Office of the Historian

411. Memorandum from Saunders to Komer, July 51

July 5, 1962
[Facsimile Page 1]

SUBJECT

  • Police Committee

At the Police Committee meeting on 25 June, Coffin presented AID’s new organizational plan (attached). It simply makes Joe Wolf Coffin’s special assistant for internal defense and Chenery’s deputy for politico-military affairs and adds 4–7 officers to regional staffs. Joe would head an inter-agency coordinating committee.

This isn’t the final word. Even Johnson balked at the absence of a core of public safety experts to anchor the program, and Coffin promised to take another look. He was also caught short without any idea of how to fit the proposed police academy into his scheme.

A clear but perhaps reconcilable difference remains between the AID approach and what the Technical Subcommittee and DOD recommend. Engle’s report cites the need for a core of professionals researching police techniques, equipment, and doctrine and keeping a central file on police matters. Obviously the two-man Public Safety Division (PSD) AID proposes can’t do this job, which Engle says would take at least 8–10.

Engle and DOD still favor pulling all public safety advisers out of the regions into PSD. However, even the staff level people in AID who back the police program wholeheartedly believe one or two advisers must remain in each region. Neither AID nor BOB, as you know, would buy Engle’s position. However, what still seems possible is a compromise (along the lines of BOB proposal) developing a much stronger PSD while leaving PSD outposts in each region. The door is still open, too, for MAP funding.

Johnson raised the possibility of starting a new category of AID funds for “internal defense.” Coffin receptive, and Amory discussing with Bell. This, of course, would be a year off.

Will see Maechling today or tomorrow to discuss next meeting on organization question and final report. His program adequacy report [Typeset Page 1678] will be out tomorrow. You will get a crack at the organization plan when Coffin presents his revision.

HHS
  1. Police Committee meeting readout. Secret. 1 p. Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Kaysen Series, Foreign Aid, General, 5/62–11/63, Box 373.↩