The Mayor of the District of Columbia may direct the Chief of Police to empower any member of the police force, whenever such member shall be in search of property feloniously obtained, or in search of suspected offenders, to examine the books of any pawnbroker or his business premises, or the business premises of any licensed vender or dealer in secondhand merchandise, or intelligence office keeper, or auctioneer of watches and jewelry, or suspected private banking house, or other doubtful establishment.

(R.S., D.C., § 405; June 11, 1878, 20 Stat. 107, ch. 180, § 6.)

1981 Ed., § 4-148.

1973 Ed., § 4-148.

This section is referenced in § 47-2884.01.

“Pawnbrokers” defined, see § 47-2884.01.

Pawnbrokers, examination of books or premises, see §§ 47-2884.07 and 47-2884.11.

Office of Major and Superintendent of Metropolitan Police abolished: See Historical and Statutory Notes following § 5-105.01.

This section originated at a time when local government powers were delegated to a Board of Commissioners of the District of Columbia (see Acts Relating to the Establishment of the District of Columbia and its Various Forms of Governmental Organization in Volume 1). Section 401 of Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1967 (see Reorganization Plans in Volume 1) transferred all of the functions of the Board of Commissioners under this section to a single Commissioner. The District of Columbia Self-Government and Governmental Reorganization Act, 87 Stat. 818, § 711 ( D.C. Code, § 1-207.11), abolished the District of Columbia Council and the Office of Commissioner of the District of Columbia. These branches of government were replaced by the Council of the District of Columbia and the Office of Mayor of the District of Columbia, respectively. Accordingly, and also pursuant to § 714(a) of such Act ( D.C. Code, § 1-207.14(a)), appropriate changes in terminology were made in this section.