Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-11-02

man II. OOuSOup ctllcI NAAOk
counsel, firmly stood by hi
previous assertions that Wash
ington's Police Department
operates without racial bias.
|. Mr.. Dodson devoted most at
tention during the session Il
the assignments given to thu
departments $50 Negro police
men. He challenged as mis-.
leading" a table indicating Al
per cent of these officers are IL
blue ribbon" posts. a designa.
ton the NAACP attorney sug.
gested earlier in the hearings
The table, he asserted, failet
to show how many white
policemen hold similar posts.
He also pressed the polics
chief to say just what he hac
done to carry out a 1853 anti.
discrimination order from thu
District Commissioners.
No C0mpulsion Policy
Chief Murray conceded HI
does not believe in compelling
white and Negro officers to b
assigned to such posts as scout
car teams together if they were
unwilling. He also testified HI
has made it a policy to leave
to subordinate officials the as.
signing Of policemen.
He also stated that he woulC
not undertake to investigate
possible bias among any Of
these subordinate officers un.
less he received complaint
from policemen.
I've never had such a COM
plant" he testified.
The chief maintained, how
ever, that the operation of the
Police Department is not segre.
gated, and that he is willing Il
permit Negro and white officer:
to work together when they are
willing to do so and where thi,
does not impair efficiency.
Quotes Negro Detectives
He specifically backed tn,
testimony of three high-rank'
ing officers who preceded hin
in the hearings.
One was Deputy Chief Edga
E. Scott. head Of the detectivI
bureau. who said six Negro de-
tectives declared in question
naires that they were happ.
with their assignments. An
other was Capt. Alexande
Douglas of the second pre-
cinct, who said three Negrl
privates in interviews with hin
said substantially the sam
thing, and expressed a prefer
ence for working with othe
Negroes.
The third officer, Capt. Alder
Clarke Of the 10th precinct sal,
he had only white officers as
signed to scout cars.
Chief Murray said he fel
Capt. Clarke was entitled to fl
the posts as he felt best TO
purposes of law enforcement
He said he believed the Negrl
officers would have had no re
luctance to tell Deputy Chic
Scott and Capt. Douglas so l
they were dissatisfied.
The chief also testified tina
it is possible for policemen +
ask for transfers and that the,
often do.
RObb Objects
Mr.. Dodson referred to a
rigid system of segregated
beats" in the department. Thi
drew sharp objections from
Roger Robb, Chief Murray
attorney.
The NAACP attorney aske,
whether a practice of maintain
ing exclusively white or colorel
beats would cause the chief Il
question whether or not a pre-
cinct captain was prejudiced
Chief Murray said it would moi
Mr.. Dodson also inquire
whether police assignments ar
based generally on the happi
ness of the policemen. To thi
the chief replied that 1--WE lik
to keep a man happy in his as
signment If we can" But h
added that efficiency and mo
rale come first.
On the other principal issu
in the hearings, allegations @
police brutality, Chief Murra
said he felt brutality incident
have been kept to a minimum
He specifically discounted on
brutality charge involving
man named Isaac williams, il
who according to Mr.. Dodso
was pushed down a stairwa
and beaten. by a policeman
Chief Murray said another pc
liceman was handcuffed to tn
alleged victim and went dow
with him.
Il believe the officer did ne
push another officer down tn
steps while he was handcuffe
to a prisoner" he testified. III
wouldn't push a prisoner dow
the steps. either"
The Justice Department re
Gently announced that an FE
investigation had turned up r
basis for prosecution undt
civil rights statutes in this
the other cases Of allege
brutality cited by the NAACP.