Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-11-01
Murray Defends Aides
Against Bios Charges

Continued from Fist rage
better policemen for the assign
inent.
Hes responsible for law en-
forcement in that precinct" the
Chief declared.
The Chief repeated state
ments he has made previously
in the hearing that he would
not order Negro and white po-
licemen to be assigned to work
together in scout cars unless
the men involved themselves
were willing to do so.
Chief Murray, in strongly
worded, sworn testimony, yes
terday told the Commissioners
the administration of the Po-
lice Department is geared to
efficiency and merit, not race.
The police chief at one point
countered the NAACP brutality
arguments with a summary
showing that 268 policemen
were assaulted while making
arrests during the year which
ended last June.
Record Defended
He said that, far from con-
doning discrimination against
Negro policemen, he felt he
had done more than any of his
predecessors to improve their
lot.
The department is in fact
integrated, not segregated, he
said. Young Negro police
men. he added. are being en-
couraged to seek promotion.
He also denied that he had
been lax toward policemen
accused of brutality. He called
himself a strict disciplinarian.
But he testified that punish
ment demanded by the NAACP
for policemen involved in a
group of alleged brutality cases
had been proved unjustif1ed by
thorough Investigations.
Chief Murray's stand on the
treatment Of Negro policemen
was bolstered today by a re-
port by the Washington Grim
inal Justice Association. which
said Negroes have not been dis
eliminated against in promo
tons during the chiefs six
year-old administration.
The report, which followed a
study made at Chief Murray's
request. was made public BY
the association independently
Of the current hearings.
Deputy Chief Scott and
Capt. Douglas we're defended
in today's testimony by Chief
Murray in connection with re-
marks on the morale of Negro
policemen in their commands.
Questionnaires Cited
Deputy Chief Scott last week
testified he had six Negro de-
tectives fill out missionaries
on whether they were happy
in their assignments and said
all replied affirmatively. Capt.
Douglas testified three Negro
privates he interviewed ex-
pressed similar satisfaction
and a preference for working
with other Negroes.
Mr.. Dodson noted Mr.. Scott
had called in the six detectives
and ordered them to fill out the
questionnaires.
do you think any of these
men would be brave enough to
say he was unhappy in his as
signment?" he asked.
" I certainly do" Chief Muir
ray responded.
The police chief also asserted
after reference by Mr.. Dodson
to segregated beats" in Capt.
Douglas precinct:
II think that Capt. Doug
las would be the last man you
would accuse of practicing seq
regation in the police depart
ment."
The police chief volunteered
that some Negro policemen had
offered to come forward to
testify publicly to their salts
faction with their jobs, But
the chief declared:
II don't want to get them in
volved in this. / don't think
the Police Department should
have been involved in 1t in the
first place"
Pressure Charged
He charged that the NAACP
has sought to put pressure on
me to use personnel Of the
Police Department as they
wanted me to use them and
that the only trouble arising
Between white and colored Of
flcers had been stirred by
"agitators from outside"
Mr.. Dodson challenged a
table submitted by the police
chief yesterday showing 48 per
cent Of the departments $50
Negro policemen in so-called
"blue ribbon" assignments. He
charged that the table vas mis-
leading because 1t gave no COM
parison with the number Of