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Hearings before the Subcommittee on Executive Reorganization
of the Senate Government Operations Committee
Afternoon session: November 30, 1966
Witness: Judge George Edwards, U. S. Court of Appeals, 6th Circuit,
Former Police Commissioner of the City of Detroit, 1962 and 1963.
Judge Edwards outlined for the Subcommittee
in the large cities of the U., S. with examples drawn largely from his own
experiences in the city of Detroit. The Judge emphasized ke problems of
the Negro community and the fact that the attitudes of Negroes towards law
enforcement are the product of their early environment mainly in the South.
Judge Edwards said that most crime is committed by Negroes and inflicted
on others of their own race. He said, however, that the large magority
Negroes are in favor of law enforcement end want to see it imoroved.
eee
tee the problems of lew enforcement
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The Judge made the following suggestions:
Promote Negroes on an equal basis with whites.
Ban police dogs in racial demonstrations,
Integrate police teams.
- Raise the pay of policemen.
ll. Hire more policemen.
12. Coordinate lew enforcement agencies,
13. Establish @ National Police Training Collese,.
14, Esteblish high level boards within police departments to investigate
charges against policemen.
15. Federal grants-in-aid should be made for ee training.
.
1. Find out more facts in regard to complaints about police brutality.
2. ransfer troublemakers on a police force and those who use brutal
3. End investigative arrests.
h, Increase police in high crime precincts.
5. Federal goverment must help Localities combat organized crime
6. Professionalize policemen by upgrading their standards SnybuRh better
training.
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16. End the autonemous nature of lew enforcement bodies.
Witness: Robert Coles, M.D., Research Psychiatrist, Harvard University
Heslth Services.
Dr. Coles is a child psychiatris
studied the effect of racial tensior
young Negro children who first attended white schools in th
had to endure many torments and antesonism snowed a grea
character. He said that it was &@ puzzlement to him that
here
ay
strength of character than an environment of luxury or =
quility. However, the Doctor pointed out that after th
underprivileged children begin to realize that abeatence
teachings of their childhood will not pay off, After thi
who worked extensively
on on Negro children,
xt be
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slum youth
then quite
delinquenc;;7. che Dactor pointed» out
they can fis... nothing right, nothing
Main questions raised oy the Subcommit
1. Recketeering in slum housing.
Senator Kennedy asked Judge Edwerds whether organized c
in the creation and continuation of slwe housing condit
said that it probably dees and Senator Kennedy told the
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he thinks the Subcommittee should explore this possibili
Defense by cities against rioting.
Senator Ribicoff asked the Judge what e city can do to defend itself
against rioting and at what point the Nationel Guard should be called
in. The Judge said that all of his sugsestions would help prevent
riots, but once the riot had besun it could be counteracted only by
quick orgénization and great mobility of substantial Torces on the si
of the law. He said that the force used must be overwhelming and di
He believes that the National Guard should be called to a riot scene
wnen police gunfire is needed.
Culture of tboverty.
tak ae we or
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wile We
a
Ly by
o
enator Kennedy asked Dr. Coles wheth
in the U. &, The Doctor replied tha
have @ culture of poverty because be
the existence and extensiveness of am
Through TV and other media practicall
oF the opportunities which exist or t+ there is 4 1
e
h
O ct fs
Toner. heshatee,
of communications,
in this country
td
pe
iD
g
oo
ta
om de
to live although the attainment of s not possible.
Bussing of school children.
Although Dr, Coles thinks that
to the suburbs hes been quite
in his view the money. might bei
generally. Senator Ribicor?
of very poor children in
wes psychologicelly good
sium dvellers-
d whether there is
epene ee The Doctor
children,
. general discussion of whether
spent on .cation today is péying off.
in findin. setter ways to help slum children,
Senators present:
Ribicoff
Kennedy