Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-07-23

deal in the police system
leads to disrespect for the
forces of law and order.
Many police departments
engaged race relation experts
like the present Sheriff Lob
man of Cook County, ILL.,.
who once was a member of
our Park and Planning Com
mittee, to educate personnel
of the police departments as
to how to deal with minori-
ties subject to racial dis
elimination. Some members
Of the department have en-
gagged in interracial con-
ferenceS, but I am not sure
that the full implications Of
such studies have been used
here.
Some of the problems that
should be considered by the
chief Of police. and which if
remedied might avoid some
of the criticism he gets, are
as follows:
!. There should be no bar
riers to promotion or ceilings
placed on Negro officers.
There has been but one COL
ored policeman who reached
the commission of lieuten-
ancy. He was promoted by a
courageous police chief in the
face of threatened resigna-
tons and muttering by many
subordinates. The lieutenant
was kept at the precinct
house where his duty made
him q familiar figure at the
ball park. Only two or three
colored officers have been
able to make the grade of
corporal. Others who were
assigned as sergeants were
not in uniform as such nor
placed in precincts. The ru-
NOR is that white police dis
like serving as privates in a
detail under command Of a
Negro corporal. I have had
Negro patrolmen in the past
complain Of assignments CIV
en- them which in their judg-
ment were solely because they
were Negroes. For example,
1t has been said q Negro mo-
torcycle policeman is not as
signed to accompany a white
veteran to his last resting
place in Arlington, but al
ways to q colored funeral.
Although many of the
policemen are graduates Of
our high schools and COL
leges and some make high
grades in examination, eff
cheney ratings have been used
to lower their final ratings.
Today I understand the
written examination is prac-
tically the determining fac
tor.
20 What but submission to
racial prejudice causes only
whites and only Negroes to
pair on walking beats? Why
must a squad car be retired
II one Of the two Negroes on
duty is absent? In the armed
forces they work together.
CD Needing personnel, why
is 1t necessary to advertise
In Southern States? It is
well established that atti-
tudes gained in Southern
environments acc m pany
many young men when they
get on our police force.
In tercultural education
should be a must for these
recruits. Even some OF the
older officers on the force
have not yet unlearned their
prejudices. For instance. /
was standing near a group
OF high officers observing an
interracial event and over
heard the word N" fire.
quently used. Here in Vir-
ginia, I served on the grand
jury. and officer after officer
in describing a Negro re-
ferred to him as the N"
or Coon" 1t takes indoc-
trination in police work to
remove this cause Of friction.
"a AS to brutality. a
good-natured boy Of excel
lent character once worked
for me. Later he was en-
ployed as night Waterman at
a garage on N street near
Seventh street. One Sunday
morning while washing his
car on the apron Of the pave
ment he was accosted by two
young policemen and asked
questions about some incl
dent Of which he had no
knowledge. He was told then
1t was q misdemeanor to wash
. car on the apron. He re-
piled that 1t had been done
there for years and he.would
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