation the Narcotics
Squad was doing q good job. Mr.
Mitchell said that. .'in view Of the
different investigations going on
at this time" he would like to duck
that question.
Cat a session Of the Senate
Crime Investigating Committee
yesterday, the head of the Dis
trict Narcotics Squad. 1t. II. II.
Carper, was accused of accept
ing bribes from dope peddlers
by Committee Chairman Nicely.
The officer catergorically denied
the charges.J
Deplores Hysteria.
Mr.. Mitchell deplored what he
called the tendency toward hys-
terra in dealing with the problem
OF narcotic addiction among juve-
niles. The problem, he said, is
mot all that it's cracked up to be. ;"
Vigilant attention of the Federal
bureau, he said, has turned up few
cases where high school children
were involved in the dope traffic.
Those Of high school age who are
involved, he said, were usually
juvenile delinquents to start with.
Mr.. Mitchell told the group the
size of the dope racket is diminish
ing all over the country because Of
sitter penalties. more agents, good
local cooperation and an aroused
public. He described the average
dope peddler as a commercial type
Of criminal. who will move to less
fields when narcotics
laws are vigorously enforced.
The speaker also recommended
three steps be taken in the District
to improve control of the drug
traffic. They are:
/. Compulsory commitment of
addicts brought before the courts.
More Isolation Facilities.
2. The creation of adequate
facilities for isolating the addicts
n local institutions for treatment.
3. The stiffening Of local penal
les for conviction on charges of
iope peddling to bring them in
inc with new and effective Fed
eral penalties.
The council set up committee
to- study the possibilities of
strengthening local narcotics laws.
In other action at last nights
meeting, the council voted to sup
port pending legislation calling for
an investigation of Washington's
Transit facilities by the Interstate
Commerce Commission. It was
urged that hearings be set on the
bills. Congressional action taken
and money voted for the probe
without delay.
+, The council declared the action
necessary, "in view of the present
inadequacy and deterioration of
transit service in the Washington
Metropolitan Area, the existing
inequalities Of fares and the con-
increase in costs of service
10 the communities in the area -"
The council commended the
heads of Washington area city
and county governments for set
ting up an area council for Met
'nuolitan Washington. It was
suggested that the council "con-
slider the advisability of inviting a
representative from the Interfed-
Grafton Council to be present at
some or all" Of its meetings.