Sophisticated Police

BOSTON-Willam F. Powers, the new Massachusetts Public Safety Commissioner, yesterday said he hopes to eliminate the military aspects of state police discipline and introduce more sophisticated methods of law enforcement.

"It's very important for each of our men to have a definite understanding of the social, economic, and historical roots of the kinds of problems with which we're confronted," Powers said.

Powers, who just completed a year's graduate study on a federal fellowship, has initiated a seminar in "civil unrest procedures." He plans to abolish the barracks system, which forces a state trooper to live in antiquated housing miles from his home.

The new commissioner, a 20-year veteran of the force, also intends to reduce the number of state police riding motorcycles.

Back to Sugar Cubes

LONDON, England-Great Britain might follow the United States in banning the use of cyclamates as artificial sweeteners.

Britain's minister of agriculture asked the U.S. for a report on its tests on cyclamates. This action followed an announcement Friday by U.S. Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare Robert H. Finch that all cyclamates must be removed from the U.SC. market by the end of this year.

In Stockholm, the Swedish Association of Retail Grocers also decided to stop sale of all foodstuffs containing cyclamates.

Antipoverty Accidents

BOSTON-A Boston antipoverty agency will no longer be able to rent cars from the Minicost Car Rental Co.

The treasurer of the company charged that seven or eight accidents involving cars driven by Action for Boston Community Development have gone unreported, including one car that was a total loss. The car agency further charged that repair bills were not paid.

Deputy Director John Repolo of the antipoverty agency denied the charges. He said that "no large damage" was involved, and that the agency had paid its bills.

One of the accidents occurred at Wonderland Dog Track. Repolo said that he did not know why a car rented by the antipoverty agency had been at the dog-racing track.

Polish Plane Hijacked

BERLIN-Two armed East German defectors forced a Polish airliner to land in West Berlin yesterday. The two men were granted asylum.

According to an official spokesman, none of the other 63 passengers and nine crewmen asked to remain in the west. The plane proceeded to East Berlin, its next scheduled stop on the way to Brussels, Belgium, its final destination.

Witnesses reported that two Communist MIG jets tried but failed to prevent the landing.

'Fight Mayor White'

BOSTON-"No evictions, stay and fight, no evictions, fight Mayor White" was the chant of 75 demonstrators in front of Mayor Kevin White's home in Beacon Hill.