The Mayor of the District of Columbia is hereby authorized to detail from time to time from the privates of the police force such number of privates as may in his judgment be necessary for special service in the detection and prevention of crime, and while serving in such capacity they shall have the rank of sergeants in the force.

(Feb. 28, 1901, 31 Stat. 820, ch. 623, § 3.)

1981 Ed., § 4-111.

1973 Ed., § 4-110.

This section is referenced in § 1-632.03.

Merit system, application to police officers and firefighters, see § 1-632.03.

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.