Evening star., 1953-06-13
Crime Increase Stirs
Plan 10 Merge Police
In Capitol Area


In Capitol Area
Faced with reports that crime
is increasing on the Capitol
grounds. a House Subcommittee
has launched a move to con-
solidate police forces there.
The number OF crimes in the
area have been increasing since
the first Of the year, a House Ap-
preparations subcommittee was
told by House Sergeant-at-Arms
William F. Russell, and Capitol
Police Capt. William Broderick.
There have been robberies, at
tackS and many car thefts, they
reported.
This prompted Subcommittee
Chairman Horan, Republican, of
Washington to suggest better CO.
operation among Washington's
various police forces, or even
consolidation.
The text of the hearing tram
script made public today dis
closes that officials of the House
and of the Library of Congress
generally approved the idea of
consolidating the Capitol and
library police.
Would Exclude Court Policy.
But Associate Justice Harold
H. Burton of the Supreme Court
resisted the proposal to include
that courts police force with
others.
"You will find an important
reason for the separate status
of the police of our independent
branch of the Government" he
contended. The court police, he
explained, "are the right and left
hands of the marshal of the
court, and I have a clear impress
sion that the court will insist
that those police be responsible
to him alone"
The story of the increase in
crime on the Capitol grounds was
laid before the committee by
Capt. Broderick. He reported
that, during the entire year 1852
there were 176 arrests for vari-
Gus offenses, but during the first
four months of this year police
have already arrested 109.
Asks Is More Men.
Requesting funds for Is more
privates to add to the present
Capitol Police force of 157 men,
Capt. Broderick told the COM
mittee: although we have in
creased the number of arrests,
I do not think we are doing an
adequate job. and we do not
have the manpower to do it,"
Referring to the total number
of police and guards on Capitol
Hill, Chairman Horan said to
Capt. Broderick:
Seventy-nine are in the Lii
brary of Congress, and think
they have been there quite a
while. You have 157 under you,
The Supreme Court has 80. On
the face of it it would appear
that, in the aggregate, we are
not undermined, as far as
proper police protection is con-
cerned."
Il do believe that there are
enough men in this section, u
Capt. Broderick agreed. "Actu-
ally there are more right in here
in an area of say five or six
square blocks to handle almost
any type of police problem that
certainly could exist here.
Speaks for Merger.
ut is just that they are not
under one command, and they
cannot be used freely from one
side of the street to the other
Merging of the Library of Con-
gress and Capitol police, Capt
Broderick predicted, could be
done. and it may prove bene-
f1cial."
The principal enforcement
difficulties, Capt. Broderick tolo
the subcommittee, happen right
after a new Congress comes in. >
and there is big turnover ir
the Capitol Police forces. The
men are subject to patronage
appointment.
Capt. Broderick proposed that
if there is to be turnover in
personnel at the beginning Of q
new Congress, "the top mer
should just turn over from 9
majority to a minority"
Seizing on that proposal a
providing more continuity,
Chairman Koran said he woulc
take it up with the House SER
geant at arms. The subcommit.
tee wants further information
he said, so it can consider what
properly may be done looking
toward unified command ur
here on the HILL"
; II Separate Forces.
Mr.. Horan'S comments on tht
multiple police forces here cam,
during testimony that the Cour
of Claims has only four watch
men.
; I'VE have here a communit.
: in the. Metropolitan Area o
/. about million and q quartz,