Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-07-01
Murray Backs
Police Faceof
BrutalityCharge
Notes Resentment
Of Families Toword
Arresting Officer

Police Chief Robert v. Murray
in the face of charges that his
men have mistreated juveniles,
today declared he will support
to the limit any member of the
Metropolitan Police Department
who properly and reasonably per-
forms his duty as a police Off
GER"
In a memorandum to his men
the Chief asserted.
Recently several complaints
have been forwarded to me by
Juvenile Court. Some of the jul
niles appearing in that court
have alleged physical mistreat-
ment by members of the Metro
politan Police Department, while
other complaints dealt, for the
most part, with remarks alleged
to have been made by the arrest
ing officer.
Won't COndone Mistreatment.
ut must be realized by every
member of this department that
there is a natural resentment
toward the arresting officer by
nearly every one charged with
crime-juvenile or .adult-anC
by members Of their families
Every opportunity is usually
seized upon to complain about
the officer.
THAT is another reason why
every police officer should make
certain that he is not placed in
a position where he could rea-
sonably be accused of mistreat-
ing a juvenile or adult in any
manner. I have stated on many
occasions, and I am sure that
every member of the force is
fully aware of it, that I will not
condone or tolerate the mis-
treatment of any one or any
wrongdoing by a police officer.
cat the same time I want to
state that I intend to support
to the limit any member of the
Metropolitan Police Department
who properly and reasonably
performs his duty as a police
officer"
Ryan Deplores Proposal.
Juvenile Squad Capt. John F..
Ryan, meantime, deplored yes
terday's action by a work group
at the Conference on Juvenile
Delinquency which recommend
ed Juvenile Court control over
the fingerprinting and photo
graphing of juveniles.
The squad captain, who did
not serve on the work group,
declared he cannot see why q
law should take away my inves-
tigation techniques."
Capt. Ryan, who has worked
withS juveniles for % years in
the Metropolitan Police Depart
ment. made his statement after
learning of the action by the
police services for children work
group in the conference spon.
sored by the children's bureau
of the Department Of Health
Education and Welfare.
More than $50 juvenile court
Judges, educators, probation Off
GERS, social workers and others
attended the three-day session
which ended yesterday.
Judge Cockrill's Suggestion.
Juvenile Court Judge Edit
M. Cockrill, serving on the work
group. called for Legislation
Tuesday which would forbid pc.
lice fingerprinting and photo.
graphing Of juveniles without
the express permission of the
Juvenile Court. She also sug.
gested statutes throughout thu
country closing all police record!
on juvenile cases to the public.
For a long time, Judge Cock.
rill has been severely criticized
for her iron. curtain of secrecy
about the Juvenile Court here
a policy which has prevented
local agencies from learning o.
the dispositions of cases sent tt
the court.
That policy. moreover. is op-
posed by most of the worl
groups in the conference, which
was marked by demands for CO.
operation between all agencie.
connected with Juvenile delin.